The aim of this paper is to raise awareness on the benefits of integrating specialty concepts and topics in the ESP (English for Specific Purposes) course at the University of Life Sciences “Michael I” from Timisoara, Romania. The paper draws attention to the fact that more attention should be given to a number of typical competences that academics need to focus on in order to provide a better head start for students in the field of Life Sciences, focusing on Agricultural Engineering, Horticulture, and Farm Management. Although the various ESP approaches differ extensively, our ESP course is designed bearing in mind the needs of students in their specific field of study – in this case Life Sciences. Developing specific skills and concepts required in this field facilitates knowledge and ultimately, graduates’ integration in the multi-disciplinary society awaiting them. The following generic academic competences were identified as being the most important ones in the field of Life Sciences: the capacity for analysis and synthesis, the capacity for applying knowledge in practice, problem solving, and communication in a foreign language (especially English). Graduates and stakeholders in the field are in agreement regarding the need for other competences to be acquired for better employability chances: the capacity to adapt to new situations, team work, interpersonal skills, and the concern for quality. For this reason, the ESP course has been designed to focus on developing all these competences. The textbook support for the course provided for students of English for the Life Sciences contains applied material intended to help learners acquire the skills mentioned above. The paper will illustrate in detail the way in which the acquisition and development of each of these subject-specific competences has been given due consideration in order to assist the professional needs of students in their major field of study.

English for Specific Purposes (ESP), teaching foreign languages, communication, didactic strategies

agronomy

Presentation: poster