THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES EDUCATIONMASTER THESIS A Needs-Based Evaluation of ESP Materials Used in the Bachelor Program of Applied Linguistics at L
INTRODUCTION
Rationale of study
English for a specific purpose is designed for a particular group of people with specific needs in particular contexts and entails teaching language, discourse, and relevant communication skills by incorporating topics and underlying methodology of the target discipline or profession (Maryam Azarnoosh, 2018) According to Amirian & Tavakoli (2009), ESP is viewed as a cover term for teaching and learning English for multiple specific purposes: EAP, EOP, and others Similarly, Silva (2002) mentioned that ESP express learners’ specific purpose in learning a second language and it is a response to learners’ requirements and the acquisition of language related to communication outside the classroom, especially in their studies and future professions.
It examines the tasks that students require to perform professionally in English (Hadi Salehi,
In Laos, like in many other countries, English has become the language of a lot of academic textbooks, and this has caused ESP courses to include the curriculum as a necessary course in the universities Even though ESP courses have become more comprehensive recently, and growing demand for communicating through English for Specific Purposes, ESP courses are still limited to learning specific words, grammar points, and translating text, which basically disregards learners’ interests and needs and often leads to low motivation and then poor performance later their future profession Moreover, with the advent of globalization, students must be able to listen, read and present English information orally and in writing in the field of their studies Despite the academic effort to strengthen the students’ language proficiency in their special fields these students still show poor performance when they use English in their profession A reason for this can be the use of unsuitable material on the part of the teachers However, it is difficult to know what is important in choosing an English textbook but administrators and institutes do not usually carry out a systematic textbook evaluation to inform teachers of the optimal choice
It is necessary to evaluate curricula as an important operation of curriculum development to make better decisions in the process of curriculum development Curriculum evaluation is the decision-making process about the effectiveness of a curriculum the last and complementary operation of the curriculum development process and evaluation presents the accession level of the target determined (Mecit Aslan, 2017) Curriculum evaluation refers to the process of collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and interpreting information to aid in understanding what students know and can do It refers to the full range of information gathered in the school district to evaluate (make judgments about) student learning and program effectiveness in each content area (Tyler, 1949).
The present study is an attempt to evaluate English for specific purpose (ESP) materials used in the bachelor's program of applied linguistics at Savannakhet University in Laos It is necessary and important to evaluate the curriculum to provide the basis for curriculum policy decisions and feedback on continuous curriculum adjustments and processes of curriculum implementation Another goal of curriculum evaluation is to ensure that the curriculum is effective in promoting improved quality of students learning
In the present day, there are some ESP Materials used in the bachelor's program of applied linguistics at Savannakhet University for instance English for commerce, English for business, English for Tourism – Hospitality, and English for a successful meeting It is to say that, this ESP material provided great appropriate activities in terms of presentation, group discussion, joining or organizing meetings, debating, and giving information about company profiles, tourism, and hospitality On the other hand, the course also focuses on grammatical structure, lexis, register, study skills, discourse, and genre The materials have provided the opportunity to discuss, write, and analyze manipulate language salient structures and vocabulary
By the end of the course, students will gain many different skills and knowledge
However, it could be seen that the ESP material used currently in the bachelor's program of applied linguistics at Savannakhet University was not specific to the need, interests, and demands of the learners because the materials were created by non–native English speakers who do not have much experience in designing the materials or curriculums Therefore, those ESP materials were not suitable for the current situation and/or society The content of the ESP textbook was too general, the activities were not appropriate to the topic given Large numbers of the students were not practical and master the course Some of them had to retake the course in the third semester This is to say that English textbooks were the most important materials for students To elaborate on the learning process of the English language, it was necessary to analyze the language contents, skills, related activities, and their sequence in English textbooks
As the communicative approach had become the most favorable approach in the language learning process, but still a lack of studies on using communicative approaches in designing English language textbooks and to what extent it guides in designing curriculum content
It was important to develop relevant materials for target learners and evaluate the quality of the materials, design up-to-date material and support the students’ needs.
Aims and Objectives
The study aims to (i) identify strengths and weaknesses of the currently ESP materials used in the bachelor's program of Applied Linguistics at Savannakhet University; (ii) analyze students’ needs in ESP materials used in the bachelor program of Applied Linguistics; (iii) proposing changes in the new ESP materials and (iv) analyzing students’ feedback on the propose changes.
