Language For Specific Purposes Research Articles

Teaching World Languages for Specific Purposes: A Practical Guide by Diana M. Ruggiero

Reviewed by: Teaching World Languages for Specific Purposes: A Practical Guide by Diana M. Ruggiero Darcy Lear Ruggiero, Diana M. Teaching World Languages for Specific Purposes: A Practical Guide. Georgetown U P, 2022. Pp. 136. ISBN 978-1-64712-159-4. Teaching World Languages for Specific Purposes: A Practical Guide (2022) by Diana M. Ruggiero provides an overview of World Languages for Specific Purposes (WLSP) along with practical tips that serve language educators interested in venturing into the realm of WLSP. It is an excellent primer for those new to the field and for all practitioners, it provides a thorough definition and discussion of WLSP, its history, and its value within higher education, all in one place and for the first time. The volume is full of “Yes, you can!” encouragement for the WLSP curious and is buttressed by the same empathy, compassion, mindfulness, and love it calls for among educators. It includes a call to engage with the field—and for universities to support it with graduate level programming—while it also situates WLSP within the contexts of the higher education and humanities landscapes. Innovative contributions to the field appear throughout the guide, such as calls for mindfulness and repeated emphasis on attention to nonverbal communication as we work to equip students with the skills they will need beyond the classroom and academy. It asserts that WLSP practitioners are language educators—experts—who can indeed teach languages for specific purposes, even if we have to engage with a learning curve that anything new requires or occasionally assume the role of “client” or “patient” who obviously has limited to no expertise in the specific-purpose domain. The book can be read straight through or used as a reference—if you are interested in integrating WLSP into non-WLSP courses, skip to chapter 7; interpreting, skip to chapter 8. Integrating [End Page 163] culture is the theme of chapter 9, and it includes specific details on how to integrate a song into a medical Spanish course and a presentation of the very useful model that is World Café. The guide repeatedly promises strategies, materials, and resources for developing lessons and courses and where they are delivered, they are excellent. For example, community service learning is covered in chapters 5 and 6, and there you will find good practical suggestions and specific examples to get started as well as repeated emphasis on the importance of mutually beneficial relationship between the university and the community with sustainable projects and partnerships. Elsewhere, however, the indexing seems circular; abundant promises that specifics will appear in later chapters (or have already appeared in earlier chapters) make it nearly impossible to track whether or not all that is promised is delivered. “The appendix” and occasionally “the final chapter” get frequent mentions when in fact there are 10 appendices labeled A-J and it would be nice to have them specifically referred to with clear indexing throughout the guide. That lack of clarity meant that sometimes where I tried to follow a thread, it led to a dead end; for example, I could not find the service-learning journal assignments that were promised in chapter 6 in any of the appendices. The book concludes with a compelling call for graduate level WLSP programming, a plea that bears repeating when university language departments train PhD students almost exclusively in literary studies with some acceptance of linguistics, while WLSP remains solidly positioned outside of all of that. Job ads in higher education, however, increasingly seek candidates to fill some level of WLSP role; how can those experts exist when PhD programs continue to exclusively train PhD students in the core content of literary studies and some linguistics? Throughout, this book unapologetically asserts that a both/and solution wherein critical, culture-centered traditional humanities and WLSP will necessarily co-exist is required. It is a future I look forward to and hope to embrace with all the optimism and enthusiasm packed into this volume. Darcy Lear University of Chicago Copyright © 2023 American Association of Teachers of Spanish and Portuguese, Inc

Fostering diversity of teaching practices and the role of language for specific purposes – report

