Teaching English for Special Purposes

Teaching English for Special Purposes in the EFL Classroom

Basic Concepts:

Many people, when transitioning to a career in TEFL, forget that they have lots of experience, and sometimes education, in a specialized area. Rather than starting at the bottom rung in TEFL consider finding your own special niche where you can probably make more money, do a better job and enjoy yourself more.

Many people from Information Technology (IT) careers come to TEFL, for example.  Their best job strategy would be to seek an English teaching position at a college or university that has an IT specialty.  Most occupational specialties in foreign countries need English training.  They need it either for university study and papers, research (most international research is published in English), or to run a business.

If you have a background in a special area, it is in your best interest to use it.  You will know the specialized vocabulary of the business, will know how the business works and you will even have a curiosity about the business that other teachers won’t have.  This makes you ideal to teach in that special niche.

Consider nursing, aviation training, business and marketing, chemicals, general medicine, engineering, hospitality (restaurant, hotel, and tourism industry), IT, law, construction technology, and every other possible major at a university or college.  If you have such a skill/knowledge it would be well worth your time to seek employment in that area.  DON’T go to the English department of a college or university, go to the department of your specialty and have them recommend you to the English department.  You WILL be in demand.

If you have not already read our page on Teaching Business English, read it now.  Download and read the needs analysis worksheet on that page.  You can use and adapt those pages to any form of ESP.  A thorough needs analysis is the key to your success.

Expanded Concepts:

A couple examples of niche employment that the some people look for are Hospitality English and Business English.  Lots of people have previous work experience either in a business or in a hotel or restaurant or tourism setting.

Here’s the difference:

Teach a few reception desk staff in an air conditioned classroom at a 5-star resort on a tropical island or 50 screaming kids in a hot classroom?   Teach a small class of businesspeople at corporate headquarters or back to the screaming kindergarteners . . . Up to you . . .  ESP has its advantages!

Nothing wrong with kindie kids – they are wonderful to teach, but often
more mature (read older . . .) teachers tend to prefer a more sedate setting.