Scope of study
The study was conducted at Savannakhet University (SKU), in Laos in the academic year 2021-2022 There was an examination of ESP materials used in the bachelor's program of applied linguistics at Savannakhet University in Laos In the present day, there were five ESP courses used at Savannakhet universities such as English for Business, English for Commerce, English for Tourism and Hospitality, English for Successful meetings, and English for negotiation However, in this study researchers were focused on only two courses, instance, English for commerce and English for tourism and hospitality The evaluation of materials was discussed from the perspectives of students at the Department of English, Faculty of Linguistics and
It was highly significant to state that this study assesses the effectiveness of the textbook based on eight main criteria: the physical appearance and format of the textbook, objective, content, exercises, activities, the four skills, vocabulary, and grammar structure.
Research questions
The study seeks to answer the following questions:
(i) To what extent are ESP materials currently Used in the Bachelor Program of Applied
Linguistics at Savannakhet University reflect students’ needs?
(ii) What adaptations are needed in ESP materials used in the Bachelor Program of Applied
(iii) What are students’ viewpoints on the proposed changes in the ESP materials used in the bachelor's program in Applied Linguistics?
Significance of the study
This research was mainly discussed on evaluation of English for specific purpose (ESP) materials used in the bachelor program of applied linguistics at Savannakhet University in Laos: student’s perspectives The research outcome and recommendations resulting from this thesis were to help Lao tertiary English teachers enhance English teaching efficacy in the following areas: English for commerce, English for business, English for tourism – hospitality, English for successful meetings, etc It may help them to identify and provide the potential for Lao English teachers to improve their teaching strategies to improve students’ communicative competency in ESP Moreover, insights gained from this research may improve students’ experiences and knowledge from the ESP class and apply it to work in the future, especially for the students who prefer to work in the tourism industry, commercial and other companies
Administrators (Savannakhet University) used the benefit of this research to prescribe the policy and design up-to-date ESP materials for students On the other hand, the result of the study also shows the strengths and weaknesses of current ESP material to the curriculum designers or developers After that, they could design and developed the ESP material according to the students' needs and also helped them to prescribe the contents and exercises which appropriate to the students Lastly, it may be the resource of reference for the researchers, curriculum designers, and writers in developing their work in the future
However, there was another important reason for materials evaluation The reason was possible to identify the potential effectiveness of language theories that were embedded in the materials for different purposes such as selecting the materials appropriately and developing them effectively.
Definition of Terms
There were some key terms included in this research To give moreinsight to the reader and avoid misunderstanding and ambiguity toward the terms andmisconception of the ideas used in this research, the key terms were described as follow:
ESP is an approach to language teaching in which all decisions as to content and method are based on the learners’ reason for learning (Hutchinson
ESP Material is a book that provides the core materials for a language-learningcourse in which a variety of issues are covered considering the learning requirementsof the students and the teachers within a course period (Tomlinson, 2011)
Material Evaluation refers to the process of seeking to establish the value ofsomething and gathering information to make a sound decision which is analyzedand reported to stakeholders or interested parties (Jafarigohar, 2013)
ESP textbook evaluation is required to select an appropriate textbook that corresponds to the need of the students and teaching or learning requirements (Cunningswirth, 1995).
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theoretical Framework
2.1.1 English for specific purposes (ESP)
English for the specific purpose (ESP) is an approach to foreign language teaching and learning in which all decisions as to content and method are based on learners’ reason for learning The material in ESP is more specific and depends on the subject matter that learners need (Hutchinson & Water, 1987) ESP is specified for those who need a particular subject in learning English In addition, ESP provides certain subjects that learners will be interested in during the learning process because ESP is the English materials, which are designed to meet learners’ needs, interests, and demands Dudley – Evans and St John (1998) said that there are some characteristics of ESP, they are ESP is designed for specific subject matter; ESP is used in a particular teaching situation; ESP is mostly designed for adult learners who have advanced skills in learning English (Tery, 2019)