5th International ESP/LSP Workshop and Conference “Actual ESP/LSP Classroom Practice – sharing the what and how and why of our teaching” was held at the University of Niš, Faculty of Electronic Engineering, Serbia on 22-23 September, 2022 in the offline/hybrid mode. It was the jubilee workshop and conference held offline at the premises of the faculty, enhancing virtual participation and also accepting personal attendance. The 5th hybrid conference encompassed 38 presentations from 17 countries thus hosting colleagues from USA, Slovenia, Romania, Georgia, Serbia, Slovakia, Montenegro, South Africa, North Macedonia, France, Russia, India, Cyprus, Germany, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Hercegovina. Many esteemed colleagues joined us in considerations of conceptualizing the teaching and learning content, methods, approaches, materials, and sharing demonstrations of their own exemplary classroom practices. The keynote speaker, Dr. Mary Risner with the University of Florida, USA, delivered a workshop each day of the event providing hands on knowledge directly usable in our own classrooms (Making Real-World Connections in the ESP/LSP Curriculum through Technology and Experiential Learning). The scope of the conference topics included to name just a few: Financial Issues in Fiction, Symmetric and Asymmetric Communication in Teaching English for Medical Purposes, Testing Corpus Linguistics Methods in ESP Vocabulary Teaching, CLIL as the Vehicle of Transition from Mono- to Bilingual Instruction, Facilitating Legal English Teaching and Learning through SIOP Model, Implementing Emotional Intelligence Activities in the ESP Classroom, Cleared for Take-off: from Authentic Aviation Tasks to Communicative Classroom Activities, ELP/LE for the Judiciary: Instructional Design for Authentic Learning, Educational Videos as an Invaluable Teaching Material in ESP for Sports, Cross Cultural Communicative Challenges in an East-Indian Class, etc.

Language for Specific Purposes: using Hispanic films and current Hispanic issues to teach specific vocabulary and context related to the professions online

In this study I explain how an advanced Spanish conversation course can be created for virtual students using Spanish for Specific Purposes. The course is divided in different online homework students need to work on using four Hispanic films. This course is taught online and asynchronously. Students need to watch four films in this course, work on quizzes about the films, work on debates, and group presentations that are uploaded on VT (Voice Thread). The most important aspect of creating an advanced Spanish conversation course online is to define the goals and outcomes of the course very well and find the films that best serve to teach Spanish language and vocabulary related to the professions. Most films had a main topic, but there were other themes as well in the films students could learn about and use as interesting topics for their presentations in Spanish.

Иностранный язык специальности в становлении профессиональной идентичности юристов-международников

The aim of the study is to substantiate that the formation of the professional identity of international students (future lawyers) as an educational and bringing-up process that forms a system of professional competencies, values and priorities of specialists united by one professional ideology can be successfully carried out as part of teaching a foreign language for special purposes at university. The article discusses the methods and means of forming the professional identity of international lawyers in the course of studying a foreign language for special purposes. The scientific novelty lies in the development of the notion of “a student’s professional identity formation in the context of studying at university” and the definition of the components that make up the professional identity of international lawyers. As a result of the study, the most effective methods and means have been identified that contribute to the development of professional identity among international lawyers in the course of studying a foreign language for special purposes.

Towards diversity in language education through “Teaching and researching English for Specific Purposes” – a book review

This is a review of Teaching and researching English for Specific Purposes by Elżbieta Lesiak-Bielawska published in 2018 by Księgarnia Akademicka in Kraków. Elżbieta Lesiak-Bielawska holds a PhD degree in linguistics and works in Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, where she conducts English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses for music students and future doctors. Her research interests focus on foreign language learning and teaching, in particular investigating individual differences, blended instruction and the specificity of teaching ESP, the issue that she pursues in the book reviewed here. The publication is directed to foreign language teachers. Its main goal is to present an overview of theoretical perspectives and empirical studies that have influenced the development of ESP teaching practices. It is crucial to emphasize that teaching languages for specific purposes, with priority given to English, seems particularly important nowadays; a dominant position of English in a globalized world of academia and business makes this kind of language instruction extremely useful. In relation to the ERL framework, the book addresses the research issues discussed in the Language and Schooling strand as well as the Language and Culture strand. When studying English for Specific Purposes, e.g. English for Medical Purposes or English for Business Purposes, be it in a formal setting or in a more natural context, a learner prepares him/herself to enter new social communities, which will involve experiencing new cultures. In this way, learning ESP becomes a socio-cognitive phenomenon. I believe that any new contribution to theoretical and empirical debates on the complex nature of ESP teaching will be of interest to those involved in this foreign language instruction.

