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ANALYSIS OF PRACTICE OF TEACHING ESP AT VOCATIONAL COLLEGES
Ziyodullayev Jamshid Azamat ugli
A teacher of the University of World Economy and Diplomacy
Abstract:
This article explores the current practice of teaching English for Specific Purposes
(ESP) at vocational colleges. It emphasizes the use of authentic materials, teacher autonomy, and
workplace simulation for effective instruction. The piece highlights challenges such as low
student motivation and language proficiency, and stresses the importance of aligning ESP
content with industry demands. Overall, the article underscores the need for modernized,
purpose-driven ESP teaching in vocational education.
Key words:
CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference), vocational college, authentic
materials, communicative competence, English for Specific Purposes, academic lyceum.
В статье рассматривается практика преподавания английского языка для специальных
целей (ESP) в профессиональных колледжах. Подчеркивается важность использования
аутентичных материалов, автономии преподавателя и имитации рабочей среды для
эффективного обучения. Отмечаются проблемы, такие как низкая мотивация студентов и
слабое владение языком, и необходимость адаптации содержания ESP к требованиям
отрасли.
В
целом,
статья
подчеркивает
необходимость
модернизации
и
целенаправленного подхода в преподавании ESP.
Ключевые слова:
CEFR (Общеевропейские компетенции владения иностранным языком),
профессиональный колледж, аутентичные материалы, коммуникативная компетенция,
английский для специальных целей, академический лицей.
Ushbu maqolada kasb-hunar kollejlari uchun aniq maqsadlarga yo’naltirilgan ingliz tilini (ESP)
o‘qitish amaliyoti tahlil qilinadi. Unda autentik materiallardan foydalanish, o‘qituvchi
mustaqilligi va ish muhitini simulyatsiya qilish samarali ta’lim uchun muhimligi ta’kidlanadi.
Talabalarning ESP darslarida nisbatan sust ishtiyoqi va ayrim o’rinlarda til darajasi muammo
sifatida ko‘rsatiladi, shuningdek, ESP mazmunini sanoat ehtiyojlariga moslashtirish zarurligi
aytiladi. Maqolada ESP o‘qitishni zamonaviy va maqsadli tashkil etish ta’kidlanadi.
Kalit so‘zlar:
CEFR (Tillar bo’yicha Umumyevropa tillar tizimi), kasb-hunar kolleji, autentik
materiallar, kommunikativ kompetensiya, aniq maqsadlarga yo’naltirilgan ingliz tili, akademik
litsey.
One of the essential components in teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is the use of
authentic materials
.
As Zorica Antić, a lecturer at the University of Niš, emphasizes, "In ESP, the
authentic world must be brought to the students, and they must learn to interact with the
language as it is spoken and written in the target context." Despite the availability of many
textbooks deemed suitable for ESP instruction, Johns (2011) argues that no single textbook can
fully address the specific needs of every situation. Therefore, instructors must rely on their own
expertise when selecting materials that will best support the development of students’ language
skills.
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ESP materials typically consist of authentic texts, elements of General English, and teacher-
created content including task-based activities. Several scholars advocate for delivering ESP
instruction in environments that closely resemble the actual workplace. For instance, Crandall
(2004) proposed transforming the classroom into a simulated work setting, thereby aligning
language learning more directly with specific professional purposes. This approach helps
maintain focus on occupational relevance rather than on language alone.
It is increasingly clear that ESP instructors at colleges must focus on more narrowly defined
professional fields. Without this targeted approach, students may fail to gain sufficient command
of English relevant to their specific disciplines. Addressing this concern, Lui Mei Yang, an ESP
practitioner at the Department of English at Northwest Polytechnical University in Xi’an, China,
stresses the need for vocational colleges to prioritize job-oriented training in their curricula. She
argues that vocational education must shift from a supply-driven to a demand-driven model in
order to align more effectively with industry needs, which are becoming increasingly focused on
the ESP competencies of future specialists.
However, ESP instructors worldwide face persistent challenges, including students’ limited
English proficiency, low motivation, and passive classroom engagement. A particularly pressing
issue is the students’ lack of autonomy—they tend to rely heavily on teachers, who end up doing
most of the talking and explaining. As a result, teachers often find it difficult to implement their
lesson plans and express a desire for more effective teaching conditions. Ideally, ESP should be
taught by subject matter experts who also possess strong English proficiency. Such dual
expertise ensures that students receive both content-specific instruction and language support.
Additionally, effective ESP educators must demonstrate a genuine interest in staying informed
about the latest developments in science and technology to maintain relevance in their teaching.
Thus, a key challenge lies in how to increase student motivation and autonomy in ESP learning,
and how to ensure teachers gain exposure to authentic, profession-specific content. In response
to this, Uzbekistan has undertaken several initiatives aimed at improving ESP instruction at
vocational colleges. Following the decree titled
"On Further Enhancement of Measures for the
Foreign Language Learning System"
issued on December 10, 2012, the Center for Special
Secondary and Vocational Education in Uzbekistan assembled a team of experts. This team, in
collaboration with international specialists in language education and coursebook development,
established modern standards for foreign language instruction and produced a new set of
coursebooks tailored to vocational education. These updated coursebooks differ significantly
from those used in previous years. According to Surayyo Tursunboeva, a teacher at Academic
Lyceum No. 2 under Uzbekistan State World Languages University, the design of the new
materials was guided by international best practices. She emphasizes that these books are crucial
for developing students’ communicative competence in English. In contrast to earlier textbooks,
which focused primarily on grammar and translation exercises, the new materials prioritize
communicative language teaching
,
encouraging students to use the language in diverse real-life
situations. They are specifically designed to develop all four language skills—reading, speaking,
listening, and writing—in an integrated manner.
