English for Academic Purposes and Discourse analysis

English for academic purposes (EAP) is an approach to language education based on identifying the specific language features, discourse practices and communicative skills of target academic groups. It is sensitive to contexts of discourse and action, and seeks to develop research-based pedagogies to assist study, research or publication in English. While some EAP research looks at the ways language relates to local contexts and practices, it is generally understood as a text-oriented approach. Teachers try to identify the diversity of disciplinary discourses in the academy and encourage students to engage analytically with target discourses and develop a critical understanding of the contexts in which they are used. This chapter shows how discourse analysis is central to this enterprise by offering an overview of its importance, outlining something of my own contribution to the area, and making some predictions about future research directions.