Psychological aspects of experiencing war stress by students when learning a foreign language

The article deals with the psychological aspects of experiencing war stress by the students when learning a foreign language. Teaching students in Ukraine nowadays is associated with a high degree of stress. This especially applies to learning a foreign language, which already involves a certain level of stress, as it requires performing a significant number of interactive tasks, constant communication and involves foreign language acquisition. In order to research this issue, the authors analyzed the main approaches to the study of stress in modern psychology as well as physiological and mental state of students while learning a foreign language for specific purposes. The article outlines the didactic and psychological features of foreign language learning and its principles. During practical foreign language classes with students, we conducted an empirical study using the method of included longitudinal observation, chosen in order to avoid psychological traumatization and retraumatization, as well as providing emotional support in educational environment that is familiar to them. As a result of the study, three groups of students have been distinguished according to the way the stress symptoms are revealed: manifestations of minor, moderate and severe stress. The authors analyzed characteristics of their cognitive activity while learning a foreign language and motivation to study. The article presents the author's model of a person's psychological reactions to stress which proves that stressors can affect the human body and mental health in two ways, causing both emotional exhaustion and personal growth, leading to the enrichment of life experience and helping to find meanings in life.

Current issues of teaching and studying ESP in higher educational institutions : Interview with N. Mykytenko

Teaching and learning a foreign language for special purposes in higher education institutions education: topical issues and dynamics of development - a conversation of Ph, D. in Education, Associate Professor Iryna Chorna-Klymovets with Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the of the Department of Foreign Languages for the Faculties of Natural Sciences of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of the Ivan Franko Mykytenko Nataliia Oleksandrivna, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages for the Faculty of Natural Sciences of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Ivan Franko National University of Lviv.

Autoethnography: An Examination of the Self, Language for Specific Purposes, and Departmental Culture

The research on language for specific purposes (LSP) is rich and varied in part because scholars bring to the field their research expertise from other disciplines, such as linguistics, literary studies, and cultural studies. The array of research topics and approaches also reflects the efforts from within LSP to foment research, such as providing conference, publication, and professional development opportunities that build a community of researchers. Mostly absent from the LSP literature, however, is autoethnography, an increasingly popular research method with the potential to examine complexities within specific professions, the courses we teach and ourselves as LSP scholars. In this essay, I argue that autoethnography­—a research methodology that describes the author’s (my) personal experience in order to present and analyze “cultural beliefs, values, practices and identities,” (Adams et al., 2022, p. 3)—should have a place in the future of LSP research, as a complement to other research methodologies. I share an autoethnographic account of my experiences developing and teaching a new LSP course. In particular, I focus on the role of self-doubt, isolation, and imposter syndrome as I ventured into an unfamiliar professional terrain to me: healthcare. In the end, this study of the self reflects the troubling position of LSP within the culture of one language department in US higher education and raises questions for further inquiry.

Toward the Systematic Integration of Naturalistic Inquiry in LSP Research

In this paper, the author presents a case for the systematic integration of naturalistic inquiry in language for specific purposes (LSP) research. Naturalistic inquiry (NI), in the context of LSP, is an empirical approach to better understand human behavior in natural settings such as classrooms, workplaces, healthcare facilities, criminal justice, community service, and other venues for the purpose of designing courses, training, and instructional materials on behalf of LSP students. NI, which includes the use of diary studies, single-researcher ethnography, team ethnography, and mixed methods, is one approach answering to Doyle’s call (2012) for the teaching of LSP based on empirical research. To make the case, the author illustrates the impact of several NI studies on LSP curriculum development and then proposes a five-step program to educate, train, fund, and mentor future NI researchers. The paper concludes with an overview of challenges to conducting NI, coupled with a description of a key funding source to support NI training and research in LSP.

Domain Analysis as a Multidimensional Research Framework: Evidence-Based Alignment for LSP Research, Assessment, and Curricula

Language for specific purposes (LSP) pedagogy has as its goal the delivery of the specific knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) one must possess in order to function in professional real-world language use contexts. Delivery of such a promise requires well-defined outcomes. This paper argues that when these outcomes are not readily identifiable through theoretically explained data or empirically collected evidence, one must turn to the process of domain analysis as a research framework. The paper first contextualizes domain analysis in an assessment-driven proficiency-oriented reverse design framework (Baumann et al., n.d.) and evidence-centered design (ECD) (Mislevy & Haertel, 2006; Mislevy, 2011). Next, it describes the steps of domain analysis as a multidimensional and systematic research framework to analyze and define language use in specific LSP contexts. It concludes with a discussion of why LSP domain analyses are essential to ensure alignment across LSP research, assessment, and curricula, regardless of purpose or discipline.

