The Labyrinth of Technical English

Abstract

ESP is a complex matter to deal with for teachers as well as for students. It involves effort and commitment on both sides, a great deal of free time necessary for training, seriousness and, more than anything else, motivation; technical English is not just a long list of words to be learned by heart or complicated set phrases, it is a mix of everyday English vocabulary and conversations that are commonly met in technical contexts. Acquiring the terms in the field of expertise is vital, but only used in appropriate authentic situations may help learners get the real meaning and may help them to handle them correctly. One key aspect is to master the ability to adapt the knowledge from the class to the related work field opportunities. Useful materials are hard to create since the English teacher has no connection to the technical field, thus, a collaboration with other teachers is a positive aspect that should be taken into consideration. Students may also contribute with relevant information in the class, generating a bond with the teacher and a friendly learning environment where everybody plays a role, brings a contribution and offers support. It may be perceived as a team work coordinated by a teacher in the role of the leader. However, recently, a lot of specialised books for teaching technical English have appeared on the market, facilitating the entire teaching process.