ESP as an approach to language teaching through a “set of transferable generic language and literacy skills that are seen to be applicable in the majority of academic and workplace settings” (Paltridge & Starfield, 2013), is concerned with designing appropriate courses which are based on learner need analysis, and follow by substantial processes of syllabus design; material design, selection, and evaluation; classroom teaching; and also evaluation proceeding in a linear fashion (Hutchinso & Water, 1987) As seen, evaluation, which in its very basic sense refers to inquiring about something and eliciting answers, making judgments, replanning, and reacting accordingly (Lynch, 1996), is one of the key components of ESP teaching However, evaluation is an inherently complicated and multifaceted process requiring a nuanced understanding of what and how to evaluate, the means to collect and analyze information to evaluate, and also the means to act and react to enhance what is being evaluated (Handan Celik, 2018)
In an ESP course, the focus is neither on the teacher nor on the student, but rather on the learning situation, because what we want to discover is not the competence itself, but how someone acquires that competence In other words, what Hutchinson and Water mean is that the learning process is complex The instructors, the students, the syllabus, the sponsor, and the content are all factors of the learning process They are very important, but they are only factors ESP provides a way to make each factor accountable as well as complimentary, and it is also a way to encourage students to become independent learners (Luis Guiller, 2009)
2.1.2 Need-based evaluation of materials
In designing ESP material, we need analysis as the cornerstone of ESP and leads to a focused course Analyzing the specific needs of a particular group of learners serves as an important starting point in ESP course design
In principle, an ESP approach commences with a needs analysis learner
(Widodo, 2010) It will help select and prioritize what students need The ESP course design should be able to identify the target situation and carry out a complete analysis of the linguistic features of the situation (Hutchinson and Water, 1987) There are a few guidelines for conceptualizing an entire course Taba in Saragih (2014) states that the curriculum process includes seven steps; diagnosing needs, formulating objectives, selecting contents, organizing contents, selecting learning experiences, organizing learning experiences, and determining evaluations Concerning designing a language course Graves (2000) points out that “designing a language course is as work implementation” The course designer task approaches start with the most fundamental feature, the need analysis, and situational analysis The course designer must work through curriculum and syllabus construction; prepare materials and finally modify the course according to the feedback (Angga Taufan Dayu, 2016).
2.1.3 Needs analysis on ESP materials
To design an effective ESP course, instructors require knowing the working conditions of the learners as well as their language needs They also require knowing the tasks that will be performed in English by the students The needs of the learners are central to the course design This phase of getting closer to the group’s actual situation is called needs analysis The focus of the needs analysis aims at gathering information about the learners as well as defining the target situation and environment of studying ESP (Simion, 2015) The information about the prospective learners is crucial during the design of the course Dudley-Evans and St John (1998) state the needs analysis in ESP helps determine the following information about the learners: a) Professional information: tasks and activities they will be using English for; b) Personal information: factors that may affect their learning (previous experience, cultural information, reasons for attending the course, and expectations; c) Language information: their current skills and language use; d) The language lacks relation to their professional information; e) Language learning information: what they need to learn; f) How language and skills are used in the target situations identified in the professional information; g) Expectations about the course; h) Environment information in which the course will be run
Need Analysis in this study is focused on Need Analysis as proposed by Lowi in Miyake and Tremarco (2005): a) Target Situation Analysis of learners: the tasks and activities in which English is used b) Wants, Means, and Subjective Need Analysis: personal information about learners including factors that affect the way learners learn such as previous learning experiences, cultural information, reasons for learning ESP, and its expectations. c) Present Situation Analysis: Information about learners’ current skills of language use d) Lack Analysis: the gap between Present Situation Analysis and Target Situation
Analysis e) Learning Need Analysis: language learning information about the effective ways of learning the skills and language f) Linguistic Analysis, Discourse Analysis, and Genre Analysis: professional communication information about knowledge of how language and skills are used in the target situation g) Means Analysis: information about the environment in which the course will be run The Need Analysis of ESP adopted in this research is figured out asthe followings:
Present SituationAnalysis Lack Analysis NeedsAnalysis of ESP for Target SituationAnalysis Want Analysis
Figure 1: Needs Analysis of ESP materials (Lowi in Miyake andTremarco, 2005)
Tomlinson's (2001) curriculum evaluation is an applied linguistics activity, through which material developers, teachers, and administrators judge the effectiveness of materials that they have used for the learners Ellis (2011) focuses on micro – evaluation which is associated with the effect of classroom tasks related to the material It goes beyond impressionistic evaluation and helps in determining the practicality of the task How it works and how it can be improved for future use It also evaluates its appropriateness to the goals set for the learners, in addition to constraints of a particular context (Kalsoom Jahan, Syed Kazim Shah & Sumera Shan Ahmad, 2019).