ПРОФЕССИОНАЛЬНАЯ КОММУНИКАЦИЯ, LSP И ОСОБЕННОСТИ НАУЧНОГО ПЕРЕВОДА

Three basic notions are described in the article, which are equally essential for terminological research. These are specialized (professional) communication, language for specific purposes and scientific translation and interpreting. The term “specialized communication” appeared as a reaction to the cybernetic model of C. Shannon and N. Weaver. This phenomenon is based on understanding text and scientific (academic) discourse. Language for specific purposes was introduced in foreign applied linguistics as a separate notion on the basis of understanding functionality in terminological studies and as the opposition to everyday usage. The development of Terminology Science and particularly of modern Terminology Studies demonstrates how important it is to reveal the relationship between terminological units in language through the terminological system description as well as the reflection of terminological units semantics and sense. In Cognitive-Communicative Terminology propositional, framework, scenario, cognitive map, matrix and other models are applied, simple and complex formats of knowledge are used to specify attention on various aspects of scientific knowledge. As for scientific translation and interpreting, this sphere is linked with two previous notions. Translation studies and scientific translation and interpreting are associated with the understanding of speech and thinking activities and human factor revealed in language.

Консубстанциональность англоязычных терминов брендинга

The study aims to identify the consubstantiality of English-language branding terms functionally limited by one sublanguage. The study is novel in that it is the first to identify a new type of consubstantiality of terms using representative corpus data, i.e. the consubstantiality functionally limited by one sublanguage; to describe the national specifics of branding terminology comprehension. As a result, consubstantial branding terms, which function both in the terminological meaning and in general and figurative meanings within one sublanguage, have been identified. It has been found that branding terminology is sufficiently uniform within the language for specific purposes. At the same time, the researcher notes the actualisation of certain features of the notions that are reflected both in their definitions presented in official documents of individual regions and in the contexts representing the sublanguage of a branding domain. The paper carries out a definitional and contextual analysis of branding terminology; compares general and special meanings of the target naming units; the meanings of the terms in the language for specific purposes and in the texts representing the sublanguage of a branding domain.

Cognitive approach experience to the metaphor analysis (on the basis of the navy language)

Metaphorization in the naval LSP (Language for specific purposes) is studied in the cognitive linguistics context. The text understanding process is closely related to the phenomenon of mental situation image. In this case, the linguistic interpreting function reflects not only psychological features of the information perception, but also socio-cultural knowledge. The purpose of the article is to analyze some metaphors in the naval domain, to establish the relationship between linguistic and extralinguistic factors, to focus some regularities of nomination when constructing logical or metaphorical connections between different conceptual and thematic areas and their elements. The process of interaction between knowledge structures of two conceptual domains - sphere «source» and sphere «target» is considered. Procedure and methods. The study applied the methods of discursive and semantic analysis. When naming a new object, a person usually has associations with familiar things. That is why the metaphorical nomination sources in the naval discourse are body parts and animal names which describe humans from different perspectives. For example, "pigeon", "birds", "bilge rat". The origin of "the eyes of the ship" metaphor is explained. The results of the study show that the metaphors in the LSP of navy are formed according to the most regular models of semantic transfers. In metaphorical formations the national specificity is obvious, so the national language characteristics in the highly professional naval sphere are identified. The research results contribute to the further LSP cognitive study. The theoretical foundations of the naval discourse formation mechanisms are stated. The relationship between the naval language functioning and the specific features of the domain are established.

