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European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching ISSN: 2537 - 1754 ISSN-L: 2537 - 1754 Available on-line at: www.oapub.org/edu Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 doi: 10.5281/zenodo.259452 ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Sidiky Diarassoubai, Jérôme Kouassi Department of English, Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Cocody, Abidjan, Côte-d Ivoire Abstract: The aim of this study was to examine the situation of the practice of ESP in the public universities of our country in order to make some suggestions for its improvement. The conclusions of the investigation carried out revealed a gap between the practice of ESP in our context and the expectations due to the lack of formal didactic framework, the absence of a clearly defined status of ESP as a theoretically rooted and professionally oriented academic discipline, and the discrepancy between the envisioned objectives that transpire in the perceived needs of the students and what they actually are able to do with the language. Our suggestions to improve the situation were threefold: Design a cross-specialties needs-based framework for textbooks or workbooks selection or course design that could help teachers make decisions about appropriate course materials; deign a cross-specialties modular framework for syllabus design which may be an indispensable resource that teachers can draw from in order to design their own syllabuses; and use functional-Genre-Based Language Teaching (FGBLT) as an approach which would allow ESP instructors to do away with uninspiring, stale and contrived views of ESP that over-emphasize issues relating to register. Keywords: ESP, didactic, genre, functional, needs, specialties Resume Cette étude avait pour but l examen de la situation de la pratique de l ‚SP dans les universités publiques de notre pays en vue de faire des suggestions pour améliorer la situation. Les conclusions de l investigation menée ont révélées un écart entre la pratique de l ‚SP dans notre contexte et les attentes du à l absence d un cadre i Correspondence: email sidiara@yahoo.fr Copyright © The Author(s). All Rights Reserved. © 2015 – 2017 Open Access Publishing Group 71 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS didactique formel, celle d un statut clairement défini de l ‚SP en tant que discipline ayant un fondement théorique et une orientation professionnelle, et à l écart entre les objectifs visés qui transparaissent dans les besoins exprimés des étudiants et ce qu ils sont en réalité capable de faire dans la langue. Nos suggestions en vue d améliorer la situation sont de trois ordres: Concevoir un cadre transversal de choix ou de conception des ouvrages scolaires, des cahiers d activités, ou de conception du cours qui aiderait les enseignants à prendre les décisions appropriées concernant les supports didactiques; concevoir cadre modulaire transversal de conception du syllabus qui serait une ressource indispensable dont les enseignants peuvent s inspirer pour concevoir leurs propres syllabus; et utiliser le Functional-Genre-Based Language Teaching FG‛LT en tant qu approche qui permettrait aux enseignants d ‚SP de se départir des visions erronées et étroites de l ‚SP qui mettent plus l accent sur les questions liées au registre. Mots Cle: ASP, Didactique, Genre, Fonctionnel, Besoins, Spécialités Introduction As a school subject, English is part of training programs, in most if not all vocational schools. The aim is to equip students with the kind of English that is in step with their prospective professional fields. At university level, the training programs in most faculties and departments include English. Course contents are expected to take account of students needs in terms of academic training and future professional requirements. And English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is the best way to meet these specific needs. This is evidenced in the flourishing literature in the area of ESP (e.g., Hutchinson and Waters, 1987; Hutchinson and Waters, 1994; Anthony, 1997; Dudley and St John, 1998; Harding, 2007). The seminal book of Hutchinson and Waters (1987) proved instrumental in forwarding pioneering ideas in the field. In their wake, research of scholars and practitioners such as Anthony (1997), Dudley and St John (1998), and Harding (2007) among others have helped consolidate and take issues relating to ESP a step further up. Their contributions concern the historical and theoretical foundations of ESP and the general framework for its implementation. In this last perspective they address various preoccupations including human and materials resources (Text-books, Course books, Workbooks, Syllabuses, etc.), didactic practices (Learning Tasks, Teaching Approaches, Classroom Management, etc.), and institutional issues (Place of ESP in Curricula, Availability of Specialized Rooms, Teachers Initial and In-Service Training, Administrative Management of ESP Courses, etc.). European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 72 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS The preoccupations raised in the above lines corroborate the contextual facts in most public universities in our