Balancing General English and English for Specific Purposes in ESP Classes

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) pedagogy continues to grapple with the longstanding challenge of balancing general English proficiency with discipline-specific communication skills. While ESP emerged as a response to the increasing demand for language instruction tailored to academic, professional and occupational contexts, it can only be effective when combined with a solid foundation in General English (GE). This paper investigates the theoretical and methodological tensions underlying this issue, focusing on the heterogeneity of student proficiency levels, curriculum design, and teacher expertise. It further proposes integrative strategies aimed at harmonizing these competing priorities to enhance the effectiveness of ESP instruction.