Lecture discourse and the study of languages ​​for specific academic purposes: What makes a good model text?

This paper examines some of the similarities and differences between authentic lectures and “infotainment” genres, especially TED talks, in terms of their structure and communicative purposes. It draws attention to some of the effects of culture on spoken academic discourse, and argues that delivery style is affected by audience expectations and local and institutional culture.Transferring from one delivery style to another can cause problems for learners, who might not understand or appreciate the speakers’ intentions or their use of specific cultural references. Teachers of languages for specific academic purposes must choose listening resources that reflect not only the disciplines and topics that are relevant to their learners, but also the cultural
environments that they are most likely to encounter, helping them to negotiate the problematic aspects of unfamiliar lecturing styles.