country including ours ii. As far as we know, there has been no formal scientific reflection on ESP teaching in our public universities. This explains our current concern with the issue. Considering the specificities of ESP and taking account of the shared practices in the faculties and departments in terms of English language teaching, there is a pressing need to think about the didactic measures that might help improve the teaching of ESP. The article therefore aims to answer the following questions: How is ESP actually handled in our faculties? How does one overcome some of the difficulties that may surface in the teaching of ESP? In order to answer these questions, an investigation was carried out which involved the different stakeholders (The teachers and the students) and the teaching materials (Textbooks, course books, workbooks, syllabi, or any other didactic materials) in use in the classrooms. The methodology used for this investigation includes data collection through questionnaires, interview guides, focus group discussions, and documents analysis. Both qualitative and quantitative procedures were used for data analysis. The study and the suggestions following the conclusions were rooted in two relevant theories: genre and functionalism. 1. ESP as a University Subject Generally speaking, the focus of the literature on ESP as a university subject is twofold: The role of needs analysis in ESP course design and the difficulties encountered in ESP teaching. For Ibrahim , …the objective of the course must be authentic to meet the needs of students to guarantee motivation and better achievement. He explains that needs analysis helps us to collect information about our students learning needs and wants to help us draw the objectives of the targeted core course and determine the appropriate content. It is very important to start your needs analysis for the targeted group of students before you determine the exact content, which you are going to subscribe them. Consequently, needs analysis has been given a significant consideration in making a particular course serve a particular group s interests. Graves K., Harrison R., 1996, Hutchinson T. and A. Waters, 1987; Vorobieva N., 1996) Bilokcuoglu (2012) and Pranckeviciute and Zajankauskaite (2012) do not take a different view though the latters go further as to underline that The role of needs analysis in any ESP course is undoubtedly indisputable. It is the first stage of a course design, and it provides relevancy for all course design activities. Hossain reports that the students of Azimur Rahman School of Engineering at Presidency University receive ii The authors of this paper are currently teaching English as a Foreign Language at the department of English of the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Cocody-Abidjan, Côte-d’Ivoire. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 73 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS two courses on ESP including English reading and composition which focuses on their needs for reading and writing proficiency and […] “dvanced English Communication that concentrates on their needs for writing and speaking proficiency . In a survey on ESP teaching in Changchun University of Science and Technology, Cao (2014: 2508) indicates that: For English majors, the main ESP course is English for Science and Technology and for normal students, the ESP courses are specifically designed according to their different majors […]. These courses are designed in accordance with students’ studying fields and their majors. […] “fter finishing learning these courses, students could make use of English in their communication and learning process, especially when they step into society. The idea of designing ESP courses in accordance with the students needs clearly stands out. And as Cao (Ibid.) rightly posits, the results of needs analysis determine the choices of course designers in terms of the language skills that might allow their students to attend lectures, seminars and similar academic or non-academic activities. Despite this interest in ESP in general and particularly at tertiary level, ESP courses have gradually been pushed into a corner without being seen and valued by many universities Cai and Liao, , cited in Cao, , p. . The case of the Iranian tertiary education where this subject is marginalized (Moslemi, 2011, p.121) is a good illustration. Even in universities where ESP is given attention, teachers have to overcome some challenges relating to the choice of relevant course books and teaching materials corresponding to their goals and students . In addition, there often is a lack of enthusiasm about learning ESP among non-English majors (Hamidovic, 2013). 2. Theoretical Framework 2.1 ESP and Genre Theory According to Swales (1990:58), …genre comprises a class of communicative events, the members of which share some set of communicative purposes. These purposes are recognized by the expert members of the parent discourse community and thereby constitute the rationale for the genre. This rationale shapes the schematic structure of the discourse and influences and constrains choice of content and style. