20
accompanying text (e.g. the linking of text and a diagram, graph, etc.). The rhetorical techniques refer to the rhetorical elements that bind together the information in a piece of
EST text and consist of two major categories: (1) the “natural patterns (orders)” of time order, space order, and causality and result; and (2) the “logical patterns” of causality and result, order of importance, comparison and contrast, analogy, exemplification and visual illustration (graphics). Both natural and logical patterns can be specified or recognized by the specific markers or logical connectors, some of which are mostly found in written EST discourse, such as, first, then, finally, so that, hence, as a result, consequently, and so on. Additionally, the definition of the EST text suggested by
Trimble is as follows:
An EST text is concerned only with the presentation of facts, hypotheses, …show more content…
In conclusion, the role of English as a medium of instruction only in an ESP class in engineering, not in other subjects, seems to be associated with three different theoretical views of language suggested by Richards and Rogers (1982, pp. 155-156): (1) the structural view (the view that language is a system of structurally related elements for the coding of meaning); (2) the functional view (the view that language is a vehicle for the expression of meaning); and (3) the interactional view (the view that language is a vehicle for the realization of interpersonal relations and for the performance of social transactions between individuals). The teaching and learning of English is concentrated on activity-types in association with specialist subject areas in engineering based upon present and future needs of the students to fulfill communication requirements.
Consequently, the English-language needs delineated in each item in the research questionnaire (see Appendix A) were constructed based upon the engineering students’
English-language needs identified in the literature in relation to their actual needs and enabling needs within those three theoretical views of language (grammatical,