Maximising the effectiveness of speaking activities in ESP

Given the nature of globalization and flexible labour markets there has been more and more economic migration in particular in contexts where spoken English is necessary. To fully meet this need general English is no longer enough; employees need English specific to the context they are in. These demands have resulted in the expansion of one particular aspect of English Language Teaching (ELT) - namely the teaching of English for Specific Purposes (ESP). With this the teacher no longer has a text book but has to design a course which meets the exact language requirements of the learners. This book outlines the methodology of developing a course for a specific group of learners. It shows how to complete a detailed needs analysis and from this to design materials and adapt methodology so as to improve the speaking and listening skills of a group of ESP students. Finally it makes suggestions of how to evaluate the impact of the course. It does this through a case study of a group ofPolish bus drivers working for Arriva bus company whom the author was responsible for teaching in the year 2007/08. However the approaches can be used in any context.