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 74 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Swales words indicate that genre relates to a discourse community, the members of which use the same linguistic features for the activities related to their community. In the context of foreign language teaching, genre theory has some implications for ESP teaching. This is perceivable in the following quotation in which Bathia (2012) explains that: In its early form, genre theory was primarily concerned with the application of genre analysis to develop pedagogical solutions for ESP classrooms. For more than thirty years now it is still considered perhaps the most popular and useful tool to analyse academic and professional genres for ESP applications. Much of the credit for its exceptional achievement goes to the seminal works of Swales (1990 & 2004) and Bhatia (1993) on the development of genre theory to analyse academic and professional genres, with an eye on applications to ESP… (p.19) On the ground of the aforementioned implications of Genre theory for ESP, its relevance for our study clearly stands out. As a result, academic and professional genres for ESP applications in the public universities in our country were examined in the light of this theoretical framework. Attention was given to the extent to which the linguistic features of course contents reflect the needs of the students in the different faculties. 2.2 Functionalism as a Theoretical Framework to ESP Functionalism is concerned with the pragmatic functions of language. It has it that language is, first and foremost, a system of communication, on the one hand and it implies the use of language realistically to accomplish social purposes in line with social needs and wants, on the other (Halliday, 1985; Lemke, 1995; Mitchell & Myles, 2004; Tomlin, 1990). Functional approaches, generally speaking, promote holistic and comprehensive learning that will develop in a strong and solid knowledge (Kilpert, 2006; Martin, 2011). Functionalists description of language is concerned with the why language is used, the purpose that constitutes the driving force behind utterances in social intercourses. Functionalism as a linguistic theory has had a long period of maturation dating back to the 1920s, when Manilowski (1923) pioneered the theory through the notion of the Context of situation and the reference to social and emotive functions in communication . Functional linguistics, Functional grammar, Systemic-functional linguistics, Systemic-functional grammar, and Lexical-functional grammar, all, to some light nuances, expound the core ideas of functionalism. Halliday (1975), from the school of European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 75 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Firth and Manilowski, first suggested Systemic Linguistics which sees language … not as a system of rules which govern language structure, but rather meaning potential, what the speaker/hearer can (what he can mean, if you like), not what he knows" . Systemic- Functional Linguistics and Systemic-Functional Grammar are two offshoots of Systemic linguistics. Concept-oriented approach, a perspective on functionalism, is interested in the way meaning or semantic concepts are expressed (Andersen, 1990; Palmer, 2001; Schleppegrell, 2008; Stutterheim & Klein, 1987). In the context of ESP, teaching the use of communicative tasks or activities that have a clearly definable concept or purpose allows learners to express concepts in a way that suits the target situation in terms of language use, skills and communicative cannons. Forms are structured to express the communicative needs of learners in both the educational and professional contexts. This is especially in tune with the domain of ESP. So, here comes in an additional reason why functionalism may be rightly regarded as a theoretical and philosophical layer to ESP. 3. Investigating ESP Teaching In Ivorian Public Universities 3.1 Methodological Framework 3.1.1 The Context The Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Cocody-Abidjan consists of 13 faculties each including different departments. Apart from the department of English where it is the medium and the object of instruction, English is a compulsory subject and an object of instruction in all the other faculties and departments, with different expected outcomes according to the specialty. The instructors fall into 3 major categories. Subject matter teachers who have graduated from Anglo-Saxon educational systems have turned into ESP instructors. Their knowledge of the field jargon and the related discourse are no doubt an advantage. However, because they did not receive any training in English Language Teaching (ELT) nor ESP, they do not have the required expertise for language instruction in general and particularly ESP. The instructors of the department of English who specialized in the area of literature and civilization have turned into ESP teachers too. Though they use English as a medium of instruction, they did not receive any training in matters relating to ELT nor ESP. Last, the secondary school ELT teachers who are entrusted with the ESP courses, have had no ESP training. All in all, not all the above mentioned instructors are actually qualified for ESP education. As for the students, most if not all received at least seven (07) years of training in General English at secondary school before entering university. However, this training European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 76 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS does not seem to be profitable to them, for their knowledge of English is generally poor. This might explain a well-known practice which consists for the teachers to focus on the basic elements of the language during classroom activities. Moreover, the acute discrepancies among the students in terms of language competence seem to increase the difficulties related to the choice of course content. 