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English for Specific Purposes
| Content Provider | Scilit |
|---|---|
| Author | Kinnear, Penny |
| Copyright Year | 2018 |
| Description | Book Name: The Routledge Handbook of Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Development |
| Abstract | The chapter reviews current trends in English for specific purposes (ESP), focusing on the shift from an instrumental perspective to a more sociocultural conceptualization of language, pedagogy, and research. ESP has moved from a focus on lexicogrammatical structures, genre, and rhetorical moves to one that recognizes the situatedness and complexity of communication. Tensions exist between providing vocabulary, structures, and pragmatic practices as conduits for communication and the social and political power structures those tools may enact. These tensions spill into assessment practices predicated on individual mastery of lexicogrammatical and genre content. The complexity of ESP can be well-served by a sociocultural approach that assumes that language and language practices emerge from social interactions by examining relationships rather than discrete variables. Sociocultural theory (SCT), and in particular activity theory, focuses on the interactions of individuals with one another and with the socially created tools, symbols, artifacts, practices, conventions, and meanings rather than solely on the individual cognitive process and external forces. The chapter uses a research study to illustrate how an SCT perspective and methodology, specifically, activity theory, affords insights not possible with traditional analytical frameworks.This chapter reviews trends in English for specific purposes (ESP), focusing on the shift from an instrumental perspective to a more sociocultural conceptualization of language, pedagogy, and research. It uses a research study to illustrate how a sociocultural theory perspective and methodology, specifically, activity theory, affords insights not possible with traditional analytical frameworks. The study was designed to include non-participatory observation of first-year engineering design teams during their team meetings. The study was located in the engineering faculty of a large, Canadian university where 32% of incoming students are required to submit a measure of English language proficiency. The chapter focuses on English for specific purposes in E. Hinkel's Handbook of Research in Second Language Teaching and Learning Volume II. The complexity of ESP can be well-served by a sociocultural approach that assumes that language and language practices emerge from social interactions by examining relationships rather than discrete variables. |
| Related Links | https://content.taylorfrancis.com/books/download?dac=C2015-0-66778-X&isbn=9781315624747&format=googlePreviewPdf |
| Ending Page | 377 |
| Page Count | 21 |
| Starting Page | 357 |
| DOI | 10.4324/9781315624747-23 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited |
| Publisher Date | 2018-06-14 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Subject Keyword | Book Name: The Routledge Handbook of Sociocultural Theory and Second Language Development Language Studies Structures Sociocultural Theory Chapter Reviews Instrumental Perspective Complexity of Esp Esp Can Be Well Served Sociocultural Conceptualization |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Chapter |
