OVERVIEW OF RESEARCHES ON ENGLISH TEACHING AND LEARNING: ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

Abstract

The increasing demand of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has resulted in the need for a lingua franca of science, technology, education, and business. The field of ESP has promptly flourished recently to play an important part in English language teaching and research. Accordingly, the desires to master technical terms to meet job requirements force people to know ESP rather than basic English for daily communication. Researches on teaching and learning ESP have been conducted widely not only in Vietnam but other countries by high prestigious scholars and knowledgeable researchers with the main purpose to figure out the most effective approaches, which enables educators, teachers and learners as well to adapt the best teaching methods to accomplish their wishes. Based on material research methodology, an overview of studies on teaching and learning ESP both inside and outside Vietnam, as well as background knowledge on ESP teaching and learning, the researcher indicates the challenges, opportunities and benefits brought to teachers and learners in ESP training.