3.1.2 Methodological Approach This study which belongs to the paradigm of explanatory action research first entailed identifying a problem relating to the practice of ESP in our public universities. The situation was then investigated in order to have more insights and provide an explanation to the causes of the problem and their different implications. For the investigation, there were both probabilistic and non-probabilistic sampling techniques. On the one hand, probabilistic sampling offered the same chances for all faculties, departments, and students to be selected and assigned. On the other hand, ESP instructors represent a very small parent population at the department level. When primary sources of information are so limited, as was the case here, purposeful sampling often is the only one sampling method (Bogdan & Bilken, 1998; Wiersma, 2001, p.284). The sample of instructors that took part in the study was purposefully selected to meet the need of the study, which is non-probabilistic in essence. These methods of sampling were adopted for the collection of both qualitative data from 25 students and 05 instructors, and quantitative data from 100 students. A triangular technique was used for both data collection (use of questionnaire for the collection of quantitative data and semi-structured and unstructured interview guides for the collection of qualitative data, and documentary research) and data analysis (content analysis for qualitative data, frequency analysis for quantitative data, and documentary analyses). This helped ensure more validity to our research findings. Finally, the conclusions drawn from these findings set the foundations for some suggestions for the improvement of the situation. 3.2 Presentation of the Results The findings from the documentary research show that there are no formal textbooks as such. In the best case scenario, the workbooks in use included identified tasks and activities. No genuine syllabi were produced anywhere on the campus. More often than not the content of compiled materials including the lists of vocabulary or grammar points to be covered was abusively referred to as a syllabus . This fact implies that no course design ever took place, which in turn subsumes the fact that courses are not based on learners needs. In other words, things seem to be done intuitively. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 77 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS All the teachers interviewed share the view that ESP teaching in their faculties or departments does not allow their students to use English for research in their different fields and for their future professional careers. Most confirm the lack of formal textbooks and syllabuses, and the use of workbooks and compiled materials which do not necessarily base on needs analysis. They insist on the explanation of grammar points and vocabulary items before involving their students in reading and writing activities. They underlined the fact that the lack of language laboratories prevented them from offering learners more opportunity to improve upon their speaking and listening skills. They also think that language laboratories equipped with audio-visual materials might allow the students not only to hear English but also to see how it is used in professional situations. For quantitative analysis of the students responses to the questionnaire, choices 1 and 2 mean disagreement, and 3 and 4 mean agreement. Quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis of the students reactions to the interview gave the following results. Table 1: Students Perceived Needs A= Question 1a, B= Question 1b, C= Question 1c, D= Question 1d, E= Question 1e Items 1 2 3 4 NR A 5 2 49 43 1 B 2 14 50 29 5 C 2 2 27 68 1 D 3 12 51 31 3 E 11 11 33 44 1 Choices Most respondents say they need English in order to read and understand books, magazines, texts, newspapers, and any other document written in English (92%), do research in their field (79%), use it in their professional life (95%), participate in colloquia or conferences (82%), and study abroad (77%). These figures corroborate the view of most students interviewed. Table 2: Learning Tasks and Activities F= Question 2a, G= Question 2b, H= Question 2c, I= Question 2d, J= Question 2e, K= Question 2f, L= Question 2g, M= Question 2h Items 1 2 3 4 NR F 15 39 22 24 0 G 18 35 26 20 1 H 16 27 37 18 2 Choices European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 78 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS I 55 15 15 10 5 J 22 46 20 11 1 K 44 27 15 12 2 L 28 46 16 09 1 M 26 24 20 27 3 Most respondents recognize