reduce the length, the difficulty, and the depth of reading texts. Meanwhile, reorganization is done to change the position and illustrations of the texts.
3. English for Specific Purposes ESP
The research, “Designing a Set of English Reading Materials for Biology Teachers”, is closely relating to ESP since it is intended for the specific learners
which are Biology teachers. Hutchinson and Waters 1987: 16 state that ESP can be classified based on the general nature of the learners’ purpose English for
Academic PurposesEAP and English for Occupational PurposesEOP and the learners’ specialism English for Science and TechnologyEST, English for
Business and EconomicsEBE, and English for Social SciencesESS. Based on the learners’ purpose, the research can be categorized as EAP
because the designed materials are going to be used for educational development. Nonetheless, since the research is for the learners who are willing to maintain
their profession’s demand, it can also be categorized as EOP. Based on the learners’ specialism, the research is classified into EST for it is dealing with
Biology field. Therefore, the research is under ESP theory. Additionally, in Developments in English for Specific Purposes: A multi-
disciplinary approach, Strevens as cited by Johns and Dudley-Evans 2006:3 states that there are four absolute characteristics and two variable characteristics
that define English language teaching to be considered as ESP. The four absolute characteristics are presented on the following page.
a. The English language teaching is designed to meet learners’ specific needs. In the research, the designed materials are designed based on the
specification of Biology teachers’ needs. b. The content of English language teaching only relates to a particular
discipline, occupation, and activity. In this case, the research relates to Biology and Biology teachers as the learners.
c. The English language teaching centers on language that is appropriate to support those two previous characteristics.
d. The ESP language teaching differs from ‘General English’ language teaching. It is shown in methodology.
The two variable characteristics are: a. ESP may be focused only on one skill. In the research, the designed
materials are focused on reading skill, and b. Methodology used in ESP may not only use provided teaching
methodologies. Teacher may create or combine them.
a. ESP Methodology
In developing a set of materials which is under ESP umbrella, the writer needs to concern ESP methodology. It is important for the writer to understand the
methodology used in ESP. As stated in the absolute characteristic of ESP, ESP methodology differs from methodology used in General Purpose English Johns
and Dudley-Evans, 2006:3. Moreover, according to Hutchinson and Waters 1987: 19, “ESP is an approach to language teaching in which all decisions as to
content and method are based on the learner’s reason for learning”. Since it aims to meet the needs of particular learners, the learning methodology and the content
of the designed materials are based on the areas of the particular study. Furthermore, according to Hutchinson and Waters 1987:128-130, there
are several basic principles of language learning which underlie language learning methodology. First principle which underlies the designed materials of the
research is that the second language learning is a developmental process. It means the product of learning depends on the learning process. The writer notices that
the good-ordered process of learning refers to the well-developed learning activities. Yet, the learners’ background knowledge also determines the result of
learning for it helps in the process of understanding. Learners who have enough knowledge of learning content will be at ease in the learning process, and the
result of learning will be optimal. Thus, activating learners’ background knowledge is an essential pre-activity e.g. by predicting, answering questions.
Second principle is that the language learning is not just a matter of linguistic knowledge. Language as a means of communication has a role to
convey information. It means that language will be meaningful when it is used in the real situationcontext. Therefore, the language learning should unite the
linguistic matters and the context so that the learning will be valuable for the learners. It means that the designed materials should bring information or new
knowledge for the learners beside linguistic knowledge. In the research, the context refers to the subject specialism that is Biological context.
Third principle is that the learning is an emotional experience. This principle considers that the learners are human beings. Every human being is
always influenced emotionally. Hence, the designed materials should be developed interestingly so that it can motivate the learners to learn. One way is by
varying the learning activities e.g. having discussion, playing games, doing crosswords, etc.
In addition to the materials development, Robinson 1991:54 states that “a key concept within the communicative approach, and one felt to be particularly
relevant for ESP, is that of authenticity.” Authenticity, here, refers to the use of authentic materials which is “the use of print, audio, video and pictorial material
originally produced for a purpose other than the teaching of language” Robinson, 1991:54. Kennedy and Bolitho 1991:48, in accordance with authenticity, state
that “the crucial element is that it aims to convey information and ideas rather than the use of language.” Since the research is to develop a set of reading
materials, the writer utilizes authentic texts in her designed materials. The use of authentic texts is caused of the use of simplified texts texts which are aimed to
the language learning in classroom will be different with the texts which are faced in real world Kennedy and Bolitho, 1991:48.
b. Needs Analysis
To determine the content of the designed materials, we need to have needs analysis. Hutchinson and Waters 1987: 53 said that “any course should be based
on an analysis of learner’s need”, even if it is for General English. Johns and PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
Dudley-Evans 2006: 122 also state that “needs analysis is the corner stone of ESP and leads to a very focused course.” Thus, needs analysis is an important step
before establishing the designed materials. To avoid misunderstanding of what is meant by needs, Robinson 1991:7-
8 states that there are some definitions of needs. The definitions are presented below.
1 Needs refers to the learning objectives or what the learners have to be able to do at the end of language course.
2 Needs is the demand of what the learners to be able to do from the language course.
3 Needs means the learning process or what the learners need to do in acquiring language.
4 Needs refers to the personal wants or what the learners’ purposes in taking the language course.
5 Needs is as learners’ lacks or what the learners do not know or cannot do in English.
In addition, Hutchinson and Waters 1987: 54 state that basically there are two kinds of needs. Those are target needs i.e. what the learner needs to do in the
target situation and learning needs i.e. what the learner needs to do in order to learn. To help gathering such information, Hutchinson and Waters provide a
framework of information to an analysis of target needs. The framework contains a list of questions about the reason why the language is needed, in what way the
language will be used, of what the content areas be, about who will use the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