Curriculum evaluation is the process of assessing the value and competence of the curriculum Examining and evaluating the value and merit also include the elements and aspects of the curriculum and the entire curriculum In our curriculum, we deal with areas such as measuring needs, goals, content, and methods and implementing the program In addition, in curriculum planning, designers, administrators (teachers), and students are in some way connected with or affected by the curriculum (Mahboubeh Seyedi, 2017)
The effectiveness of a curriculum can be viewed from the aspect of quality, namely the availability and readiness of curriculum components While the success of quality can be seen in the results of implementing the curriculum One of the models used is the CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) model is as feedback on the implementations of the teaching process and learning outcomes that have been carried out and the result of this feedback becomes a benchmark for further process improvement The same opinion that the CIPP model has the advantage of evaluating the context, input, process, and product stages to decision making
(formative role) and presentation of information on accountability (summative role) (Ahmad Bashri, 2020)
Elaborating on formative evaluation, Sax (1980) explains that this can be done during the instructional phase, allowing the teachers to know if students are meeting the instructional
Means Analysis objectives if the work is done on time and if there are any ways of improvement Formative evaluation is conducted to understand the processes, implementation, and working of the school, analysis of instructional materials, structure of the learning task, and courses for future improvements.
Summative evaluation is the judgment of the merit of a complete product or program It provides evidence regarding satisfactory work or modification required and whether the desired outcomes are attained (Wiersma & Gurs, 1990) While evaluating the quality of education at schools, summative evaluation can be done at the end of the instructional program to check the quality and quantity of learning and to compare the processes with the products to understand if the objectives have been achieved or not (Shamsa Aziz, 2018)
The model was proposed by Stufflebeam in 1993 The CIPP Model (Context, Input, Process, and Product) can be used for both types of evaluation, summative and formative The most important thing about this model is that it provides a holistic view of every element by evaluating context, input, process, and output from every angle With the help of this model, evaluation can be done systematically, fulfilling the general needs of evaluation The important element which makes this model different from other models is that it focuses on the context for the evaluation of teaching-learning and the development process (Shamsa Aziz, 2018).
Context evaluation helps to access the needs and opportunities within a defined context or environment (Stufflebeam & Shinkfeld, 2007) The objectives of context evaluation are to define, identify and address the needs of the target population, identify the problems and assess if the goals are responsive to the desired needs or not (Khuwaja, 2001) The different types of methods for the evaluation of context include surveys, document reviews, data analysis, and interviews (Stufflebeam, 2003)
Literature Review
Sasan Baleghizadeh (2011) conducted the research on the evaluation of an ESP textbook for the students of Sociology at Shahid Beheshti University The finding reveals that the participants do not happy with the textbook They have a negative attitude toward the textbook They believe that the book was not in harmony with their English proficiency Moreover, ESP textbooks should arouse the interest of the students and be motivating One of the techniques which can be used to achieve this goal is to use pictures, illustrations, tasks, and authentic materials The materials should include discussion questions, prediction activities, skimming and scanning exercises, and tasks that stimulate critical analysis and evaluation of what they have read Textbooks should provide the learners with activities that ask them to complete tables, flowcharts, and diagrams These activities draw the learners' attention to the most salient ideas in the text The content of the books should be related to the previous learning experience and background knowledge of the learners This is what scholars call meaningful learning A suitable textbook should cover necessary grammatical structures and be adequate in terms of quantity and range of vocabulary Besides, it should include pronunciation practice as well as issues of style and appropriacy incorrect use of English.
Hadi Salehi, Ameneh Davari & Melor Md Yunus (2014) researched the Evaluation of an ESP course of Qur’anic Science and Tradition The result of the research found that the learners preferred changing teaching methods to be more learner-centered and encouraging students to become independent learners has been neglected The current book includes exercises such as language practice, comprehension exercises, true and false, multiple-choice, comprehension questions, and cloze tests to build and expand students’ knowledge of vocabulary and improve their reading skills Of course, these tasks stimulate critical analysis and evaluation of what they have read In addition, it includes a part to answer some questions orally to improve students’ speaking ability No listening exercises have been provided Similarly, this book has not been equipped with charts, figures, tables, and colorful pictures. The textbook materials should include discussion questions, prediction activities, skimming, and scanning exercises It is important to adapt activities that encourage collaborative learning Textbooks should provide the learners with activities that ask them to complete tables, flowcharts, and diagrams These activities arouse the learners’ interest This is what scholars call meaningful learning Besides, a suitable textbook should include pronunciation practice as well as issues of style and appropriateness incorrect use of English which is missing in this book
Thao Nguyen Thi Phuong (2017) Evaluation of ESP Effectiveness in Faculty of
Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam The findings in our study reveal that ESP courses for pharmacy students at UMP are not very effective, particularly teaching method did not attract many students’ attention English competence of final-year students and pharmacists was at a moderate level, most of them need to improve four basic language skills Additionally, ESP courses neither met the language needs of final-year students and pharmacists for academic and occupational purposes even though they had a low English use frequency, mainly for researching and reading specialized materials Nevertheless, many students’ passivity significantly affected ESP course success Consequently, teaching method improvement and students’ motivation stimulation become two important tasks ahead to be performed to enhance ESP teaching effectiveness
Ultimately, the finding of the relationship between final-year pharmacy students’ English use frequency, their English competence, and their specialized orientation suggests that it is necessary to practice and enhance English language skills learned from ESP courses with specialized orientations.