that their English classes do not consist exclusively of grammar (54%), vocabulary (53%) lessons. Further, 55% sustain that their English classes integrate grammar and vocabulary. Most respondents say that they do not do translation (70%), reading comprehension (68%), listening comprehension (71%), text production (74%), and oral practice (50%). Most students interviewed recognize that the aforementioned language skills were addressed separately during classroom activities though some effort was made by teachers to integrate them. Table 3: Students ‚ctual Use of the Language N= Question 3a, O= Question 3b, P= Question 3c, Q= Question 3d, R= Question 3e Items 1 2 3 4 NR N 29 28 25 16 2 O 33 36 16 12 3 P 21 31 24 22 2 Q 39 23 23 11 4 R 36 25 23 14 2 Choices Most say that their training did not allow them to read and understand books, magazines, texts, newspapers and any other document written in English (57%), do research in their field (69%), use English in their professional life (52%), participate in colloquia or conferences (62%), study abroad (61%). Similarly, most students interviewed sustained that their training did not meet their expectations. 3.3 Interpretations and Discussions The main lesson drawn from the findings is that ESP instruction is approximate in the classrooms of the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny. Even when there is an attempt to practice ESP, the perception according to which it is concerned with the acquisition of the technical jargon has ended up fating the field. This explains the fact that most instructors focus on vocabulary items relating to the students field of specialties and grammar points. We rather share the view that ESP should be seen as primarily a training that makes it possible for learners to become global users of language in order European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 79 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS for them to address issues related to their respective fields. For knowledge of the jargon does not necessarily translate into functional use in the area of concern. The lack of formal didactic framework seems a serious setback. In fact, conditions for optimal didactic practices are not met, leaving the teachers without a clear-cut idea of the didactic tools and actions they are expected to take in order to provide their students with the appropriate training. Therefore, ESP instruction does not allow for full bloom of parties to ESP - learners and instructors. There seems an urgent need for reassessing and redefining the status of ESP as a theoretically rooted and professionally oriented academic discipline. On the one hand, the teachers address ESP as a discipline which has no theoretical foundations. For, as has been said earlier, most were not trained for the practice of ESP. Worse yet; they have no idea of its status as an academic discipline the implementation of which requires particular didactic dispositions. This results in a confusion which is generally harmful to ESP practice. On the other hand, the students do not seem to be aware of the limitations of their ESP classes. A relatively important number does not complain about their training. This might be due to their ignorance of the relevance of ESP as a discipline which is indispensable for them. At university level, and this is equally true for any training context, achievement in a given discipline is generally dependent on the status of that discipline. The discrepancy between the envisioned objectives that transpire in the perceived needs (see Table 1) and what they actually are able to do with the language see Table would seem to indicate that ESP training is not centered on learners needs (Educational and professional). Unless this gap is filled, the ESP course will keep doing learners a serious disservice rather than actually serving their cause by providing them with the language they need for their studies and their future professional careers. Since educational institutions including universities the world over are expected to prepare their students for their successful social integration, one understands that ESP cannot but remain in this general trend. ‚nd this entails putting more stress on the students needs in order to meet the requirements of contemporary society. 3.4 Suggestions The above development calls for one main suggestion that may come in handy for a better outcome of ESP education: Re-engineering the way ESP is dealt with in Ivorian public universities, which is why all parties to ESP must be on board as change agents. This main suggestion includes three different ideas. First, a cross-specialties needsbased framework for materials selection or design which teachers could draw from would allow them to make the most appropriate choices for the students of their specific domain. We would like to underscore the fact that teachers will not be held in a European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 80 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS straitjacket, in any case, what so ever, but this cross-specialties needs-based framework could serve as a layer to any ESP course instruction. The bottom-line is that, from this generic framework, ESP may then be realized by feeding in what