English in the Disciplines by Hafner, Christoph; Miller, Lindsay;

Short description:

The context for the teaching and learning of English for specific disciplinary purposes is undergoing profound changes under the influence of economic globalization and new digital communication technologies. English in the Disciplines demonstrates how fundamental principles of ESP, to tailor language learning materials to the needs of specific groups of learners, can be adapted to new contexts of learning in the digital age.

Based on sustained research into students’ experiences in an ESP context in Hong Kong, this volume provides an empirically grounded and practical methodology to ESP learning and course design and features:

• mixed-method case studies;








• links between theory and practice, with plentiful examples of teaching materials and learning activities;








• recognition of the effect of new technologies and globalization on the practice of ESP, highlighting problems and providing practical solutions;








• a new pedagogical model for ESP course design, addressing multiple dimensions relevant to today’s ESP learners including learner autonomy, genre, multimodality and digital literacies, plurilingual practices, and project-based learning and collaboration.

English in the Disciplines provides key reading for anyone studying and researching this topic.

Long description:

The context for the teaching and learning of English for specific disciplinary purposes is undergoing profound changes under the influence of economic globalization and new digital communication technologies. English in the Disciplines demonstrates how fundamental principles of ESP, to tailor language learning materials to the needs of specific groups of learners, can be adapted to new contexts of learning in the digital age.

Based on sustained research into students’ experiences in an ESP context in Hong Kong, this volume provides an empirically grounded and practical methodology to ESP learning and course design and features:

• mixed-method case studies;

• links between theory and practice, with plentiful examples of teaching materials and learning activities;

• recognition of the effect of new technologies and globalization on the practice of ESP, highlighting problems and providing practical solutions;

• a new pedagogical model for ESP course design, addressing multiple dimensions relevant to today’s ESP learners including learner autonomy, genre, multimodality and digital literacies, plurilingual practices, and project-based learning and collaboration.

English in the Disciplines provides key reading for anyone studying and researching this topic.

"One of the most comprehensive, innovative and currently relevant accounts of ESP integrating a multi-perspective genre-based approach to theory and practice - indispensable for teachers and practitioners in the field."

Vijay K Bhatia, Chinese University of Hong Kong

"This is a book whose time has definitely come. Those who teach disciplinary (or discipline-ready) discourse to English language learners will likely welcome what it offers: a research-informed rationale for and practitioner-friendly guidance in how to prepare students for the diverse audiences they will face and the multimodal literacies they will need in an increasingly digital and plurilingual world."

Diane D. Belcher, Georgia State University, USA

"ESP course designers, teachers and researchers will find this book a fascinating and important account of how English in the disciplines is being reshaped as digital media assumes a central role in facilitating communication across genres, audiences and contexts. Through a case study analysis of a project-based approach to ESP course design, the authors show how an ESP course can engage learners in exploring and creating digital literary practices relevant to different disciplinary communities. In the process, learners develop communicative and literacy skills that support learning in their disciplines as well as develop knowledge and skills that will serve them in their future careers."

Jack C Richards, Regional English Language Centre, Singapore

"[...] this monograph will surely benefit language teachers as an accessible source of stimulating ideas and user-friendly guidelines to foster and support learners’ multimodal writing with digital tools both inside and beyond classrooms. All in all, the authors’ 10-year journey as ESP course designers, teachers, and researchers, as presented in the monograph, is extraordinarily noteworthy and engaging. This book is a valuable resource for teachers and researchers and those who have an interest in multimodality and digital literacies in the field of second language writing in English across disciplines."

Lianjiang Jiang, Journal of Second Language Writing

Table of Contents:

Part 1: Principles and Practice in ESP Course Design

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Approaches to English for Specific Purposes

Chapter 3: Case Study: The English for Science Course

Chapter 4: Researching English in the Disiplines

Chapter 5: Learner Autonomy

Chapter 6: Genre

Chapter 7: Multimodality and Digital Literacies

Chapter 8: Plurilingual Practices

Chapter 9: Project-Based Learning and Collaboration

Chapter 10: The Multidimensional Model