RAISING CROSS-CULTURAL AWARENESS IN THE ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES CLASSROOM

The article discusses basic pedagogical considerations of raising students’ efficiency in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classroom to provide quality language learning within an academic context. The authors argue that the basis for effective language teaching is related to a number of practically-oriented assumptions with special focus on the content, enhancement of language learners’ motivation and reinforcement of the ability to process new information that comes from diverse sources via language. The assumption that language is learned and used within the context of content leads to the understanding of the significance of content-based instruction in terms of promoting language learners’ motivation, development of their cognitive and analytical skills, acquisition of the language and building the ability to think critically while evaluating their language progress and performance. Integration of language and content results in the efficient implementation of content-based approach that allows for greater flexibility in the curriculum and more opportunities to meet students’ academic needs while narrowing the gap between language learning and cultural studies in the ESP classroom.