1. LANGUAGE TEACHERS AS COURSE DESIGNERS
DESIGNING AN ESP COURSE
FOR BEGINNERS
by Tatjana Klobucar
CDA / FLC / Department Osijek

2. Language Courses in CAF
FLC Units 3 departments units teachers instructors L1  L3 only L0 different languages only English specialized courses

3. Beginner courses in units
initial meeting in the ministry
less burden on FLC
need for a program to entice learning English in units
set up 2 courses (syllabi):
1. methodology course
(to educate instructors)
2. beginner course in units (L0)

4. Beginner courses in units
ongoing methodology course (15th)
beginner courses in units:
centres (units)
2-3 instructors per group
an 8 week course
3-5 courses per year
 ALCPT as an entry & final exam
(teachers conduct them)

5. Content: What is ESP? Approaches to course design Needs analysis
New syllabus
Plans

6. What is ESP? not a particular kind of language or methodology
an approach to language teaching directed by specific and obvious reasons for learning
in theory  no difference between ESP & General English
in practice  great deal of difference
all language teaching should be based on learner needs
Challenge to teach ESP to beginner – not a wide range of vocabulary

7. Approaches to course design
identify learners’ target situation
identify linguistic features of target situation
create syllabus
choose and design materials
establish evaluation procedures

8. Approaches to course design
2 CRUCIAL POINTS :
Course design is a negotiating process
(various influences on syllabus, materials,
methodology and evaluation procedures)
Course design is a dynamic process
(it does not move in a linear way; needs and
resorces vary; piloting and adjusting)
What’s in my mind as a teacher does not necessarily correspond to the needs in units

9. Needs analysis Why do the learners need to learn English?
ways to gather information
any course should be based on an analysis of learners’ needs
target needs (necessities, lacks, wants)
learning needs (knowledge and competences needed to perform in the target situation)
Crucial question – ways to find the answer i.e. To gather info

10. Course design
designing a course is basically a matter of asking questions in order to provide a reasoned basis for the subsequent processes of:
syllabus design
materials writing
methodology
evaluation

11. Syllabus the role of syllabus a statement of what is to be learnt
syllabus is not a divine writ
the clasroom generates its own syllabus
a working document that should be used flexibly and appropriately to maximize the aims and processes of learning

12. Syllabus
common
base
teacher’s
(instructor’s)
choice

13. Materials Creating teaching materials for the course
materials adaptation
 modify existing materials
materials evaluation
 select from the existing materials
materials development
 write your own materials
18_1Unit 8 - Present Continuous - Positive.docx

14. Methodology Two important points:
there is nothing specific about ESP methodology
what happens in the classroom is not just an afterthought to be grafted on to ready-made materials and syllabuses
Important who will teach – teachers or instructors?

15. Evaluation Two levels of evaluation:
learner assessment (progress tests, placements tests, achievements tests, proficiency tests)
course evaluation (how well is the course actually fulfilling the needs; it helps to establish whether it is meeting its aims)

16. New syllabus initiated in 2016
a new syllabus (multi-resource based course)
workshops for  creating materials
 introducing an additional text book (EF Beginner)
 discussing a new syllabus
first pilot course in April 2017 (1 unit)
second pilot course in fall 2017 (2 more units)
third and fourth pilot course in 2018 (4 units)

17. New syllabus
adjustments to the syllabus - based on feedback from instructors and test results (progress tests, final test); aim to implement the new syllabus successfully
follow up training:
 workshops with instructors
 mentoring
 lesson observation in units

18. New syllabus evaluation of the learners:
 progress test (by the publisher)
 entry test (ALCPT)
 final test (ALCPT + achievement test)
evaluation of the course
data analysis

19. Plans ready to implement the new syllabus to all units from 2019
new methodology course (5 weeks)
refreshment course or workshops with instructors
continue mentoring
creating “share point”

20. Thank you for your attention.
Any questions?

21. Bibliography:
Tom Hutchinson, Alan Waters: English for Specific Purposes, (CUP, 1987)