Language for Specific Purposes: Theory and Research

The chapter presents the results of an online survey conducted among the university students of tourism regarding their attitudes towards the methods of teaching and learning of language for special purposes (LSP) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three research hypotheses were put forward: Attitudes of tourism students regarding the teaching methods of their online LSP course differ statistically based on their age (RH1), and their gender (RH2), and RH3: There are statistically significant differences in attitudes towards foreign language learning of tourism students regarding their affiliation. Based on results of linear regression and t-test some statistically signifnicant differences were reported among female and male respondents with regard to teaching methods for students with special needs and with regard to the way teachers used online tools to manage the lerning process. Further, statistically significant differences were found among attitudes of two slovenian tourism faculties with regard to six items related to LSP.

“You know Spanish, right?” Most undergraduates with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish or another world language will, sooner or later, have to answer this question or one similar. This is particularly true for students educated in South Carolina, a state that houses over 1,200 international businesses within its borders (“International Presence”) and which has one of the fastest-growing Hispanic populations in the United States (Krogstad and Lopez). In a typically monolingual state (see the Modern Language Association Language Map), those students who do possess a second language are poised to better integrate themselves into this international business community. However, what many monolinguals inaccurately assume is that being bilingual also means that one will be a skillful translator or interpreter, but this is not the case. Possessing a Spanish degree does not indicate proficiency in, for example, metallurgy or emergency medicine, in which it is necessary to provide quality language services. Unless students have been exposed to a variety of subjects relating to law, health care, business, and educational services in both English and Spanish, they will find themselves unprepared for the demand the community will place on them just because they are bilingual. With conversation, composition, literature, and culture classes providing the bulk of the core curriculum for the language major, how do language departments address the communities’ needs for quality translators and interpreters? Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP) not only provide a solution for the community, but they also allow connections with other disciplines. LSP is not a new concept, but rather a flashback to when the grammar-translation method was still considered the go-to teaching method. Due to the increased need for Spanish speakers, just being able to speak English and Spanish is not enough for language students to have an impact in their field. Students will find themselves hurled into a new profession, or even one for which they are supposedly prepared. As educators, have we explored every possible option for vocabulary acquisition in order to prepare students to understand the new lexical domains imposed on them by their jobs? As universities decrease, and even eliminate, world language requirements in their general education curriculum, while some are cutting language programs altogether, languages for a specific purpose become even more vital and must begin at the lower levels. First, language departments must identify the most critical needs on their campuses and evaluate their available staffing resources. Genesis of such a program might start with the biggest opponents of world languages on a campus. Once the detracting disciplines are identified, language instructors need to demonstrate the value for these classes. For example, if one can develop a first-year Spanish

Building on previous research and the author’s own experience, this article concerns service learning design for heritage learners in languages for specific purposes. Heritage learner prior knowledge of and identification with the culture and language of study distinguishes them from L2 learners. As a result, the distinct learning needs of heritage learners pose a challenge to language educators attempting to integrate service learning, whether in languages for specific purposes or otherwise. Yet despite the need to rethink service learning in languages for specific purposes to meet the needs of this growing student population, few studies on the subject exist. Through a survey of the relevant extant literature, the author identifies the known benefits of service learning for heritage learners and considers the implications of heritage learner needs in the design of languages for specific purposes service learning projects. Best practices identified in the literature and through the author’s own experience are then used to develop a service learning framework specific to heritage learners in languages for specific purposes. Specifically, best practices observed in the literature include project and learning objectives that build on, strengthen, and expand five key areas: heritage learner previous knowledge of and identification with the culture and language; critical awareness of social and cultural issues relevant to heritage learner identity; cultural competence; heritage learner professional career goals; and heritage learner knowledge of specialized written and spoken language skills in formal and informal registers. The author concludes that an asset-based approach, evident in existing heritage learner service learning projects, is key to maximizing service learning benefits for heritage learners. Rethinking service learning in this way is significant in developing cultural and communicative competence among heritage learners in languages for specific purposes.

Within the integration of technology into language education, special attention needs to be paid to languages for specific purposes (LSP), drawing on developments in computer‐assisted language learning and applied linguistics, on the one hand, and on the pervasive use of technology in academic and professional communication, on the other. From a definition of LSP centered on learner need, specificity of activities and materials, and teacher and learner profiles, this article examines how technology has transformed LSP teaching and learning. Through technology, LSP teachers and researchers can access discipline‐specific materials and situations and compile corpora of specialized texts. Computer‐mediated communication provides learning tools and a gateway to the discourse community. Technology also provides opportunities for collaborating, creating virtual environments and online courses, and fostering learner autonomy. These applications are examined within the current LSP scenario, paying attention to conditions and challenges for implementation, as well as to the roles of teachers and learners. This article also points to areas that merit further analysis from an LSP perspective, such as the use of different technologies and modes for effective learning, the analysis of specialized texts, and the integration into LSP of emerging technologies that have made their way into social uses.

