English for Professional Purposes: Backwards? Forwards? Towards!

1. English for Professional Purposes: Backwards? Forwards? Towards! E-merging Forum-3, Moscow, March 1, 2013

3. Why EPP but not other ELT research and praxis fields? ESP – too generalistic of a term, and not being professional life grounded EAP – too remote from the down-to-earth professional praxis of graduates, exam-oriented CLIL – predominantly used for the EL advanced students, single-subjected, plus mostly at the secondary level

4. Teaching the something that has direct bearing on the formation of the professional expertise of graduates (hard and soft skills) • Facilitating students’ mastery of other university subjects • ELT content development being grounded on the understanding of ‘not teaching English, but teaching through English’ for the sake of professional competency development • Best practices for the mediocre students EPP

5. Step away from the learner-centered approach, i.e. contrasted to other, ‘more communicative’, ELT trends - return to the ‘obsolete’, notoriously promulgated ‘Soviet’ ELT concept Backwards?

6. Introduction of didactic and social innovations [preferably revolutionary!] that seems to be a high trend and a must today Forwards?

7. A more-or-less dynamic movement towards the meeting of the requirements of the university education stakeholders Towards!

8. A major EPP Drive - shift in the educational paradigm: from anthropocentric towards sociocentric • Establishment, maintenance and development of sustainable social networks, i.e. interrelations within the community that are to be efficient, harmonious, mutually beneficial and aesthetic • Establishment of the EL mastery as a social good that is valuable for all stakeholders

9. Students • Social communities • Professional Communities • Employers • ELT associations • Course developers • School Administrators • International Professional Organizations Stakeholders of EL teaching/learning (1)

10. Government (officials, state standards, etc.) • Sponsors • FL Teachers • System of Education • Parents • FLT Publishers • International FLT-related Organizations • FLTeacher Associations • FLT Course Developers Stakeholders of EL teaching/learning (2)

11. Revision of ELT objectives that would be true to the needs and expectations of various groups of stake-holders, those needs being re-addressed in terms of the requirements of the new Russian educational standards and participation of stakeholders in ELT content development Key challenge

12. Problem University Administration declares support of the quality ELT, but stands strongly against any increase in the number of the contact hours for ELT • Steps towards Demonstrate the value of ELT for the formation of the holistic professional competency of a graduate Demonstrate the value of the particular ELT extracurricular activities (e.g. local/national contests, festivals, video conferences, etc.) for the development of the University’s goodwill

13. Problem Student declare their strive for EL mastery, but tend to invest their minimal effort to EL learning • Steps towards Explain the actual EPP objectives Introduce the rational assignments (to-the-point, power-optimal and time-optimal) Develop the student motivation to EL learning (provision of the rationale behind the EL learning chores, inculcation in exchange programmes, visualization of the profession-related EL mastery value)

14. Problem Employers exercise excessive requirements to EL mastery, but, first, cannot provide the rationale behind those requirements, second, are not ready to compensate for the required EL mastery (oppose labour capitalization) • Steps towards Join the effort in ELT objective research, setting and specification Cooperate in EPP material development Provide the background for the internship programmes Provide opportunities for their participation in ELT classes and extra-curricular activities

15. Problem Publishersare trying to impose their ELT materials that are loosely connected to the actual mission of EPP • Step towards Tempt them to cooperation in the joint development of the EPP materials that would meet Russian requirements Offer them local EPP materials for editing and further publication

16. Problem University EL Teacher Community is EPP-reluctant and heavily intoxicated with EGP, ESP, EAP and CLIL myths • Steps towards Explain the actual goals of EPP Offer refresher/professional development courses in EPP Provide the well-rounded support (methodological, psychological, special-field, resource, etc.)

17. Problem Other chair groupsoppose the development of ELT programmes in the universities, as this ELT expansion endangers their own well-being • Step towards Demonstrate the resource potential of the EPP courses in terms of provision of those chair groups with the cutting-edge special-field data for their activities (teaching, research, fund-raising, etc.)

18. Problem International professional communityhas little understanding of the actual ELT process and the Russia-relevant learning outcomes • Step towards Provide the EPP courses and materials that would relate to the actual speech skills and language aspects that are vital for the international community Cooperate in the development of the internship programmes that may bridge the axiological gap

19. English for Professional Purposes: Towards! [The yoke] … of human bondage … Andrei Kuznetsov andremos@inbox.ru