ESP and Listening
Christine C. M. Goh, Jean Choong Peng Lee · 2025
The study of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) listening is not complete without an understanding of the general ability to listen in a second language. Yet, there remains limited research and pedagogical interface between general L2 listening and listening for specific purposes, even though they share many fundamental cognitive and functional characteristics. This chapter draws on theoretical insights about general L2 listening to understand the construct of listening for specific purposes and reviews research and scholarly discussions on ESP listening. Additionally, the evolving landscape of technology and multimodality in academic and workplace learning and interactions offers new perspectives on research themes and methods to enhance the scope of research studies, as well as the teaching and learning of ESP listening. This chapter explores the theory of ESP listening, the use of technology and multimodality in ESP listening and their impact on research, teaching and learning. Directions for future research and implications for materials and instruction are also highlighted.