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in the book or use their own definitions or synonyms. This is done to provide the learners with some pre-understanding of the terms and vocabulary before the main text is practiced. A
grammatical point is normally introduced deductively Amirian and Tavakoli, 2009. After this section, learners are provided with a passage that will be paraphrased by the
teacher after which the learners face some reading comprehension questions in the form of truefalse, multiple choice, and essay-type Soleimani, 2005. After the reading
comprehension section different exercises are provided such as finding the synonyms, filling in the blanks using the appropriate part of speech aiming to practice grammar, and filling the
blanks using the appropriate word aiming to practice meaning. Two other short passages are offered, one for practicing translation and the other for free reading. At the end of each unit a
list of technical and sometimes nontechnical terms are presented for which ESP learners have to find equivalents in the native language, Persian. Linguistic features of texts are emphasized
while minimal attention is given to the skills and strategies which can help in getting the meaning out of the text Soleimani, 2005. The homework section includes vocabulary
exercises parts of speech, fill in the blanks, and matching, grammatical exercises mechanical drills, reading comprehension exercises text with multiple choice form
questions, and translation practice and terminology. Amirian and Tavakoli, 2009
3.2 Criticisms of ESP courses in Iran
Among ESP practitioners there is a consensus that ESP courses in Iran have not reached their objectives in the sense that students cannot use their knowledge in the outside
world as a real language user after graduation Tayebipour, 2005; Hassaskhah, 2005; Zohrabi, 2005; Soleimani, 2005; Hayati, 2008; Amirian Tavakoli, 2009, etc.. These scholars offer
different reasons for this unsatisfactory outcome of ESP courses in Iran ranging from the problems associated with materials included in text books, instructors, teaching methodology,
approach to ESP, exam-centeredness of courses, and ignoring future needs of learners. Hassaskhah 2005 argues that language used and taught in ESP courses in Iran is
“language for display”. Firstly, most of the instructions include the presentation of forms and sentences as models which the learners are required to translate. Besides, she disapproves
ESP courses because of not taking a learner-centred approach. As she mentions, in these
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courses centrality of the learner, learner purposes, learner interests, and the social nature of the language which is a focal point in modern teaching theories like communicative language
teaching is ignored. Secondly, study skills and discourse genre appropriate for authentic language use find no way in such classes. Thirdly, since ESP learners in Iran cannot see the
immediate results of what they are learning, they consider these courses as obligatory and boring. A further criticism of ESP courses according to Hassaskhah is that the courses do not
consider learners’ interests and needs, and also lack the motivational principle which can help in encouraging learners in further learning. Being exam-oriented, these courses ignore the
life- long needs of the learners and no “real-life communication” takes place but only the
skills the students need in taking exams. Likewise, Fathi 2008 believes that the existing materials are not satisfactory since
their focus is mainly on vocabulary and syntax while the learners’ needs are ignored. However based on the findings of her study she concludes that the students see texts in their
ESP course books as useless and they requested the texts to be more subject-specific. Besides, the students complained about the traditional teaching of grammar. In line with the students,
ESP teachers in the study stated that the students must be exposed to genuine and interesting English texts.
Moreover, having conducted a case study, Amirian and Tavakoli 2009 refer to the mismatch that exists between the course contents and the required skills and materials of the
learners at workplace. Learners in their study mentioned some sub-skills in reading which they perceived as critical while not included in textbooks as reading catalogs, books, formal
letters, foreign visitors’ reports, technical documents, journals and newspapers and also using the internet. Having reviewed the comments made by learners the
y report that learners’ dissatisfactions from the content of the text books rooted in the fact that the content had a
general basis and did not exactly relate to their field. For Tayebipour 2005 the drawbacks referring to ESP courses in Iran are twofold.
One set of problems are associated with instructors’ qualifications and another set relate to what he calls materials design. He refers to two main reasons why this is happening. The first
reason is the read-only approach being implemented in which the only focus is on reading skill. The second reason as he writes is that the approach towards reading skill, as a “valued
