Professor Widdowson's aim in this book has been to enquire into the theory underlying the concept of English for Specific Purposes and, by implication, of any language taught where there is a specification of purpose.

Overview

Professor Widdowson provides a framework which can be used for clarifying various current ideas and argument, and for assessing the effectiveness of practice in the field.

Each of the three main chapters, Learning Purpose, Language Use, and Course Design and Methodology, consists of two parts. The first part presents the main argument, while the second takes up issues arising from the argument. This arrangement parallels that of lecture followed by discussion and permits the author to present the main issues as he sees them cogently and forcefully.

The book ends with a fourth chapter which recapitulates and concludes the argument of the preceding chapters.

Chapter 1: Learning purpose (PDF, 91 KB)
Chapter 2: Language use (PDF, 152 KB)
Chapter 3: Course design and methodology (PDF, 88 KB)
Chapter 4: In conclusion (PDF, 30 KB)
Contents and introduction (PDF, 46 KB)
References and index (PDF, 71 KB)