Designing and Implementing an ESP Course: Revisiting an Experience

Abstract

The present essay aims to deepen into the decision - making process followed by three TESOL graduate students when designing an ESP (English for Specific Purposes) course. This course was designed by the author of this piece and other two students, as a requirement to graduate as Master’s of English Teaching for Speakers of Other Languages offered at the University of Costa Rica (UCR). With this course, the designers had to help a group of UCR workers to communicate effectively in English with international individuals wishing to study at this institution or that were already participating in international programs. This piece of writing also presents data about the group of students that benefited with this academic activity, the tasks that were designed and taught, as well as some of the evaluation and assessment instruments that were used. Finally, it also presents some recommendations to those individuals who consider the option of designing an ESP course as an effective strategy to promote the use of the target language in the job context.