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ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)
Dear Student,
Welcome to the MA TEFL course ‘English for Specific Purposes’ (558). ESP is an emerging concept in ELT with an aim to design material for students according to their professional needs. The course aims at providing you an insight into the basic concepts of ESP, need analysis, syllabus designing, assessment, etc. The course contents will also help you to design activities for your students keeping in view of their academic and professional needs and requirements.
Following the assignment schedule, you have to submit four assignments. The first three assignments are theory based whereas the fourth assignment is a project. Each assignment carries 100 marks and you need at least 40% marks in assignments to appear in the final examination. Schedule for tutorials and assignments will be sent by the regional office concerned.
CHECKLIST FOR ESP (558)
1. English for Specific Purposes (Textbook)
2. Supplementary reading material
3. Four assignments
4. Four sets of assignment forms
In case any item is missing, please contact The Mailing Section, Allama Iqbal Open University, Sector H-8, Islamabad.
We hope you will enjoy and benefit from the course.
Good luck
Umar Farooq
Course Coordinator
Tel: 051-9057766
Email: umar.farooq@aiou.edu.pk
ALLAMA IQBAL OPEN UNIVERSITY, ISLAMABAD
(Department of English Language & Applied Linguistics)
1. PLAGIARISM OR HIRING OF GHOST WRITER(S) FOR SOLVING THE ASSIGNMENT(S) WILL DEBAR THE STUDENT FROM AWARD OF DEGREE/CERTIFICATE, IF FOUND AT ANY STAGE.
2. SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS BORROWED OR STOLEN FROM OTHER(S) AS ONE’S OWN WILL BE PENALIZED AS DEFINED IN “AIOU PLAGIARISM POLICY”.
Course: English for Specific Purposes (558) Semester: Autumn, 2010
Level: MA TEFL Total Marks: 100
ASSIGNMENT No. 1
(Units 1–6)
Q.1 What do we mean by the term ‘ESP’? Also give an historical overview of the ESP. (20)
Q.2 Do the present English language textbooks at HSSC level meet the future professional needs of the students? Discuss and give your suggestion. (20)
Q.3 What are the common constraints like time factor, learner’s age, etc. in ESP teaching/learning situation? Give examples. (20)
Q.4 Define the term ‘need analysis’. Why is it important to do a proper need analysis before designing an ESP programme? (20)
Q.5 Class profile is one of the important aspects in assessing the target needs and learning needs of the students. Design a profile of your students and enlist their target needs and learning needs. (20)
ASSIGNMENT No. 2
(Units 7–12)
Total Marks: 100
Q.1 What are the different approaches to language teaching and how do they affect ESP course designing process? (20)
Q.2 What is syllabus? Discuss various kinds of syllabus along with examples. (20)
Q.3 What kind of ESP syllabus is suitable for an ESP course in Pakistan? Discuss with examples. (20)
Q.4 a) Select an article from a newspaper and apply the four-fold approach to evaluate its effectiveness as ESP material. (20)
b) Discuss how you can use the selected article for a specific group of student. (20)
ASSIGNMENT No. 3
(Units 13–18)
Total Marks: 100
Q.1 What are the characteristics of good learning materials? Select at least two texts and analyze them in detail. (25)
Q.2 Define the following terms: (25)
a. Discourse b. Recycling of learning
c. Textual connections d. Anaphoric and cataphoric reference
e. Cohesive devices
Q.3 Each profession has got specific vocabulary and its uses. Make a list of at least 20 words relating to any profession and design two activities to teach selected vocabulary. (25)
Q.4 Explain the ‘what’, ‘who’, ‘how’ and ‘when’ of ESP course evaluation. (25)
ASSIGNMENT No. 4
(Project)
Total Marks: 100
This assignment is based on a research-oriented activity. You are required to carry out a research and prepare a brief report on their findings in one of the areas given below. Submit the report to the tutor within the scheduled period. After getting feedback from your tutor, present the same in the course/assignment presentation workshop (schedule to be communicated by the tutor concerned or the Regional Office). The compulsory presentation carries 100 marks; 40 marks for the written report/assignment and 60 for the presentation. You need to score 40% marks in both component to pass the course.
A few guidelines for writing and presenting the report:
a. the written report should have an introduction, body and conclusion. It should be written in clear, concise and correct English.
b. it should be 5–8 double-spaced typed/handwritten pages.
c. The presentation will be assessed and evaluated mainly in:
i. Contents of the assignment/report
ii. Communication skills
iii. Language accuracy
iv. Language fluency
v. Presentation style
d. You may use transparencies, charts or any other material for good presentation with the permission of the tutor (if possible).
Select any one of the following topics in consultation with your tutor for project:
1. Design and conduct questionnaires among the students (40) of HSSC level regarding their needs. Analyse the data and make recommendations for introducing separate ESP courses for medical, engineering, commerce and computer science students. Attach filled in questionnaire with your report.
2. Select a group of professionals (in consultation with your tutor), conduct a need analysis design objectives and course outline. Outline a course keeping in view their needs and prepare at least two lesson plans. Execute these lesson plans and record the feedback. Attach need analysis and lesson plans with your report.
3. Find out an ESP book and critically analyze its content, presentation, activities, assessment, etc. Write a review of the book with appropriate examples from the book. Attach printouts of the title and relevant pages of the book with your report.
4. Design outline of a teacher training module (10hours) focusing on teaching ESP. Execute a chunk of the same in your own institution and record the feedback on its effectiveness. Attach outline of the module and feedback forms with your report.
5. Select an area and collect a list of 50 words related to one specific area of ESP. Design two lesson plans based on the vocabulary. Teach and get feedback from the students. Write a project report and attach the list of vocabulary, lesson plans and feedback from the students with your assignments.