TEXTO I

Hutchinson and Waters (1987, p. 19) define ESPEnglish for specific purposes as "an approach to language learning which is based on learner need. The foundation of ali ESP is the sim pie question: Whydoes the learner need to learn a foreign language? ... ESP, then, is an approach to language teaching in which ali decisions as to content and method are based on the learner's reason for learning."

Dudley Evans and St John (1998, p. 5) define ESP in terms of "absolute" and "variable" characteristics. Absolute characteristics are as follows: 1. ESP is defined to meet specific needs of the learners; 2. ESP makes use of the underlying methodology and activities of the discipline it serves; 3. ESP is centred on the language appropriate to these activities in terms of grammar, lexis, register, study skills, discourse and genre.

Variable characteristics include the following: 1. ESP may be related to, or designed for, specific disciplines; 2. ESP may use, in specific teaching situations, a different methodologyfrom that ofGeneral English (GE); 3. ESP is likely to be designed for adult learners, either at a tertiary levei institution or in a professional work situation. It could, however, be for learners at secondary schoollevel; 4. ESP is generally designed for intermediate or advanced students; 5. Most ESP courses assume some basic knowledge ofthe language system.

The above definition is the modified definition by Strevens (1988), from which the absolute characteristic that ESP "is in contrast with General English" was removed and some variable characteristics were added. The characteristic features of this approach as underlined by these authors are as follows: a learner needs analysis, a target situation analysis, which includes the identification of the features of the chosen discipline or occupation in which the students will use the foreign language, and discourse analysis, which entails the analysis of the language used in situations which occur within the discipline. The use ofthese procedures aims at designing an ESP course that will prepare the learners for effective communication in situations which occur, or will occur, in their professional work and/or studies (Dudley-Evans and St John, 1998, pp. 2-4; Hutchinson and Waters, 1987, pp. 6-8; Johns and Price-Machado, 2001, p. 44).

Adaptado de: DONESCH-JEZO, W. English for specific purposes: what does it mean and why is it different from teaching general English? CONFLUENCE, 24-25 February, 2012.

Sobre o Texto I, é correto afirmar que: