| This research was concerned with rationalizing, in a more empirical manner, the author's earlier perceptions that a modified English For Specific Purposes (ESP) approach would more effectively prepare ESL undergraduate non-native students for their future academic and career communication needs.;A review and criticism of the more general ESL composition approaches was described. The results of a cross-disciplinary faculty survey from seven Illinois universities were completed. A complete description of a previously designed ESL curriculum project was included. Modifications to this ESP course were then discussed in the light of the newly collected and analyzed research. Finally, a one hundred selected annotated ESP bibliography was included to show ESL instructors and administrators the complexity of this new innovation in second language pedagogy.;From this research the author concluded that: (1) The Free, Controlled, Semi-Controlled, and Neo-Aristotelian approaches to ESL composition either rely too much on mechanical manipulation of samples of English discourse or are too restrictive in teaching the writing process and helping the ESL students achieve academic and career communicative competence. (2) The surveyed faculty from the Art, Chemistry, Computer Science, Curriculum and Instruction, Marketing and Management, Mathematics, Political Science, Pre-Engineering, and Psychology departments at seven Illinois universities want their non-native students to be taught English through an approach that will foster research abilities, analytical thought, and exam taking strategies. These professors want all the language skills taught by the English department. (3) The modified ESP course designed in four phases--identification, development, implementation, evaluation--was found to be an effective way of preparing students for their future academic and career communication needs. |