Xayapheth (2017) conducts research on the Evaluation of curriculum from the viewpoint of English in a Business setting at the National University of Laos He found that the overall achievement of the test students was far from sufficient to work in realsociety The problems affecting the student achievement on the test were found and able toclassify into three aspects as the following:
First, the final year students still had problems in English itself The problems showed that notonly English in business, but the whole curriculum should be mobilized to solve.
Second, students could not acquire the content they had been taught The readingtexts and a fax letter were taken from the textbook they had learned in year 4, but the rate of the right answer was poor Many students could not acquire the way how to close a letter As a result, present teaching of English forbusiness purposes was proved to be unproductive Therefore, it is necessary to revise thecurriculum, textbooks, and teaching method from first grade, so that the intended curriculumwill be surely acquired.
Third, many students did not know the basic terms and concepts of business, and lacked skills in business To solve this kind of problem, teaching in English seems to have a clear limitation,especially considering students’ English skills Thus, the contents concerning directly tobusiness should be taught in Lao
Udomluck (2017) conducted research on curriculum evaluation, and early childhood teacher education curriculum, in Dongkhamxang Teacher Training Colleges, Laos The research results reveal that (1) Context: Curriculum structures, courses, and contents were appropriate to reach curriculum objectives and context Strengths were lecturers and the awareness of the program The weakness was the physical environment; (2) Input: The input covered the qualifications of students and lecturers Instructional media and learning/teaching materials needed improvement Program budgeting was rated as fair; (3) Process: The process reached the requirements of curriculum management and student teaching practicum; (4) Product:
Knowledge and teaching practicum were well designed and reached the requirement for professional practice and professional conduct; (5) Impact: It met the satisfaction of graduates and employers.
Yommana Syhakhang, Thongkham Hungsavath, and Vanvichit Kitthikoun (2015) conducted a comparative analysis of perspectives on the English curriculum and teaching method at Champhasak and Souphanouvong Universities, Laos The main findings of this study are to point out whether curriculum and/or teaching methods by teaching staff affect the students
‘performance in terms of academic assessment, which is based on the general English test Both universities should provide sufficient resources to developnew up-to-date curricula The development of curriculum processesneeds the involvement of experienced teachingstaff, local and foreign experts, and mostimportantly student engagement Moreover, the new curriculum development needs toaddress the five dimensions of educationtaxonomy declared by the
Ministry of Educationand Sports, Lao PDR Finally, they should provide more learning materials forstudents and give them full and easy access tothose materials.
Zangani (2009) evaluated some of the ESP textbooks in this field comprehensively He attempted to find out if new aims in language learning and teaching are involved in these books Moreover, he aimed to see whether the textbooks meet the aims and needs of students The result indicated that the textbook did not incorporate the new goals to develop the linguistics and communicative competence of the learners Concerning the second factor, it was shown that the textbooks had objectives that did not match the learners’ needs.
McDonough and Shaw’s (2003) model, Davari, Iranmehr, and Erfani (2013) evaluated the ESP textbooks taught at Payam Nour University in Iran The main shortcomings of the book were in the following aspects: low face validity, lack of materials reviewing and updating, ineffective and traditional exercises and drills, and misconception of ESP Their overall conclusion was that there is a mismatch between the theory and practice in the textbook.
Maleki and Kazemi (2012) investigated the attitude of the students and teachers toward ESP material for Medical Science students The results showed the dissatisfaction of both students and teachers with most of the criteria Theoretical considerations, organizational features, the contents, and language skills were disappointing for both groups The findings indicated that both groups preferred MT rather than ESM concerning the categories of layout, design, activities, language type, subject, and content.
