Topic: English for Specific Purposes | How to design ESP courses for professionals in highly visible roles
Presenter: Marina Yesipenko
Presentation details
In the age of personal brands, livestreams, and global communication, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has expanded far beyond business emails and meeting vocabulary. A growing number of learners — politicians, public speakers, streamers, educators, and influencers — need English not just to communicate, but to perform, persuade and connect with diverse audiences.
This workshop explores how to design ESP courses for professionals in highly visible roles, where language learning intersects with soft skills such as speech-making, feedback reception, audience engagement, and online presence.
Drawing on real-world case studies and the speaker’s experience working with public figures, participants will:
- Identify the unique linguistic and psychological needs of public-facing clients
- Explore lesson formats that integrate pronunciation, tone, and rhetoric with authentic media use
- Discuss how to create safe spaces for high-stakes learners to practice vulnerability, make mistakes, and build confidence
- Reflect on the teacher’s evolving role as language coach, soft skills mentor, and performance support
Whether you're working with politicians preparing for international interviews, educators running webinars, or creators launching podcasts, this workshop offers practical frameworks and flexible tools to design impactful and empowering ESP courses.
About the presenter
Marina Yesipenko is a language educator, methodologist, and communication coach with over 20 years of experience teaching English, Japanese and Czech. Based in Prague, she works with politicians, speakers, and educators to develop public communication skills in English.
Marina blends her background in ELT, cognitive semiotics and Gestalt therapy to design personalised courses that support both language development and confident public presence. She also trains teachers to integrate soft skills into ESP and professional coaching.