7/31/2019 Language for Specific Purposes

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Language for specific purposes

Language for Specific Purposes (LSP) has been primarily used to refer to twoareas within applied linguistics:

1. one focusing on the needs in education and training.2. one with a focus on research on language variation across a particularsubject field. A third approach, content or theme-based language instruction(CBI) has also been confused with LSP. These several uses of the label ofLSP have caused some confusion internationally.

LSP is a widely applied approach to second or foreign language teaching andtraining that addresses immediate and very specific needs of learners who needthat language as a tool in their education, training or job. Needs analysis is theunderlying driver for the development of LSP programs.For example, Englishnative speaking nurses who work in hospitals with a high percentage patient whose

native language is Spanish might have to study Spanish for the very specificpurpose of communication between nurses and patients. LSP can be used withany target language needed by the learners as a tool for specific purposes, andhas often been applied to English (English for Specific Purposes, or ESP).

Language for Specific Purposes has also been used to refer to a branch ofapplied linguistics which deals with a variety of language used by members of aparticular subject field, concentrating on its genres, stylistic features and technicallexis. This research is relevant for such problem-based areas as languageeducation, translation and the design of specialized dictionaries. Some in thetraining area consider such research on Professional Communications as LSP-related research when it is paired with or applied directly to an LSP trainingprogram.

Content-based language instruction (CBI) is also sometimes confused with ESP. Atthe post-secondary level it is frequently used to motivate groups of learners whomay be interested in the same professional field, providing meaningfulcommunication opportunities. However, as in their regular studies they are usuallynot studying through a foreign/ second language (except for sheltered courses),they do not need English as a tool in their immediate studies. Content -basedinstruction (CBI) is the integration of selected content with language teaching aims(Brinton & Snow 2002, Brinton, Snow, Wesche 1989). Thus, when trying to identifywhich approach being taken, it is critical to ask, Is it English for SpecificPurposes or English through specific content themes or content areas?"

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