A Task-Based Road Map to Teaching Business Spanish with Word Combinations

This research-informed pedagogical proposal makes the case for incorporating the teaching of word combinations—specifically, collocations—into a business Spanish course. It addresses how to choose specific lexical bundles for a given language for specific purposes (LSP) context as well as an appropriate methodology for teaching them to maximize student acquisition. The pedagogical proposal presents specific details of task didactic sequences that integrate explicit instruction in word combinations into a course-long business plan project such that it enhances word retention and facilitates production. This pedagogical layout is reinforced by the fact that lexical units that are related to specific topics in the field of business language are gradually introduced, and by the students’ need to reuse them in the final task. The current proposal encourages the integration of word combinations and phraseology through task sequences in other language courses for specific purposes, as these combinations reinforce and help students improve their vocabulary development.

Providing Creativity Ineducational Enviroment During the Epochofartificial Intelligence: Philological Perspectives

This research explores the relevance and scientific novelty of conceptual features in the design of effective creative learning environments in the sphere of foreign philology. It emphasizes the often-overlooked extended intermediate phase of learning, proposing an advanced knowledge acquisition stage situated between initial creative learning and domain expertise. The article examines the interactive effects of contextual elements in various creative computer-based and AL learning environments while studying English language and addresses learning deficiencies associated with them. It underscores the importance of aligning learning and instruction with contextual factors. The relevance of this research is determined by its exploration of innovative practices, including technology integration, project-based learning, and AI applications in foreign philology. By addressing deficiencies in advanced knowledge acquisition, the research aims to guide philology and other specialists in adapting to 21st-century challenges in education and fostering inclusive creative and impactful learning environments. The scientific novelty of the research consists in its contribution into the educational field by proposing an advanced knowledge acquisition stage. It explores the dynamic interplay of contextual creative elements in computer-based learning, AI and hybrid educational environments while studying English language for special purposes, addressing learning failures and emphasizing the need for alignment with instructional design. This article aims to explore the structure of creative teaching methods and assessment strategies employed into the studying process of Professional English; to investigate and emphasize the critical relevance and scientific novelty of conceptual features in designing effective learning environments. It explores the often-overlooked extended intermediate phase of creative learning and introduces the concept of an advanced knowledge acquisition stage. The research delves into the interactive effects of contextual elements in various computer-based learning environments and identifies learning deficiencies associated with them. Furthermore, the article upholders for the alignment of learning and instruction with contextual factors. The methodology involves a comprehensive literature review on cognitive differences, contextual elements, and recent innovations in education. The ultimate goal is to contribute valuable insights to guide educational institutions in adapting to the 21st-century landscape and fostering inclusive and impactful creative learning environments. The purpose of this article is to investigate and underscore the critical relevance and scientific novelty of creative of using computer-based learning and Artificial intelligence in educational process, partially in studying Professional English, associated with conceptual features in the design of effective creative learning environments. This research aims to bring attention to the often-neglected extended intermediate phase of creative teaching and learning Professional English and introduce the concept of an advanced knowledge acquisition stage. Through an exploration of the interactive effects of contextual elements in various computer-based and AI creative learning environments, the article identify patterns of learning deficiencies. The methodology involves a comprehensive literature review focusing on cognitive differences, contextual elements, and recent innovations in education. Ultimately, the article provides valuable insights that reflects an experience of adapting to the teaching and learning Professional English in the epoch of AI. The methodology involves a comprehensive review of literature on cognitive differences between novice and expert learners, the interplay of contextual elements in learning environments, and recent innovations in education. The research also incorporates an analysis of patterns of deficiency in advanced knowledge acquisition and explores various strategies for incorporating innovations into university education.

Обучение профессионально ориентированному искусствоведческому дискурсу на занятиях по русскому языку как иностранном

At the current level of development of the methodology of teaching Russian as a foreign language for special purposes, insufficient attention is paid to the professionally oriented teaching, which allows modeling imaginary professional situations of communication and forming the skills necessary for real professional communication. The problem is especially noticeable in teaching creative disciplines (including art criticism) where thematic discourse plays an important role. The paper describes an experiment of teaching art history discourse to Uzbek students in the Russian language classes. A model for studying art history discourse was experimentally introduced into practice of teaching Russian as a foreign language at the level of professional communication. The purpose of the study was to develop a technology for teaching art history discourse based on professionally oriented authentic texts in classes of Russian as a foreign language for future specialists in art. The experiment was described in detail with the allocation of experimental and control groups. The experimental group studied the language for professional purposes with the use of the teaching materials developed by the university professors. Most of the tasks of the training package are based on the information from the website of the Belgorod State Art Museum, which updates the educational material and implements the principle of professional orientation of education. The control group followed the traditional program of Russian as a foreign language for future artists. Upon completion of the experimental training, both groups had to do a creative task. Further assessment of the task demonstrated the effectiveness of the use of authentic art history texts and creative tasks in teaching the Russian language for professional purposes to Uzbek students. The study revealed that the students of the experimental group made greater progress compared to the control group in developing such a professional skill as “following art history strategies when creating a text”.