This introduction will provide a thematic overview of the major issues raised byGrosse and Voght (1991), “The Evolution of Languages for Specific Purposes in the United States,” and the contributions in this Focus Issue that address those issues from a 2011 perspective. It will also explore contemporary (largely praxis‐oriented) languages for specific purposes (LSP) in the United States within a global LSP context that has historically evidenced strong connections between theory and practice. Points of comparison between LSP practiced in the United States and abroad include the rationale for LSP, curricula/programs innovations, professional infrastructure, researchers/practitioners, theoretical bases for research, and research topics and outlets for publication. Then follows a discussion of the challenges to LSP research (e.g., establishing norms of various workplace interactions, data collection, creation of assessment tools, lack of LSP practitioners and researchers with second language acquisiton [SLA] training), and future directions for the growth of LSP as an interdiscipline in the United States and for SLA and foreign language pedagogical research that would utilize data from LSP classroom and experiential settings in both domestic and international contexts. The introduction concludes with a discussion of LSP and community service learning as preparation for the workforce and for lifelong language learning.

Since the 1970s legal language as a language for special purposes has been a subject of growing interest among researchers. In the early period of scientific study specialised vocabulary was considered to be the essential element of a language for special purposes. Therefore, the first studies of legal language focused mainly on terminology. However, despite intensive research into the problems of terminology, forming terms in legal language remains an open area of scientific study. The article is an attempt at presenting different means that can be used in legal language to meet the demand for new terms, as well as showing the extent to which particular means are used in forming the terminology of Polish and German trade law. In this aspect the author also presents difficulties connected with understanding and proper usage of terms which an ordinary citizen can encounter when trying to comprehend complicated legal texts.

This entry explores the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into the teaching and research of Languages for Specific Purposes (LSP), examining its current applications, affordances, and challenges for educators and learners alike. It discusses the pedagogical particularities of LSP and connects them to the potentialities of AI‐powered tools. Drawing on recent developments in natural language processing, machine learning, and intelligent tutoring systems, and connecting them to the current research insights, the entry analyzes how AI‐enhanced tools—such as adaptive language platforms, automated writing evaluation systems, and conversation agents—are transforming LSP pedagogy. Particular attention is paid to the affordances of AI for tailoring instruction to specific professional linguistic needs, fostering learner autonomy, and boosting motivation and engagement. Through a critical review of research studies and a discussion of ethical and pedagogical considerations, the entry argues that while AI presents significant opportunities for innovation in LSP contexts, its adoption must be guided by domain‐specific expertise, transparency, and pedagogical soundness.

Summary Summary This article examines the notions of ‘specialisation’ or ‘specificity’ as they are used in expressions such as ‘English for special purposes’ (ESP) or languages for specific purposes’ (LSP). It is argued that a given variety of language is not ‘special’ or ‘specific’ in some absolute or objective way, inherent to its formal structures, topics and norms. ‘Specificity’ is, rather, the result of a particular relationship between participant and discourse, between two cultures or worlds of knowledge. For these reasons, it is often not particularly helpful to attempt to describe specific varieties in terms of linguistic features. Instead, we need to situate the problem within a general theory of the sociology of knowledge by asking fundamental questions such as ‘Specialised for who?’ and ‘Who knows what?’, ‘How do they acquire and use their knowledge?’. Such a theory will necessarily be both relative and social: relative to the individual and to the way in which knowledge is socially distribute...

When dealing with Language for Specific Purposes (LSP), teachers always have to confront with issues which are strictly linked to the specificities of the language of a given field. This is not only the case of language teachers, but it is also and particularly true for CLIL teachers in Italy, who are subject teachers sharing with language teachers some aspects of pupils' language education. This paper is grounded in the discussion of Data-driven Learning (DDL) as a scaffolding method to support the language aspects of CLIL, and the role of data-driven materials in enhancing learning in general. Corpus-based methodology in CLIL classes (the LSP learning environment par excellence) means to empower both teachers and students to develop competences in moving away from mere surface features of text to selecting and understanding meanings and structures. In doing so, they use texts with specific intentions, becoming familiar with tools such as corpora to compensate, for instance, the deficiencies of general dictionaries. Over 25 years ago Tim Johns advocated the learning-centered value of DDL, calling “every student a Sherlock Holmes.” In fact, DDL good practices perfectly align with current theories and practices of SLA, namely the constructivist and learner-centered approaches to language acquisition. It underpins the mandate in contemporary communicative language instruction for the use of authentic language materials and for the development of metalinguistic knowledge and learner autonomy. The uses and benefits of corpora for language learning are widely reported in the literature, although there is still little field practice, in Italy at least. Our word wants to suggest possible good and effective practices combining CLIL needs and the DDL approach to language and content. A case study where DDL was successfully used in a vocational context will be presented. The reference corpus was based on oral and written productions by English native speakers, elicited from a picture specifically sketched for the activity (a hairdresser's salon with multiple actions and objects). Both lexical items and syntactic structures were extracted by students who were confronted with the data and had to deal with different tasks for their analysis. Results were encouraging and students who were exposed to DDL engaged in an involving activity that considerably improved their language skills in their actual working practice.