Ajabshir (2011) evaluated the ESP textbook “English for the Students of Management” the study focuses on the attitudes of both students and the teachers The results of her study indicated that the participants did not hold a positive attitude toward the book concerning the author’s approach to language and methodology, lack of balance between language skills, and insufficient inclusion of communicative activities Khoshimani (2014) also conducted a study to evaluate ESP textbooks taught all over Iran based on Iranian teachers’ opinions The results of their study showed the negative viewpoints of the teachers towards ESP textbooks as they did not meet their expectations
Thein (2006) conducted a study to evaluate the suitability and effectiveness of the textbook used for teaching English to religious students at the Myanmar Institute of Technology
The findings revealed that the textbook used in the program was suitable for several reasons For example, the textbooks did not contribute to the achieved the need of both teachers and learners, they were not effective to promote students’ critical thinking, and they were not effective in improving the students’ communicative skills for everyday life situations
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
This research was intended to evaluate the ESP materials used at Savannakhet University. The study employs questionnaires to collect the quantitative data for the study This quantitative research method was employed to collect and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the currently ESP materials used in the bachelor's program of Applied Linguistics at Savannakhet University In the other words, it also analysis students’ needs in new ESP materials Moreover, it will also provide the proposed changes in the new ESP materials and analyzed the students’ feedback on the proposed changes.
Participants/Respondents
This study was carried out with 100 English language students in the Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities at 2 sd , 3 rt, and 4 th years during the 2021 – 2022 academic year in Laos A large number of the participant was female with 62% and male with 38% Most of them were between the age of 20 to
25 years old There was 59% of them had learned English for 4 years 80% of the participants were in the B1 level and 20% of them were in the B2 level After graduating from school, they preferred to work in the tourism industry, banks, and other commercial companies Moreover, they could work as
English instructors at schools or universities
3.3 The current ESP materials used at Savannakhet
This study was carried out with 100 English language students in the Faculty of Linguistics and Humanities at 2 sd , 3 rt, and 4 th years during the 2021 – 2022 academic year in Laos A large number of the participant was female with 62% and male with 38% Most of them were between the age of 20 to
25 years old There was 59% of them had learned English for 4 years 80% of the participants were in the B1 level and 20% of them were in the B2 level After graduating from school, they preferred to work in the tourism industry, banks, and other commercial companies Moreover, they could work as
English instructors at schools or universities
3.4 The current ESP materials used at Savannakhet
Since 2009 Savannakhet University has designed and adapted ESP materials for English students which include: English for commerce, English for successful meetings, English for business, English for negotiation, English for tourism and hospitality, and also English for public speaking There was a specific appearance, layout, content, skills, vocabulary, and grammatical structure for each course/material In this research, the researcher focuses on two subjects described in detail as follows:
English for commerce course/material has been designed and adapted by English instructors at Savannakhet University since 2015 In this course, students will continue their study of English used in local and international commerce This course is intended for students who want to improve communication and interpretation skills associated with a business situation.
General appearance: The English for commerce textbook has covered Business environment, Company, Sales, Trad Affairs, Advertising and promotion, Business Morality, Planning, Product description, People at work, Going on a business trip, Careers, Market research, and work and motivation focusing on both local and international commerce Each unit consists of different content, vocabulary, grammatical, activity, exercise, communication skills (listening, reading, speaking, and writing), presentation, and doing the real project
Exercise and activity: in general, English for commerce is a special type of English relating to business contexts, and is used in business correspondence, reports, meetings, presentations, etc This English for commerce textbook has provide some practical exercises and activities relating to the commerce and business for example: speaking activity, job interview, company rundown, CV or Resume preparation, creating a business plan, presentation skills, business vocabulary building, chart and graft, and so on…
Skills: this encourages students to take an active role in the learning process, working in pairs or groups to explore topics and find out more about the companies The textbook prepares students for a wide range of business situations, develops telephone and communication skills, and provides them with a background in major business concepts
Language focus: the activities give realistic and communicative practice of language skills needed in commerce In the listening activities, students are exposed to business situations, including dialogues, presentations, and interviews They also hear a variety of English accents, both native-speaker and non-native speakers In the reading, section students meet a variety of business-based texts In the speaking sections, try to ensure the use of English during speaking activities, particularly this involving some discussion Encourage this by teaching or revising any functional language students may need Writing practice in the units is designed as a consolidation of the topic with structured, meaningful tasks
