UNIT 38.

ENGLISH FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, BUSINESS

The topic I have selected is number 38, entitled English for science and technology, business
and economics., which comprises the notions of the general theories about how English is
used in the fields of science, technology, business and economics, the teaching inference, a
final conclusion and the bibliography.

The unit chosen becomes absolutely indispensable within the curriculum of EFL. In
compliance with the Organic Law LOMLOE 3/2020, December 29th, it is important to
promote the need to understand and express oneself fluently and correctly in this language.
Likewise, it fosters communicative, discourse and multilingual competences, belonging in
turn to the methodological typology block of contents. Then, it is undeniable that for an ESL
teacher, the richness of contents that this subject matter involves is priceless, especially if we
give account for the multiple communicative strategies students need to master before
becoming efficient in English. In fact, this language is the world’s most important language
for a number of reasons which together make an arguable whole. English is crucial because:

 It is spoken by many people.

English is often the language in which much of the business is conducted. In fact, it is a top
requirement in many areas for those looking for a job.

Once the introduction has been expounded, I shall proceed to cover the first section of this
paper, dealing with English for Specific Purposes (ESP). It was not a planned and coherent
movement, but the result of different trends which have operated in a number of ways
throughout the world. Some specialized researchers define it as the teaching of English used
in academic studies or the teaching of English for vocational or professional purposes. In fact,
T. Dudley-Evans, co-director of the ESL Journal, defines it as “an attitude of mind” (1998),
since it is not necessarily concerned with a specific discipline nor does it have to be aimed at a
certain age group or ability range. Regarding its main characteristics, we should mention:

 ESP is defined to meet specific needs of the learner, whose level is normally
intermediate or advanced.
  It is centred on the language (grammar, lexis, register), skills, discourse and genres.
 It is not taught according to any pre-ordained methodology.

The aforementioned definition leads us to establish a distinction between the different types of
ESP. There are three main divisions following Carter (1983): English as a Restricted
Language (ERL), English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) and English for Academic
Purposes (EAP):

 First, ERL would not allow the speaker to communicate effectively in novel situations,
or in contexts outside the vocational environment as normal language does. Therefore,
ERL can be accurately determined situationally, as might be the linguistic needs of a
dining-room waiter or an air-hostess, for example.
 Secondly, EOP is taught in a situation in which learners need to use English as part of
their work or profession. Instances of EOP students would be doctors or technicians
since they will need English to talk and respond to patients or to read technical
manuals. In this case, we also find English for Science and Technology.
 On the other hand, EAP is generally taught within educational institutions to learners
needing English for their studies. The language taught may be based on particular
disciplines at high levels of education when the students are specialising or intending
to do so in a particular subject. An example would be a learner studying for a higher
degree at a British university.

We can identify three main reasons for the emergence of these types of ESP:

 The demands of a new world, mainly dominated by two forces: technology and
commerce, which soon generated a need for an international language. This role fell to
English, which creates the possibility of greater global awareness and intercultural
competence, since as the world gets smaller and more interconnected through the
Internet and international commerce, students have more opportunities to become
global citizens.
 A revolution in linguistics: at the same time, influential new ideas were emerging the
study of language. The spotlight was given to how English was used in real life,
determining the features of specific situations and then make them the basis of the
learner’s course.
 Focus on the learners’ needs: it is commonly known that students have different needs
and interests when learning, which directly affects their motivation and effectiveness.
 For these reasons, the teacher will have to teach in a different way in order to reach
their competence level. According to Krashen (1981), “acquisition takes place as a
result of learners having understood input that is a little beyond their level of
competence.” Once the needs have been determined, the teacher must set the
objectives, that is, what the students should be able to do after the course that they
could not do at the beginning. These objectives must have a close relationship with the
four macro-skills, divided into two main categories: the oral skills (listening and
speaking) and the written skills (reading and writing).

Taking all this into account, teachers would also serve to maintain a high level of interest and,
in consequence, of efficiency in terms of fast and useful learning. What we want is for them to
be understood by other speakers of English as an international language.

Once the notion of ESP has been thoroughly described, it is time for us to move forward in
the study of English for Science and Technology (EST). It is defined in terms of its main
purposes since it aims at communicating specific information about a scientific or technical
subject to a specific audience for a specific purpose, as well as resolving a specified problem.
In educational terms, it aims at educating students to retain listening, reading, speaking,
writing and translation skills for future professions in the fields of Science and Technology.

It is very clear that EST is different from other varieties of English since we find several
differences between them. For this reason, we have to analyse its characteristics:

 Rhetoric functions: in this respect, we are dealing with “cohesive ties”, which bind
together the items of information within the text and show the relationship between
them and the core idea. Among these functions, we can distinguish: definitions,
descriptions, classifications and instructions.
 Grammatical characteristics: the main feature of EST language is that it must be
accurate and cohesive. To attain this purpose, we find some typical structures such as
passive constructions, constructions with stative verbs, modal verbs, present simple
tense, the use of the impersonal third person singular, the definite article or linkers.
 Specific vocabulary: it is obvious that the lexicon used in a technical speech or piece of
writing could contain some words which are rarely used in general English. We can
divide this vocabulary into three groups:
1) Technical vocabulary: the number of these technical words is always increasing
since scientists and technicians have to create new terms to define new concepts
 and discoveries. Technical lexicon usually comes from Green and Latin roots, and
it is adopted internationally with slight variations.
2) Sub-technical vocabulary: in this group, we include those words which are used in
everyday English, but have a different meaning in scientific contexts, such as
work or power. Generally, these concepts create more problem for students to
associate them to the correct context.
3) Noun compounds: compounds are two or more words which go together and
make a single noun which expresses one single concept. Nonetheless, learners
often have several problems in translating them into their own language. One
instance is “engine noise”.