The study of vocabulary and language for specific purposes (LSP) includes vocabulary in areas such as English for academic purposes, occupational purposes, and professional purposes. This vocabulary is important because it is linked to learners' language learning needs, specialized knowledge, and goals. Research suggests that up to one word in three in a specialized text is technical. The first half of this entry examines recent research into vocabulary for English for special purposes by describing this vocabulary, specialized and bilingual word lists, and analysis of spoken corpora, and multiword units. The second section focuses on LSP vocabulary in teaching and learning based on I. S. P. Nation's conception of learners' needs. It describes learners' use of tools to develop their own banks of specialized vocabulary, online resources and approaches available to teachers and learners, and specialized dictionaries for teaching and learning.

Reading & writing

English for specific purposes (ESP) still constitutes the minority of courses in the English language instruction at the Foreign Language Centre of Vytautas Magnus University. Among possible explanations are that it is costly, time consuming and an intellectually challenging specialisation process on the part of the teacher and a more complex and challenging subject for the student. Students generally lack the basic language skills necessary to benefit fully from such specific purpose classes. This article focuses on the teaching of legal English to students of law and practicing lawyers in Lithuania. It touches upon the history of language for specific purposes, material used in the legal English classes, and the students themselves. It concludes with the case study investigating trends in Legal English classroom among students of legal English at Vytautas Magnus University. This article also deals with the levels of skill necessary for students attending legal English classes and the results such students achieve. It concludes that although the need for legal English in Lithuanian is not yet realised, it needs to be, if the country wants to to cooperate successfully internationally and contribute to the international and local legal environment. While teaching legal English it has been noted that it is best to seek out help from the teachers or teacher organisations from other countries who teach language for specific purposes more widely and actively. This is because the demand for English for specific purposes is bigger in Western Europe, and teachers there subsequently have more experience in delivering the subject. Associations of English for specific purposes share a lot of information and can direct interested parties in their search for rare information on specific purpose language teaching. Observations reveal that Lithuanian teachers and students are still new to ESP (English for Specific Purposes) and need some guidance while finding and adapting the specific purpose material. Although this fact shows legal English as being a novelty in this country, it did nevertheless appear on the Lithuanian university instruction scene around the same time as it did in the rest of Europe. The difference lies only in the fact that in European countries like, for instance, Sweden, Germany and the UK there are strong teacher associations and information bodies such as TransLegal, EULETA and IATEFL SIG, which are responsible for spreading and sharing news, views and clues on teaching English for specific purposes.http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sal.0.19.940

The current paper addresses the teaching of Romanian language for specific purposes (RSP) during the Preparatory Year of Romanian as a Foreign Language, a study programme offered by different Romanian universities. Courses of languages for specific purposes can be challenging for teachers. Besides introducing specialized terms, they also have to develop the students’ academic and professional communication skills, choose or design learning materials according to the students’ needs and interests and keep in touch with the evolution of the scientific domain. In teaching languages for specific purposes, attention is usually given to written genres while the development of oral skills can be easily left behind. This paper proposes different types of exercises that can be used in order to teach RSP from a communicative perspesctive. The focus is represented by the teaching of the Romanian language of chemistry to foreign students who prepare for studying medical sciences in Romania. Building on previous research and projects carried on in Turkish universities, we aim to propose different ways for improving the students’ speaking and listening skills during RSP courses. In particular, when teaching chemistry language, teachers can benefit from various authentic materials available online and use them in order to spark the students’ interest and involvement.

The subject of research in the article is approaches to the study of railway terminology as a language for special purposes. Transport and, in particular, railway terminology occupies an important place in the terminological system of the English language. First, the article considers the main interpretations of the concept of "language for special purposes". Further, such approaches to the study of the railway terminology of the English language as a semantic approach, a structural approach and an etymological approach are considered. The semantic approach consists in classifying terms into semantic groups.

Partly because of the Bologna Declaration, the so-called English-Medium Instruction (EMI) courses in universities have undergone a strong surge in the last 15 years. This initial phase of growth in EMI has had an impact on LSP (Language for Specific Purposes) courses, which have in some cases suffered a consequent decline. This article seeks to highlight the potential of LSP to prepare students in EMI communication, support academic disciplinary skills, develop transversal skills, and foster intercultural communication. The study analyses an LSP-focused curricular design that aims to help students develop English-language communicative effectiveness for a domain-specific context: social and human services. The various integrative practices inherent in LSP instruction call attention to its potential as a harmonizing and empowering force for content- and language-integrated learning when used alongside EMI. Keywords: English-Medium Instruction (EMI); Language for Specific Purposes (LSP); English for Specific Purposes (ESP); Content-and-language integrated learning (CLIL); Integrating content and language in higher education (ICLHE).