The coursebook used in vocational colleges is composed of three distinct parts: the
Student’s
Book
, the
Workbook
, and the
Teacher’s Book
. Each component serves a unique purpose and is
designed to benefit both learners and instructors in mastering English. Reflecting international
best practices in coursebook design, these materials each contribute significantly to the teaching-
learning process.
The
Student’s Book
is intended for use during lessons and includes a variety of reading texts
accompanied by visual and audio materials. Illustrative images aid comprehension and facilitate
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a more engaging learning experience. The accompanying activities are designed to encourage
student participation in speaking exercises, such as debates and discussions, fostering the
development of all four language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking. In turn, the
Workbook
serves as a valuable supplement that reinforces classroom learning through
independent practice. It promotes student autonomy by providing a range of homework tasks to
be completed outside class. Each unit of the
Workbook
typically includes at least two listening
exercises to further enhance comprehension. The tasks are designed to assess students’ grasp of
key concepts introduced in the classroom.
Both the
Student’s Book
and
Workbook
contain twelve chapters, with each chapter divided into
four segments intended to be covered over eight academic hours. At the end of each chapter, a
Review
section consolidates learning and checks student understanding through targeted revision
activities. This section also includes questions that stimulate critical thinking. Additionally, a
Progress Test
is provided at the end of each semester, allowing students to evaluate their
cumulative knowledge.
The
Teacher’s Book
plays a vital role by offering methodological guidance. It outlines detailed
instructional strategies, from setting clear lesson objectives to selecting effective homework tasks
and providing clear, concise instructions. Moreover, it offers advice on maintaining student
engagement with course materials. The teaching process is structured around three key phases—
pre-teaching, while-teaching, and post-teaching—ensuring a comprehensive pedagogical
approach.
Among various set texts that have been used at vocational colleges across Uzbekistan, we wanted
to pick up the following two:
1.
English B1
(for first-year students of academic lyceums and vocational colleges) by
Bakieva G., Irisqulov A., Rashidova F., Tillayeva N., Karimova Z., Tursunboyeva S., Norova D.,
Djaloliddinova M., and Mamanabiyeva D. (Tashkent: “O’zbekiston”, 2014 – 176 pages);
2.
English B1
(for second-year students) by Rashidova F., Tillayeva N., Karimova Z., and
Tursunboyeva S. (Tashkent: “O’zbekiston”, 2015 – 104 pages).
These coursebooks are aligned with the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) at
the B1 level and include the full suite:
Student’s Book
,
Workbook
, and
Teacher’s Book
, along
with a DVD of audio materials. Their overarching goal is to develop students' language
proficiency across all four skills in an integrated manner.
The first-year book focuses on general English, addressing topics such as “What’s your
speciality?”, “Time management,” and “Independent learning.” These units reflect the broader
themes found in General English instruction, which is suitable since ESP is typically introduced
later. The structure of the book, with its sequenced activities, visually rich layout, and clearly
explained grammar rules, contributes to its effectiveness. However, a key limitation is its
reliance on adapted rather than authentic materials. The absence of unmodified texts and genuine
listening resources limits students’ exposure to real-world language use.
In contrast, the second-year
English B1
coursebook moves closer to fulfilling ESP objectives.
Recognizing that students must write diploma projects related to their fields of study, the book
includes units such as “Choosing a Title and Selecting Information,” “What is a Project?”,
“Data,” and “Criteria of Reports.” These topics provide valuable guidance on academic and
professional writing. Although the book is designed to build general and specialized vocabulary
and grammar knowledge, it still lacks sufficient authentic content. Adapted texts dominate, and
subject-specific terminology—especially in areas like computer technology or industrial
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processes such as oil refining or grain processing—is largely absent, limiting its utility for
technical students.
In summary, teachers are exposed to a number of textbooks or online sources that provide
structured language learning and support grammar development, or develop students’
communicative competence by providing numerous listening, reading, writing and speaking
activities. However, it is prudent for ESP practitioners to be discerning when selecting resources
and to supplement existing materials with authentic content whenever possible. Recently
developed ESP resources aim to address these issues by integrating all language skills and
engaging students through real-world tasks and texts, ultimately making instruction more
relevant and effective.
References
1.
A. Tajieva, N. Babaniyazova
(2015) Educational Reforms in the Republic of
Uzbekistan in Operation; International Scientific Journal Theoretical & Applied Science 07 (27):
134-137.
2.
Kohonen, V. (2009). Autonomy, authenticity and agency in language education: the
European language portfolio as a pedagogical resource. In R. Kantelinen & P. Pollari
(Eds.) Language education and lifelong learning (pp. 9-44). University of Eastern Finland.
3.
M. Hancock and Annie McDonald (2015) Authentic Listening Resource Pack (Bridging
the gap to real-world listening) Delta Publishing: Hoe Lane, PeaslakeSurrey GU5 9SW 2015
4.
Pinner, R. (2012). Examining Authenticity and Motivation from an International
Perspective. The JACET-SIG on ESP Annual Report, 14, 26-3
5.
Rankin, P. T. The measurement of the ability to understand spoken language. The English
Journal, 1952. 12, 847-848.
