<正> A model of student needs determines the specifications of an ESP syllabus. When there is little likelihood of the student practicing his profession in anything other than his native language, the student is communicative needs in English may be limited to the study of his academic specialism. The student’s professional target is one important feature that the materials writer has to take into account. But the ESP expert’s notions of appropriate professional behavior do not necessarily correspond with the student’s expectations. We argue that the student needs ESP materials that help him make this transition. The efficacy of ESP materials should be measured by the degree to which the student recognizes their relevance to his immediate needs.