Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 14. Number 1 March 2023 Pp.476-485
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no1.30
ESP and Business English for Postgraduate Students in the Department of Economics,
Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria
Gouabi Khadam
Department of Foreign Languages
Institute of Letters and Languages
Salhi Ahmed University Center, Naama, Algeria
Email: gouabi@cuniv-naama.dz
Received:10/13/2022 Accepted:01/25/2023 Published: 03/24/2023
Abstract:
To bridge the gap between the ongoing demands of the fieldwork and the outcomes of the actual teaching, all the Algerian universities, with all the kinds of specialties they provide, embrace the learning of English for more specialized purposes and try to deliver curricula that maintain the balance between the two sides. The teaching of such a technical language for the postgraduate students presents a challenge for ESP practitioners since they are asked to submit an overall knowledge of the language alongside particular business English needed to accomplish a variety of tasks that are required from the students in the academic spheres or the professional settings. Most of these ESP practitioners are general language teachers and are asked to cover the growing needs of their learners in their fields of specialty. However, this current teaching situation reveals several serious obstacles which prevent the teaching outcomes from reaching their goals. Even though most of the literature review devoted to Business English teaching focused on the professional demands to maintain the specialized registers, the current investigations show that the presented ESP sessions are still twining with general English ones and deprived of reaching the postgraduate students’ academic as well as professional desires. Moreover, the study uses a case study of eighteen first year doctorate students at Tahri Mohamed university, Bechar, Algeria to investigate the research. The data collected was analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively through a delivered questionnaire and a semi-structured interview given to the teacher so as to present his views about the teaching situation. The analysis of the collected data allowed the researcher to claim that the ESP courses presented in these classes are not satisfactory since they do not meet the learners requirements and thus, suggest a number of interesting recommendations that may help in the improvement of the teaching/learning situations. As a result, the current study is done with the purpose to shed light on the teaching/learning situation and then providing a profile of the specific target needs of these researchers, which helps while designing a suitable syllabus appropriate to their special fields of interest.
Keywords: Business English, English for Specific Purposes, learners’ centeredness, syllabus design
Cite as: Gouabi, K. (2023). ESP and Business English for Postgraduate Students in the Department of Economics, Tahri Mohamed University, Bechar, Algeria. Arab World English Journal, 14 (1) 476-485.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol14no1.30
References
Allen, J.P.B, (1984), General Purpose Language Teaching a Variable Purpose Focus Approach, In C,J. Brumfit (ed), General English Design (pp.12.136)London, Longman.
Allwright, D. (1989), Observation in the Language Classroom, London; Longman
Bargiela-Chiappini, F, Harris S, (1997), The Languages of Business, An International Perspective, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh.
Bargiela-Chiappini, E, & Nickerson,C , (2003), “Intercultural Business Communication: A Rich Field of Studies”, Journal of Intercultural Studies, 24 (01) p 16.
Basturkmen, H. (2006). Ideas and Options in English for Specific Purposes.London and New Jersey: ESL and Applied Linguistic Professional Series: Eli Hinkel, Edition.
Benmoussat, S, (2003), Mediating Language and Culture: An Investigative Analysis of the Cultural Dimension in the Algerian Newly-Designed ELT Textbooks; Doctoral Thesis, University of Tlemcen, Algeria.
Biggs, J, and Moore, P, (1993), Conception of Teaching and Learning in the Process of Learning, 3rd Ed, Sydney: Prentice Hall of Australia
Bolton, K, (2002), “Chinese Englishes: From Canton Jargon to Global English”, World Englishes, 21, (2) p 112.
Burns, A, & Coffin, C, (2001), Analysing English in a Global Context: a Reader, Routledge, London.
Candlin, C,N, C,J Bruton and J.H.Leathet, (1987), Towards Task Based Language Learning, Murphy, London
Candline et al. (1978), Doctors in Casualty: Specialist Course Design from Data Base, np, London
Chambers, F, (1980), A Re-Evaluation of Needs Analysis, ESP Journal, 1, (1) 96.
Crosling, B, & Ward, I, (2001), Oral Communication: The Workplace Needs and Uses of Business Graduate Employees, English for Specific Purposes, 21(1) p 72.
Crystal, D,( 2003), English as a Global Language, (2nd Edition), Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Dörnyei, Z. (2007). Research Methods in Applied Linguistics. Oxford University Press.
Dudley-Evans, T. M.J. JOHN. (1998). Developments in English for Specific Purposes: Multi-disciplinary Approach. Cambridge University Press.
Edwards, R,& Croshing, G,& Petrovic-Lazarivic, S,& O’Neill,P, (2003), Internationalization of Business Education: Meaning and Implementation, Higher Education research and Development, 22,(02) pp 11-17.
Esteban, A. & Pérez Cañado, M.L. (2004). Making the case method work in teaching Business English: a case study. English for Specific Purposes, 23(2), 137-161.
Gain, J, (1999) , Electronic Mail- a New Style of Communication or Just a New Medium? An Investigation into the text Features of E-Mail, English for Specific Purposes, 18, (01) p 10.
Gore, S (2007). English for Marketing and Advertising; New York; Paris. Oxford University Press.
Hutchinson, T & Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge University Press.
Mcdonough, J. (1984). ESP in Perspective: A Practical Guide. London: Collins ELT.
Miliani, M, (1993), Proposition de Grille d’Evaluation, in Didactica Orania, 1,p 16
Robinson, P. (1980). English for Specific Purposes. The Present Position. Pergamon Press.
Robinson, P. (1991). ESP Today: A Practitioner’s Guide. Prentice Hall International. Stapa, S. H. & Jais, I. R. M., (2005). A Survey of Writing Needs and Expectations of Hotel Management and Tourism Students, English for Specific Purposes World, 1 (9) (4). Retrieved from: http://www.esp-world.info/Articles_9/issue_9.htm
Strevens, P. (1977). Special Purpose Language Learning. A Perspective Survey article language Teaching and Applied Linguistics Abstracts, 10, 145-16