English Education for Economics Students : Analysis of Current Status and Design of ESP Curriculum

20世纪90年代，日本国内对特殊用途英语（ESP）的认识开始上升。但是，经济领域的ESP意识还没有科学领域的ESP意识发展得那么快。因此，立命馆大学经济学院开始研究，与ESP研究人员、经济学和英语教授合作，制作相关材料，以成为英语课程的典范。本研究首先通过对经济学校友进行需求分析，了解工作场所内的需求，获得经济学教授在讲座中对学生英语能力需求的结果，以及收集其他经济学专业和经济学相关专业的英语课程信息，确定现状。此外，确立了大学英语教育的三个重点：学习者自主与培养；语言运用意识；从语言学习者转变为语言使用者。有了这三个重点，并以ESP方法为基础，我们创建了阅读、交流和写作课程的材料。随着课程开始使用新教材，一项外部测试被用来衡量学生的进步，并作为毕业要求，使一部分学生需要补习教育。在一个学院看到的学生英语能力的高度可变性指出了一个不可避免的事实，即针对各种能力的英语课程是必要的，而且由于所有大学都必须接受所有申请人，这种可变性在其他大学也会同样明显。基于目前的研究结果，以下领域将是下一个重点研究领域：(1)检验外部测试的可行性和可靠性；(2)培养学生自主学习能力的意识。

ESP (English for Specific Purposes) awareness within Japan began to rise in the 1990s. However, awareness of ESP for Economics has not developed as quickly as that in Science. Thus, research was commenced at Ritsumeikan University's Faculty of Economics to create relevant materials with the cooperation of ESP researchers, Economics and English professors in order to become one model of an English curriculum. The research began with ascertaining the current status by carrying out a needs analysis of the Economics alumni to understand needs within the workplace, obtaining the results of needs for student English ability by Economics professors in lectures, and gathering information of English curricula in other Economics programs and Economics-related programs. In addition, three foci for university English education were established : learner autonomy and nurturing ; language use awareness ; change from language learner to language user. With these three foci in mind and an ESP approach as a basis, materials for Reading and Communication and Writing courses were created.As courses commenced using the new materials, an outside test was used to measure student progress and set as a graduation requirement bringing the need of Remedial Education for one portion of students to the fore. The high variability of student English abilities seen in one Faculty points to the unavoidable fact that an English program addressing various abilities is necessary, and with all universities having to accept all applicants, the variability will be as pronounced in other universities. Based on the results of this current research, the following areas will be the next areas of focus in research : (1) to examine the feasibility and reliability of outside tests ; and (2) to develop awareness of a system that can nurture learner autonomy for variable student abilities.