Abstract:

Nowadays qualified experts have to meet multiple requirements, including not only high level expertise and job skills, but also their ability to communicate successfully with foreign colleagues in order to keep abreast of the latest developments. Hence, teaching University students English for specific purposes (ESP) is a priority, as it prepares them for their future career.

The article analyzes the distinctive character of the ESP course taught to students majoring in Information Technology (IT) at Kazan Federal University (KFU), Russia. It discusses various approaches to teaching professional English competences, both traditional and innovative, their effectiveness and attractiveness for teachers and learners. Particular attention is paid to acquiring professional vocabulary and peculiarities of its translation into Russian, which leads to a better understanding of specialized oral and written English.

The paper also provides an overview of the existing textbooks applied within the framework of the class of English for Computer Science. It entails some practical guidelines to update the ESP course for IT students in order to enhance their professional English skills.

Keywords:

Innovation, English, language, skills, professional, ESP, Information technology, student, learner, university, learning, teacher, knowledge, experience, approach, career, practice, translation.