Rethinking Needs in an English Language Program: Three Case Studies in English for Academic Purposes

Abstract

Individual case studies were undertaken to investigate the English listening and speaking needs of three international students at an American university. The purpose of this research was to determine how well the English language program at the university is meeting the needs of its ESL students. Ethnographic methods were used to document the experiences of the participants as they successfully adapted to the discourses of their majors during the course of a semester. Predictably, highly variable uses of language were found in the three very different disciplines. It is suggested that a more effective approach to teaching English for Academic Purposes (EAP) is to focus on the learning processes of the students, rather than the diverse range of products they are require d to generate. Various factors that facilitate these learning processes are discussed, as well as suggesting for incorporating them into pedagogy.