Introducing People – Genre Analysis and Oral Comprehension and Oral Production Tasks

Abstract

This paper aims at presenting an analysis of the genre introducing people and at suggesting listening comprehension and oral production tasks. This work was developed according to the characterization of the rhetorical organization of situations taken from seventeen films that contain the genre under analysis. Although several studies in the ESP area carried out recently (Andrade, 2003; Cardoso, 2003; Shergue, 2003; Belmonte, 2003; Serafini, 2003) have identified listening comprehension and oral production as the abilities that should be prioritized in an English course, much needs to be done, especially concerning the oral genres that take into account the language the learners of English as a second language need in their target situation. This work is based on Hutchinson & Waters (1987) theoretical background on ESP, Swales’ (1990) genre analysis, Ramos’ (2004) pedagogical proposal, and also on Ellis´ (2003) tasks concept. The familiarization of learners of English as a second language with this genre will provide them with the opportunity to better understand and use the English language in their academic and professional life.