Մասնագիտական օտարալեզու տեքստերի վրա աշխատանքի արդի մոտեցումները ոչ լեզվաբանական մասնագիտությունների խմբերում / Modern approaches to working with Professional Texts in Non-Linguistic Disciplinary Groups

Taking a professional text as the main educational and methodological tool in teaching a foreign language for special purposes, the paper attempts to present modern approaches to the transmission, perception, analysis, memorization and other processes related to working with a text, which, in addition to the main goal of teaching a foreign language for special purposes, develop a number of skills and opportunities necessary for further professional activities. It is not only in terms of learning a foreign professional language, but also in those of the development of a number of important skills in students that will help them in the future to more easily cope with tasks for identifying the level of foreign language proficiency, assigned by both international and some local employers. As an alternative to usual methods, which mainly focus on memory and a number of mechanical actions for perception, memorization, reproduction of a foreign text, vocabulary enrichment, the proposed approaches activate a number of neurolinguistic features of students, in particular, centers of cognitive perception. Instead of the standard scheme of working with texts according to the “read-translate-retell” formula, strategic reading methods are proposed, including elements, such as activation, generalization, monitoring and clarification, visualization and organization, information search and selection, questioning and making assumptions, as well revealing the semantic core, analysis and synthesis of both written and oral texts.

ДИПЛОМАТИЧЕСКИЙ ДИСКУРС В СОВРЕМЕННОЙ ПАРАДИГМЕ ПОДХОДОВ К ПРЕПОДАВАНИЮ ИНОСТРАННЫХ ЯЗЫКОВ

The necessity of implementing changes to methods of teaching diplomatic discourse in a foreign language has become apparent against the background of recent social and economic changes, digital technology development and transformation of the system of international relations. The article analyses the reasons for and the essence of changes which have occurred in the content of diplomatic discourse over the last decade and relate to its linguistic characteristics and competencies required, and whose development should become part of foreign language educational curricula for future diplomats. Analysis involves genre characteristics of diplomatic discourse, its lexical and grammatical features, as well as its place in the paradigm of foreign language teaching methods with regard to its inclusion in the category of language learning for general or specific purposes. According to the findings, diplomatic discourse develops in the direction of increased interdisciplinarity of its nature, both from the perspective of constituent elements of diplomatic terminology and that of skills required. Analysing the record of teaching English to future diplomats at English Department №1 of MGIMO University, the authors outline the principal competences fundamental to modern educational curricular in the sphere of language teaching and come to the conclusion that methodology pertinent to the field belongs to the spectrum of methods of teaching languages for specific purposes and, as such, requires a special approach.

Artificial intelligence and “Foreign language for specific purposes” classes in higher education institutions

Artificial intelligence and “Foreign language for specific purposes” classes in higher education institutions

Factors Influencing Speaking Anxiety of FLSP Freshmen

Anxiety is one of the biggest challenges that has harmed language development. Among the four-language skill, speaking is the most anxiety-provoking skill. This present article aims to identify the factors influencing freshmen’s speaking anxiety in Foreign Language for Specific Purpose (FLSP) class. The researcher conducted a case study with a descriptive qualitative approach. Moreover, 20 FLSP freshmen in the communication science department participated in this study. The data was collected using a close-ended and open-ended questionnaire of the Foreign Language Speaking Anxiety Scale (FLSAS) derived from Horwitz et al. (1986). The result exposed that the primary factor influencing freshmen speaking anxiety is “fear of negative evaluation,” followed by “test anxiety” and “communication apprehension.” This study ends with implications to assist the educator in fostering speaking and providing students with a positive environment to effectively support them in overcoming anxiety feelings.