is suitable for a given specialism. Second, a cross-specialties modular framework for syllabus design might be an outstanding resource for the teachers who come to the ESP course without prior appropriate training. The idea of modularization rests on the premises that the completion of the course is conditional to the completion of each individual module. Not only will this allow for gauging what has actually been learnt, but also it will ensure successful ends in a learning environment. A modular framework offers a chance to both the teacher and the learner to know where they stand at any point in time in the course of the training. This would seem likely to allow for the progress through the following modules with relative ease. Third, Functional-Genre -Based Language Teaching (FGBLT) approach to ESP practice would help the teachers get rid of the outdated traditional view of ESP practice which encourages a focus on specialized lexis. Such an intermediate approach offers the opportunity not only to address the vocabulary relating to a particular field but also to stress functional use of language. This would result in both language and forms appropriation in a much better and efficient way than sheer reliance on the study of jargon and grammar forms. There are a number benefits to the above. First, the comfort of learners regarding the materials they are presented with will result in increased motivation. Then, the successful completion of a prior module will serve as an impetus to move toward the next step. By way of consequence, learners will stand better chances of being well equipped for not only their training needs but also their future professional life. 4. Concluding Remarks At the end of this investigation, the relevance of the title of this paper ESP in Ivorian Public Universities: Bridging the gap between facts and expectations clearly stands out. The conclusions indicate that the expectations in terms of ESP practice are not met. What happens in the classrooms is a façade of ESP which results in poor training of the students who are unable to use English to make their way through their professional careers when they leave university. Their complaints and the pessimistic views of the teachers involved in the investigation seem to suggest a pressing need to bridge the harmful gap between the current practices and the expected outcomes of the ESP course. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 81 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS As English language teachers currently working with the Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny of Cocody-Abidjan, we feel comfortable to say that the situation of ESP practice in our context is rather alarming. And the other public universities in the country are not exceptions. However, our surprise lies in the fact that the authorities, the teachers, and even the students remain silent. They do not seem to be aware of the fact that, as a discipline which relates to some specialties, ESP practice needs to match with the requirements of these specialties. As a result, there exists a total confusion, for one can hardly set a clear boundary between ESP courses and general English courses. More than a mere contribution to reflection in the field, this paper echoes the frustration that we have been enduring and our willingness to help improve the situation of ESP practice in the public universities in our country. Moreover, our conviction is that our suggestions will remain at a theoretical stage unless all the stakeholders come together to give a new image to ESP practice in our institutions. 5. Conclusion The aim of this study was to examine the situation of the practice of ESP in the public universities of our country in order to make some suggestions for its improvement. Our preoccupation was as follows: Considering the specificities of ESP and taking account of the shared practices in the faculties and departments in terms of English language teaching, there is a pressing need to think about the didactic measures that might help improve the teaching of ESP. The article therefore aimed to answer the following questions: How is ESP actually handled in our faculties? How does one overcome some of the difficulties that may surface in the teaching of ESP? The conclusions of the investigation carried out which involved data collection through questionnaire, interview, focus group discussions, and documentary analysis suggest that there is a gap between the practice of ESP in our context and the expectations due to the lack of formal didactic framework, the absence of a clearly defined status of ESP as a theoretically rooted and professionally oriented academic discipline, and the discrepancy between the envisioned objectives that transpire in the perceived needs of the students and what they actually are able to do with the language. In order to improve this preoccupying situation, we suggested re-engineering the way ESP is dealt with in Ivorian public universities. This main suggestion includes three dimensions: A cross-specialties needs-based framework for textbooks or workbooks selection or course design that could help teachers make decisions about appropriate course materials; a cross-specialties modular framework for syllabus design which may be an indispensable resource that teachers can draw from in order to design their own syllabuses; and Functional-Genre-Based Language Teaching (FGBLT) as an approach European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 82 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS which would allow ESP instructors to do away with uninspiring, stale and contrived views of ESP that over-emphasize issues relating to register. These are not ready-made remedies to the problems relating to the practice of ESP in our context; they are rather a few paths that might pave the way for further studies about the issue. 