Vocabulary and grammar: students meet a large amount of vocabulary during the course It is important to encourage good learning skills from the start, for example: organizing vocabulary into categories, understanding the context of vocabulary, and checking and learning the pronunciation of a word or phrase For grammar, the textbook cover presents simple, present continuous, present continuous for future and be going to, focus on past simple, should/shouldn’t, comparative and superlative, past perfect, the passive, first-second conditional, will/won’t, may/might, past continuous and question tags
Expectation outcome: students will be able to conduct the meeting and talk about products, companies, and future trends English for commerce (EC) is a two-semester course Students taking English for commerce are expected to conduct themselves as businessmen and women by displaying good attendance, participation, punctuality, and reliability To be successful in this course, attendance is necessary The student will have to do the quizzes and homework assignments each week
English for Tourism and Hospitality (ETH):
English for Tourism and Hospitality course/material has been designed and adapted by English instructors at Savannakhet University since 2009 English for Tourism and Hospitality is designed for students who plan to take a course in the area of tourism and hospitality entirely or partly in English The principal aim of the textbook is to teach students to cope with input texts, i.e., listening and reading, in the discipline However, students will be expected to produce output texts in speech and writing throughout the course
General appearance: the textbook focuses on key vocabulary for the discipline and words and phrases commonly used in academic and technical English It covers key facts and concepts from the discipline, thereby giving students a flying start for when they meet the same points again in their faculty work It also focuses on skills that will enable students to get the most out of lectures and written texts Finally, it presented the skills required to take part in seminars and tutorials and to produce essay assignments This English for Tourism and Hospitality textbook includes hotel and restaurant management, cruise ships, spas, resorts, theme parks, and other areas Students will learn about key hospitality issues, the development, and management of tourist locations, event planning, marketing, and environmental issues related to leisure and travel The course also examines some current and feature trends in the field
Skills: the textbook has provided lots of tips and guidance to help students develop the essential skills to work in tourism The hotel and tourism industries are very customers focused so effective listening and speaking skills are of the utmost importance Therefore, it has provided a wide range of communicative practices, from simple customer service encounters such as hiring a car to preparing and giving mini-presentation Pronunciation activities not only help students with sounds that are difficult for learners but also develop professional skills such as showing enthusiasm and politeness
Data analysis
This chapter presented the research finding and discussion The finding in this research is concerning with the students’ viewpoint of current ESP materials and the proposed change of new ESP materials “English for
Commerce and English for Tourism and Hospitality” The discussion deals with the interpretation of findings based on the relevant theories and previous findings
The research findings are based on the statement of the problems which are presented in two main parts The first part deals with the general information, students’ points of view on the current ESP material, students’ needs in a new ESP material, and the topic students need to learn the most The second part deal with the proposed changes to new ESP materials
4.1 Student’s point of view on current ESP materials
Table 4.1.1: Descriptive statistics of participants in the evaluation of the general appearance of the ESP materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D level of agreement
The outside cover is attractive 6 31 52 8 3 3.29 0.82 Moderate
The font size used in the book is appropriate 14 41 34 11 0 3.58 0.86 Agree The titles and subheading titles are written clearly and appropriately 17 40 34 9 0 3.65 0.86 Agree
RESULT AND DISCUSSION
Student’s point of view on current ESP materials
Table 4.1.1: Descriptive statistics of participants in the evaluation of the general appearance of the ESP materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D level of agreement
The outside cover is attractive 6 31 52 8 3 3.29 0.82 Moderate
The font size used in the book is appropriate 14 41 34 11 0 3.58 0.86 Agree The titles and subheading titles are written clearly and appropriately 17 40 34 9 0 3.65 0.86 Agree
The table presented the student’s point of view on the general appearance of the currently ESP materials used at Savannakhet University The results showed that students gave negative responses toward the general appearance of the materials Most of them responded negatively to the outside cover page of the textbook with a moderate level (mean score 3.00) However, fewer of the students mentioned that title, subtitle, and font size in the textbook were clearly and appropriately to agree with the level (mean score = 3.65 & 3.58 respectively) Similar to Ajabshir's (2011) evaluated the ESP textbook “English for the Students of Management” she focuses on the attitudes of both students and the teachers toward the textbook The results indicated that the participants did not hold a positive attitude toward the book concerning the author’s approach to language and methodology, lack of balance between language skills, and insufficient inclusion of communicative activities
Supported by Khoshimani (2014), he also conducted a study to evaluate ESP textbooks taught all over Iran based on Iranian teachers’ opinions The results of their study showed the negative viewpoints of the teachers towards ESP textbooks as they did not meet their expectations McDonough and Shaw (1993) emphasize the importance of external evaluation because it “offers a brief overview of the outside of the textbook Similar to Tu’eimah (1985) contends that the evaluation of the general appearance or the physical make–up as he terms it, is of great importance
In contrast, Sasan Baleghizadeh (2011) conducted the research on evaluation of an ESP textbook for the students of Sociology at Shahid Beheshti University The finding reveals that the participants do not happy with the textbook They have a negative attitude toward the textbook They believe that the book was not in harmony with their English proficiency.
