Letter from the Editor
Kevin Knight, Kanda University of International Studies, Chiba, Japan
Hello, ESPers worldwide!
I hope that you are all doing well! These days, I have been focused on leadership as the editor of a new series in Leadership in Language Education. My personal interest is in 1) how we communicate about leadership, and 2) how we use language in leadership roles to influence others. If you are also interested in this area, please see my new book (Knight, 2024) in which I share some of my ideas. For me, leadership communication is English for specific purposes, and we frame reality through our word choice with specific intentions. From this perspective, it has been interesting to read the articles in this issue of ESP News. ESP practitioners are leaders who are creating opportunities for others to achieve success!
In the first article, Eden Merritt, who was introduced to me by ESPIS EOP Representative Lena Shaqareq, discusses working with Buddhist monastics in the field of English for Dharma Purposes and creating the English for Dharma Purposes program. She writes that the Sarnath International Nyingma Institute aims to implement the English for Dharma Purposes program in monasteries, nunneries, and Buddhist institutes for monastics interested in learning English through the lens of Buddhist practices and philosophy.
In the second article, Helena Docherty, who was introduced to me by ESPIS Chair Jennifer Roberts, discusses using podcasts to support medical English learning. Moreover, she explains why she created her own podcast. She also explains that deciding on an angle for her own language learning podcast involved a process of focusing on key principles taught throughout her CELTA, speaking with doctors and nurses who have moved to the UK, and a look at what already existed, resulting in the current format.
The third article is the 63rd ESP Project Leader Profile, and the featured leader is Michael Kay, President of the International Civil Aviation English Association (ICAEA). Michael is now based in Thailand, working with the Thai air navigation service provider (AEROTHAI) as the head of a small team of teachers. He defines leadership in terms of providing ideas that move the association forward. His narrative explains how such leadership resulted in Test Design Guidelines (TDGs).
The fourth article is a News Report by ESPIS Member-at-Large and former EAP Representative, Jie Shi, who is based in Tokyo, Japan. Dr. Shahid Abrar-ul-Hassan delivered a professional development session on language assessment literacy (LAL) in ESP teaching that was jointly hosted by the Japan Association of College English Teachers (JACET), Kanto Chapter ESP SIG and chaired by Professor Jie Shi, who leads the UEC research lab, in collaboration with JACET Kanto Chapter ESP SIG President Professor Shinichi Hashimoto. (See the photos!)
Before you move on to the articles, be sure to read the Letter from the Chair, Jennifer Roberts, and the Chair-Elect, Gerlinde Koppitsch! As a strong leader serving her second term as Chair, Jennifer shares her vision of international collaboration. In a TESOL Blog post (Knight, 2013), I had defined leadership as communicating to create and to achieve visions, and it is wonderful to see such leadership in the ESPIS! Jennifer is a leader in the Aviation English field and shares the link to a webinar that complements the leadership profile featuring Michael Kay. Gerlinde also writes about international collaboration, and I am particularly excited about the ESPIS academic session (2025) in Long Beach that she created. The session is entitled “Addressing the Demands of Industry 4.0 in ESP Practice” which will focus on the rapid development of technology, including but not limited to AI, and I am honored to be one of the presenters in the session.
We continue to have an amazing international leadership team, and I highly encourage you to become more involved in the activities of the ESPIS! If you have an idea for an article, please contact me. I look forward to seeing you at the conference, which I will be attending in person this year!
All the best,
Kevin
PS – See the About This Community Section of ESP News to learn about the history of the ESPIS (including the names of all of the Chairs) and to see the names of the featured leaders in all of the 63 ESP Project Leader Profiles. The first 55 profiles have been published in one volume (and the PDF version is free to download at the publisher’s website: https://www.candlinandmynard.com/ESPprofiles.html).
Kevin Knight (PhD in linguistics, MBA, MPIA) is Professor in the Department of International Communication of Kanda University of International Studies in Chiba, Japan. His research interests include leadership conceptualization and development, ESP, and professional communication. He is series editor of Leadership in Language Education. (See https://www.candlinandmynard.com/leadership.html .)