Reconsidering teachers’ views on the processes of course design and teaching materials selection in the context of English for academic purposes

Abstract

The aim of this article is to analyze, from teachers’ point of view, the processes of needs analysis, syllabus design and the materials selection and adaptation in the context of English for Academic Purposes (EAP). These aspects of course design will be presented by examining in more detail the existing teachers’ views and opinions on the factors which influence syllabus design, materials selection and deciding on the grading criteria. English for Academic Purposes is a discipline which emerged and was developed from English for Specific Purposes (ESP) context. The context of English for Academic Purposes is defined by a number of authors as a discipline which focuses on language learning in academic contexts and improving skills which can be transferred beyond the language curriculum and used in every area of academic studies. Some examples of these skills include the following: writing, research, presentation skills, providing arguments and debating. The research for the study is conducted by review of the relevant literature and previous studies on the topic, in addition to examining teachers’ attitudes via open-ended interview questions.