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(2011).ESP needs analysis of Iranian MA students : A case study of the University of Isfahan. English Language Teaching, Vol.4, N°4, December, pp.121-129, ISSN: 1916-4750, Available from www.ccsenet.org/elt 22. Palmer, F. R. (2001).Mood and Modality. CUP 23. Pranckeviciute, V. and Zajankauskaite, Z. (2012).Adjusting an ESP course to students needs in tertiary education ‚ case study. Studies About Languages, N°21, pp.115-123, ISSN: 1648-2824, Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sal.0.21.2465 24. Schleppegrell, M.J. (2008). The Language of Schooling: A functional linguistic perspective. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. New Jersey, NJ. 25. Tomlin, R.S. (1990). Functionalism and second language acquisition. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 12, 155-177. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 84 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS 26. Von Stutterheim, C. & Klein, W. (1987). A Concept-oriented approach to second language studies. In C.W. Pfaff (Ed.). First and Second Language Acquisition Processes, pp. 191-205. Newbury House. Cambridge, MA. 27. Wiersma, W. (2001). Research Methods in Education: An introduction, 7th edition. Allyn & Bacon. Boston, MA. European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 85 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Appendix 1: Questionnaire for the Students Ce questionnaire a pour but de collecter des données sur l enseignement/apprentissage de l anglais dans votre UFR ou département. Nous vous serions reconnaissant pour vos réponses sincères qui ne serviront qu à des fins d études. A. Entourez le chiffre correspondant à votre choix SVP = Pas du tout d accord = Pas d accord = D accord = Tout à fait d accord 1. J’ai besoin de l’anglais pour : a. Lire et comprendre des livres, magazines, textes, journaux et tout autre document rédigés en anglais 1 2 3 4 b. Faire de la recherche en vue de recueillir des données sur les différentes matières qui nous sont enseignées 1 2 3 4 c. M en servir un jour dans la vie professionnelle 1 2 3 4 d. Participer à des colloques ou conférences 1 2 3 4 e. Faire des études à l étranger 1 2 3 4 f. Autres: . ... .. . B. Entourez le chiffre correspondant à votre choix SVP 1= Jamais 2= Quelques fois 4= Souvent 3= Très souvent 2. Pendant nos cours d’anglais, nous faisons des activités: a. Exclusivement consacrées à la grammaire anglaise 1 2 3 4 b. Exclusivement consacrées au vocabulaire 1 2 3 4 European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 86 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS c. Qui intègrent la grammaire et le vocabulaire 1 2 3 4 d. De traduction de textes 1 2 3 4 e. De lecture compréhension 1 2 3 4 f. D écoute compréhension 1 2 3 4 g. De production de textes 1 2 3 4 h. De pratique orale 1 2 3 4 Autres: . ... .. . C. Entourez le chiffre correspondant à votre choix SVP 1= Pas du tout d accord = Pas d accord 3= D accord = Tout à fait d accord 3. Avec la formation reçue en anglais, je peux : a. Lire et comprendre des livres, magazines, textes, journaux et tout autre document rédigés en anglais 1 2 3 4 b. Faire de la recherche en vue de recueillir des données sur les différentes matières qui nous sont enseignées 1 2 3 4 c. M en servir un jour dans la vie professionnelle 1 2 3 4 d. Participer à des colloques ou conférences 1 2 3 4 e. Faire des études à l étranger 1 2 3 4 f. Autres: . ... ... European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 87 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Appendix 2: Interview Guides A. Interview Guide for the Teachers 1. Quelles activités faites-vous pendant vos cours d anglais? 2. Quel (s) support (s) didactique (s) utilisez-vous? 3. Avez-vous le sentiment que vos étudiants formés peuvent utiliser l anglais pour leurs études au sein de votre UFR ou pendant leur future(s) carrière(s) professionnelle(s)? 4. Compte tenu de leur(s) spécialité(s), que suggérez-vous pour améliorer la qualité de leur formation en anglais? B. Interview Guide for the Students 1. Pensez-vous que l anglais vous est utile actuellement et dans l avenir? European Journal of Foreign Language Teaching - Volume 2 │ Issue 1 │ 2017 88 Sidiky Diarassouba, Jérôme Kouassi ESP IN IVORIAN PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN FACTS AND EXPECTATIONS Creative Commons licensing terms Author(s) will retain the copyright of their published articles agreeing that a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0) terms will be applied to their work. 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