In order to apply all the previous formulations, it is important to know how to teach them in a
classroom. To begin with, we, as teachers, should be aware of our students’ needs in order to
promote enthusiasm and interest. In addition, we have to possess the sufficient scientific
qualification by going a step further in the exclusive study of linguistics and literature.

Then, another important element is the materials we intend to apply in the lessons: it is crucial
for our learners to deal with authentic or semi-authentic reading and listening materials. For
instance, textbooks, listening and reading usually motivate students by providing them with
practice and an expansion of their previous knowledge.

Having covered the notion of EST, I will proceed to explain English for Business and
Economics. In general terms, it can be described as the English used for communicating
specific information about a business or administration subject to a specific audience for a
specified purpose. In educational terms, it aims at educating students for the acquisition of
listening, reading, writing, speaking and translating skills for future professions in the fields
of Business and Economics. On the one hand, ‘Business English’ is aimed at the non-native
speakers of English who want to communicate successfully in their daily business life. They
will be introduced to different practices and situations they commonly encounter at work,
such as phone conversations or meetings. On the other hand, ‘Economic English’ focuses on
improving the competence in speaking and writing the language in a professional and social
context for administrative and management purposes in different fields, for instance,
linguistics or trade. All in all, it is clear that, nowadays, English is an essential requirement for
those seeking a job, as it is the language in which most of the business in the world is
conducted. Regarding its relevance, let’s analyse the features of this type of English:
  Formal English is the type of language we use publicly for some serious purposes. In
general, style in commerce or business should be clear, concise and positive.
Therefore, it is essential to be aware of the appropriate expressions as well as words in
a business environment, and also of the correct jargon and terminology in order to be
understood by the receiver. In terms of syntax and grammar, it is important to pay
attention to voice as well as to word order. Normally, the active voice is preferred
since the performer of the action is made known earlier. Obviously, word order plays a
crucial role in readability, as well as linking and punctuation. Equally relevant is the
use of a positive style in order to avoid negative associations or implications. Finally,
the writer should always maintain a courteous and educated style to do a successful
business.
 Regarding grammar, it is common to find cohesion devices such as ellipsis, reference
or substitution, the use of the third person singular when addressing individuals or the
first-person plural when it has a collective meaning. Moreover, we prefer active voice
rather than passive and nominal sentences with infinitives.
 Considering lexis, the use of specific and technical vocabulary is crucial, which make
texts be so clear, concise, simple and positive. Hence, they are characterized by an
abundant use of positive vocabulary in order to avoid negative associations, specific
formulae in letters (headings, salutation, body, farewell and signature) and the use of
simple and concise terms.

According to Hedge (2000), the ability to communicate effectively in English has become one
of the main goals in European Language Teaching. The Council of Europe (1998), in
response to the need for international cooperation and professional mobility among European
countries, has published a document, Modern Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment. A
common European Framework of Reference, in which the acquisition of communicative and
pragmatic competence in a second language is emphasized.

Although students recognize the importance of developing communicative skills in the target
language, they often have a passive attitude towards speaking in the classroom. In fact, they
tend to be reluctant, however, to expose and express themselves in the academic field, so the
main concern derives from the problem of how to actually get learners use (through speaking,
reading, listening and writing) English for Science, Technology, Business and Economics in a
meaningful way. But how? In class, we can do a composition, technical writings, or even a
science report. Thus, teaching skills are mainly based on a knowledge-building method based
on discussing the reader materials, brainstorming team discussion, error checking or listening
comprehension, among others.

The growth of ESP was brought about by a combination of three crucial factors: the
expansion of the demand for English to suit particular needs, developments in the field of
linguistics and in the field of educational psychology, too. Furthermore, there have also been
important improvements in second language studies which have enabled teachers to be more
specifically accurate in designing courses for ESP. The best work of ESP takes account of the
tradition of analysis of functional style and the characteristics of discourse, written or spoken,
within particular fields. Therefore, a major challenge for teachers is to allow learners to bring
their full personalities to show on the language and to use them through increasingly realistic
simulations.

The bibliography I have used for the development of this topic is the following:

 Carter, D. (1983). Some Propositions about ESP. The ESP Journal, 2:131-137.
 Crystal, D. (2003). English as a Global Language. Cambridge University Press.
 Dudley-Evans, T. (1998). Developments in English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge
University Press.
 Garton, S. (2011). Investigating Global Practices in Teaching English to Young
Learners. British Council.
 Hedge, T. (2000). Teaching and Learning in the Language Classroom. Oxford
University Press.
 Herbert, H. (1987). The Structure of Technical English. Longman, London.
 Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge
University Press.
 Krashen, S. (1981). Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning.
Elsevier.
 Nunan, D. (2003). The Impact of English as a Global Language. TESOL Quarterly.
 Organic Law 3/2020, December 29th, which amends Organic Law 2/2006, of May 3,
2006, on Education. Official State Gazette, 340, December 30, 2020, 122868-122953.
 Trimble, L. (1990). English for Science and Technology. Cambridge University Press.