Fundamentals of teaching ESP at a university

Bosova L. M.

The question of teaching English for Special Purposes (ESP) has been significantly researched over the last few decades. English is today recognized as the basis of international communication therefore it is an essential prerequisite for students’ future career. Consequently, teaching ESP should be adapted in order to meet the specific academic and professional needs of the Russian students. This paper discusses the key issues in course design of ESP and states that for effective teaching ESP it’s necessary to determine the specificity of the goals, objectives and ways of their implementation.

Keywords:English for special purposes (ESP), communicative needs, absolute characteristics, variable characteristics, teaching English, specifics of vocational training.