English language teaching can be classified into two main branches, English for General Purposes (EGP) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) (Strevens, 1988a; Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). Within English for Specific Purposes there are again two principal branches, English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and English for Occupational Purposes (EOP). However, within ESP, EAP tends to dominate, certainly in terms of research and research-based application.

The now widely accepted recognition of EAP as a separate and distinct discipline from EGP, on the one hand, and EOP, on the other (albeit with much overlapping), has made urgent the continuing search for the best approach to the design, implementation and evaluation of the EAP course. The teaching and learning of EAP presents its own unique challenges, problems, opportunities, failings and successes, and course and curriculum designers have to accept and meet those challenges and opportunities. One vital step in this process is producing a comprehensive description of the unique needs and wishes of the EAP student; another is shaping a detailed description of the nature of the EAP teaching and learning process; a third critical step in designing the EAP curriculum is accepting that the methodologies and approaches valid in any other area of ESL are not necessarily the most appropriate for EAP. The needs and wishes of EAP learners are distinct and clearly identifiable from those of EGP learners, as is the EAP learning context, and the EAP course designer must investigate and try to fufil those needs and wishes within the context of the relevant EAP course.