Economic input: An ESP program

Abstract

This paper presents an application of the theory of comprehension-based teaching to materials development in the English for Special Purposes context. The program described here, called English for Economists, was developed for Egyptian economists participating in a joint research project with Americans. It was designed to build on students' existing reading skills and their background knowledge of economics in order to improve their listening comprehension and writing skills through exercises which provided them with comprehensible input for acquisition. Essential elements of the program were the utilization of materials derived from the research projects in which the students were engaged and a lesson format which focused on development of the receptive skills. Features which contributed most to program success are evaluated and the applicability of this approach to other ESP contexts is discussed.