The Role of Internet in ESP Contexts

Shahla Simin, Ph.D Candidate

Department of English Language and Literature, University of Isfahan

shahlasimin@yahoo.com

Abstract

As we enter a new millennium, the ability and the need to understand and communicate with each other has become increasingly important, at times even urgent. An international exchange of ideas- from environmental issues such as thinning ozone layer to medical topics such as genetic engineering, to political crises- is essential. To meet these communication needs, more and more individuals have highly specific academic and professional reasons for seeking to improve their language skills: for these students, courses that fall under the heading English for Special Purposes (ESP) hold particular appeal.

Nowadays, Computers have become indispensable in the contemporary world as the powerful means for communication and education. Learners' interest to learning languages has been enforced by the availability of the Internet, which provides easy access to every possible kind of information and serves as an effective tool to facilitate learning. The concept of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has been associated with the use of the Internet and implies the interactive use of the World Wide Web for education. The Internet presents a reliable and continuously updated source both of general and specific interest materials that are invaluable to learners. This increasing emphasis and promotion of autonomous learning of foreign languages and the widening role of online technologies have lately become the major features in language teaching in tertiary institution. Therefore, in order to make the language learning process a more motivating experience instructors need to put a great deal of thought into developing programs which maintain student interest and have obtainable short term goals.

Key Words: ESP, Internet, Information and Communication Technology (ICT)

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