ANTARCTICA: Going places with ESP for Science
Vol.14,No.2(2024)
CASALC Review
This paper introduces a new interdisciplinary project titled "Antarctica," conducted at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University. Within this project, a team of language teachers collaborated to integrate a series of lessons into their English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. These lessons centred around the captivating research subject matter of Antarctica, aiming to foster autonomous learning capacities of students across three distinct disciplines: life science, geology, and geography. The authors describe the design process which began with students immersing themselves in the subject matter, followed by the exploration of the research proposal genre and presentation skills. Finally, students showcased their work at an interdisciplinary mini-conference. Students in their feedback appreciated the format of the mini-conference, especially the fact that external experts were invited to provide insights and commentary on student work. In the paper, the authors highlight the transferable moments for teaching that emerged during the project and share the valuable lessons learned.
task-based learning; English for Specific Purposes; teriary language education; syllabus design
Markéta Dudová
Masaryk University Language Centre
Markéta Dudová, PhD, works at the Masaryk University Language Centre where she teaches English for Specific Purposes (ESP) at the Faculty of Science. In her research, she is interested in the use of literature in ESP courses, metaphors in science, creativity and visual thinking. She also collaborates with her colleagues to develop new teaching materials that integrate scientific topics into language lessons. Marketa studied at the Faculty of Arts, Masaryk University, and she holds a PhD in English Literature.
Jana Kubrická
Masaryk University Language Centre
Jana Kubrická, Ph.D., is a teacher and researcher at the Language Centre of Masaryk University in Brno. She specializes in teaching ESP (English for Specific Purposes) courses, focusing on syllabus design and innovative ways to engage learners' professional identities. She is also a CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) teacher trainer and teaches language courses for older adults. Currently, her research interests revolve around reading strategies and the underlying factors in language teaching and learning, such as learner beliefs and identities. Her work also includes designing materials that are closely aligned with the needs of learners, ensuring practical relevance in language acquisition.
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