The Specificity And Authenticity Of Esp Teaching In Algeria: Teachers` Attitudes At Skikda University

Abstract

Abstract Teaching English for Specific Purposes (ESP) requires bringing together practitioners’ experiences, researchers’ findings, and context needs to best prepare learners for academic and workplace needs. Therefore, ESP teachers are expected to teach ESP according to learners’ subjects. Through a questionnaire addressed to ESP teachers at Skikda university, this exploratory study sheds light on the status of ESP teaching in Algeria. It seeks to investigate teachers’ attitudes towards the specificity and authenticity of ESP teaching in terms of teachers’ teaching skills, knowledge of students’ subjects and the compatibility of the course content objectives with learners’ specialty. Results revealed the lack of ESP teaching training. A mere knowledge, if any, about students’ subjects makes ESP teaching a daunting experience for most of teachers. Also, with the absence of an ESP teaching content, teachers’ feel obliged to use their own strategies, developing teaching materials, adapting others’ ready-made contents, and knowing students’ varied subjects.