English For Specific Purposes in SMK – The Ambition Versus Reality

Abstract

After the World War II, English has become the language of the world. It is used in various communications from business, culture, technology, education and world’s politic. In education, it is extremely important for vocational school to learn ESP as the students are being prepared to enter the work force directly after graduation. However, researcher found that there is no ESP textbook available nor training is provided to teachers how to adjust the textbook to teach ESP. The textbooks produced
either by the government and private publishers are general English and do not have ESP appropriate for each SMK major. There are over 18 majors in SMK and each require an ESP to help them acquire sufficient skill and knowledge relate to their field of study. The lack of ESP textbook for the students should become the concern of the Ministry of Education and all English educators. It is surprising to find that there is no formal ESP textbook available in the market. Producing qualified learning materials is crucial in preparing the SMK graduates to enter the workforce in the era of globalization.