Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters in the third part of this book. The part of the book presents a range of English for specific purposes (ESP) courses, generously shared by their authors, reflecting different settings, approaches and fields. Each of the courses outlines needs analysis, an approach to course design, course outlines and sample classroom tasks. After each course, a reader task is presented which highlights an aspect of the course in question. The course is interesting because it provides a perspective on how ESP courses can be made relevant and specific even when there are time restrictions, institutional constrains and varying levels of English proficiency. The course targets immigrant and international nursing students and professional needs for subject knowledge and terminology, and it addresses the cultural issues of patient–nurse interaction. The part demonstrates how English for academic purposes can be made more specific to individuals through using corpora.