A CRITICAL ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF LEARNERS’ INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES

This study investigates the relevance of learners' Individual Differences (IDS), other than their needs, in the teaching and learning programs related to English for Specific Purposes (ESP). By considering learners' needs (wants, lacks, and deficiencies) as only one aspect of learners' individual differences; it examines the contribution of other individual differences such as their multiple intelligences, self-efficacy, and emotional intelligence in the teaching of ESP. From the perspective of the humanistic approach to learning and emotional theory of learning, the study analyses the limitations of an exclusive focus on ESP learners’ needs and demonstrates the advantages of including other learners IDS in the teaching programs so as to contribute to the individual growth of each learner. The findings show that if the inclusion of learners' needs tends to make the teaching content motivating and attractive, the ignorance of their multiple intelligences, emotional intelligence, and perceived self-efficacy can negatively affect meaning construction process and learners' readiness to effectively use language in real professional situations.