I use a multitude of methods -combine them. They may be called :"eclectic". What is important, in a some cases Iuse the native language for explanation of specific medical terms.

Pay attention to the variation in the way patients and doctors use their Englishes -- cross-cultural communication often involves English but English is not monolithic. the variety of English that a patient or doctor uses is very much influenced by their mother tongues and cultural background. Sensitivity and openness to this type of variation should be built into the education of a medical professionala an dshould form a part of their professional education, because this affects doctor-patient communicarion as well as patient compliance with the physician's instructions.

Shikaripur Sridhar, I'm very grateful for your very wise answer which touches the issue of the so called "cultural awareness' of the patient's ethnicity. Without knowledge of this type teaching proper and successful communication between a doctor and patient would be impossible.And I agree with you at the point that proper doctor-patient communication effects the patient's compliance. Thank you very much for your answer.

I hope you are talking about English for medical students from a non-English speaking background? If so, simplify the medical terms, need more explanation of each aspects, provide plenty examples, figures, tables etc. to make teaching interesting and easier for the students. If you are targeting a particular linguistic group, may like to provide the local meaning of the complex medical words, need frequent communications with the students via for example email to check up

You are absolutely right, Golam. Your expanation is very valable -that's what I meant: English for medical students for whom English isn't their native tongue but just a global language they are supposed to use in their daily life as well as in their professional investigations. Thanks so much for your answer!. Regards. Janina

Our MBA program is very diverse, therefore, I continually teach communication skills to students from all over the world in a traditional face-to-face (tertiary) environment. My instruction includes a good deal of English grammar concepts, to students whose English is a second language to them. Therefore, when I have the pleasure of teaching ESL students Managerial Communication (graduate level) or Business Communication (undergraduate level) I always focus on fundamental concepts: effective presentation skills and written communication skills.

Effective presentation skills should always focus on 1) speech purpose, 2) vocal and bodily delivery essentials, and 3) the presenter's effect on his or her audience.

Written communication skills should always rely on the total composition with a focus on 1) unity, 2) coherence and 3) emphasis. Students should be able to organize their properly emphasized ideas into a unified and coherent story with a beginning, middle and ending. The story should achieve a desired result.

Reginald@ I'm grateful for sharing your your deep knowledge, commitment and wisdom concerning teching ESP. Obviously, Teaching ESP is always related to the conditions of the "working place". And as I can see you mange very well and obtain very good results. Thank you once again for your very broad answer. Regards.

Janina,

I appreciate your question and response to my earlier post. My answer might appear to be a bit broad because the concepts I mention are universally applicable to any professional field, but not immediately understood. I will clarify my meaning.

Many medical doctors enroll in Master of Business Administration (MBA) programs and need the aforementioned English skills. I've trained a number of medical doctors and find the concepts I mentioned in the earlier post are applicable to their needs. Medical professional (especially ESL doctors) need to be able to translate medical jargon and Latin-based pharmacy terms into terms ordinary citizens they treat can understand; thus, medical doctors should be able to tell their patients a "true story" of what is wrong with them, what the treatment (therapy or cure) might be, and how long this procedure or drug program might last and the potential side affects. It should be clear to the patient once the story is told by the doctor what the patient must do--and for how long.

When I teach English for Communication, I always tell my students to speak out, even if they're not sure about the grammar. In conversation - other than in written English - grammar is not so important. This is different in Medical English, where the messages and interventions have to be clearly stated and understood by the patients and staff. Under working conditions there might be no time to deliver feedback to clarify ambiguous information.

Michael, I absolutely agree with what you say about grammar in medical |English communication. Sometimes , during some procedures there is no time for grammar and abbreviations are the most often used form of Medical English. Regards.

Theoretically speaking, we cannot expect success as an episteme ( in the platonic sense) from a theory that is inherently problematic. To my mind, ESP is based on two major incongruities. First, we cannot teach ESP without EGP. In other words, we need students who have at least attained an intermediate level through EGP. Second, ESP is at the end of any analysis, a genre approach based on the assumption that every occupation, vocation or academic field is clearly separated from other competing fields.

The truth is that compartmentalization in the field of knowledge is rhetorical and not real. Moreover , let us not forget that it is a relatively recent phenomenon.

Moreover, and here I return to Medical English. An ESP teacher will have to analyze the needs of his/her medical students and then develop his course. If, and here I  am just supposing, these particular students do not need let's say writing as a skill, then he/she would simply ignore it. The problem with the analysis of needs is that it focuses on immediacy and effectiveness and ignores ,usually, other needs that simply exist but unfortunately not present at the moment of analysis.in other words, the teacher is aware of them, but he/she has to ignore them because they are not immediate. Seen from this perspective, ESP is clearly not an ideal solution for academic purposes. Notice that this problem is not immediate for people who theorize about ESP because the very  Language is their  privileged property by birth.

I like the great Burke because he always asks the opposite questions. Let us imagine for a while the Anglophone world is in fact a third world in terms of knowledge, and an English speaking  student has to learn, let us say Chinese for specific purposes, in order to be a doctor. Will he/she  be satisfied, intellectually, with CHSP?  Would he/she at some moment , agree with some of Philipson's ideas that the Chinese are in fact preserving their hegemony over Knowledge?

Lastly, ESP for occupational/vocational purposes is no doubt fruitful. But again the same problem arises when we think about it deeper. Imagine a poor immigrant who comes to USA to start a new life. He/ she does not have any skills( by skills I mean papers that show he has a skill!). Most of the time he/she will be a cleaner, genitor, maid etc. For the sake of effectiveness, the cleaning company will invest in ESP to ensure that its staff effectively communicate and above all ,effectively understand instructions. In a way, we empowered this person by giving him/her an immediate job. But the question that bothers most: did we really give him/her power or gave ourselves more power by creating a 'professional' cleaner. Can this potential cleaner be able to learn more skills outside the cleaning genre he/she is trapped into?  Seen from this perspective, ESP is in fact a tool of hegemony in the Gramscian sense.

What is the solution then?

To my mind the solution is very simple: Since ESP does not exist without EGP then it is safe to conclude that we should always teach ESP and EGP at the same time. Governments and big corporations should invest more in order to ensure a minimum atmosphere of fair competition among the citizens under their responsibility.

Brahim@ thank you very much for your broad answer to my  Question. You are absolutelly right that we can't teach h suchESP without EGP. Medical students when coming to medical English classes are at the advanced level of English -it's good timt for starting ESP. Sorry for answering  only now -I was away from home. Regards. Janina

Dear Janina,

I am designing a very important ESP course. Important for at least two reasons. I believe it is going to save so many innocent lives. Secondly, I think it opens anther dimension in ESP philosophy. I really need your suggestions and your feedback. Please have a look at my attached document.

Thank you all for your answers to my issue . If anybody would like to add anything to this topic -I'll be very grateful.Regards.Janina

Hi Janina

First and foremost a general placement test is necessary to determine students' language skills(Listening, reading speaking and writing).

Then students must be placed in their correct level (Beginner, Elementary, Lower Intermediate, Intermediate, Upper Intermediate and Advanced)

Students who are in beginner, elementary should have solid language training in developing their four skills.

Students who are in Lower Intermediate and above should receive general language training coupled with medical English, using books according to their level.

Typical activities for elective medical English will include all the terminology they will need in interacting with patients as well as their colleagues .

Good luck