Therefore, to motivate and improve students’ English proficiency, Savannakhet University needs to improve and design new ESP materials with more impressive and attractive, because the general appearance of the textbook plays an important role in catching the learner’s attention increased their motivation
- The general appearance of the textbook should design colorful
- The textbook should be up to date and include new interesting content to motivate students
Table 4.1.2: Descriptive statistics in the evaluation of the layout and design of the ESP materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D Level of agreement
There is a variety of design to achieve impression
There is consistency in the use of titles, icons, labels, italics, etc.
The textbook includes a detailed overview of the functions and structures that will be taught in each unit
The textbook has a detailed table of contents 2
The data above shows how students evaluate the layout and design of the materials The overall results showed a positive response to the layout and design of the materials with agree level (mean score = 3.66) The students responded that the textbook has a detailed table of content (mean score = 3.81) Follow by the textbook includes a detailed overview of the functions and structures taught in each unit (mean score = 3.71) There was consistency in the use of titles, icons, labels, italics, etc (mean score = 3.6) and there is a variety of designs to achieve an impression (mean score = 3.55)
As suggested by Widodo (2015) There are seven key elements of ESP materials; (1) authenticity, (2) topics/themes, (3) text and context, (4) knowledge and language, (5) tasks or activities, (6) representations of participants and social practices, and (7) pedagogical prompts Therefore, the materials for students should meet the requirement of seven key elements of ESP materials It means that the focus materials for ESP learners are the authenticity of the text and vocabulary used Supported by Baghban &
Zohoorian (2011) the use of authentic materials has become increasingly popular in learning situations ranging from traditional intensive ESL to language training for professionals
Similar to McDonough and Shaw (1993), they mention that the rationale behind the identification of the first impression as an important criterion for textbook evaluation lies in the idea that students, quite literally, tend to judge a book by its cover If the cover is attractive and the text organized to facilitate students’ negotiation through it Student attraction to a textbook incites interest in a subject and encourages them to study it, while an unattractive textbook has the opposite effect
Table 4.1.3: Descriptive statistics in evaluation objective, content, exercise, and activity of the ESP materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D Level of agreement
The objective of the textbook 3.61 0.08 Agree
The objectives are related to the students' needs 1
The objectives help the students to choose the right aids in learning ESP
The textbook raises students' interest in further
The content of the book provides the necessary specialized vocabulary and communication skills
The content of the book meets student’s need for specialized knowledge and presentation skill
The content of the textbook is interesting, motivating and up to date 3 36 49 8 4 3.26 0.81 moderate
Exercise of the textbook 3.20 0.09 moderate
The exercises in the textbook are relevant to the students’ interests 1 32 52 12 3 3.16 0.76 moderate
The textbook provides a variety of meaningful exercises to practice language skills 3 36 46 11 4 3.23 0.83 moderate The exercises allow students to practice more than teachers and allow students to use English outside the school
Activities provide in the textbook is interested, 1 44 35 9 0 3.59 0.81 agree relevant and effectiveness 2
The textbook provides outside class activities 1
The data displayed in the table above describes students’ responses to the objective, content, exercise, and activity of the current textbook Similar to the previous domains, in general, it showed a positive response, indicating that the objective, content, and activity of the current textbook were meet students’ needs A large number of students gave positive responses to the objective, content, and activity provided in the textbook with the agreement level (mean score = 3.52, 3.51 & 3.46 respectively) On the other hand, there were some of the students who had a negative attitude toward exercise with a moderate level (mean score = 3.20)
According to table (4.5), Harding (2007) has claimed that ESP instructors should use texts, contexts, and situations from the students; subject area Whether they are simulated or real, they will involve naturally the language that the students need He also suggested that teachers should exploit authentic materials that students use in their vocation or specialism and should not be repulsed by this opinion that it may not seem normal English Furthermore, he added that the authentic tasks should be made by ESP teachers and they should get students to do things with the material that they need to do in their occupation What a student has learned can be reinforced via exercise and activities Supported by Willis (1996) fun-based activities engage students in the learning process such activities can be ordering and spotting andcomparing tasks.
ESP textbooks should arouse the interest of the students and be motivating One of the techniques which can be used to achieve this goal was to use pictures, illustrations, tasks, and authentic materials The materials should include discussion questions, prediction activities, skimming and scanning exercises, and tasks that stimulate critical analysis and evaluated what they had read On the other hand, the ESP textbook should provide the learner's activities which ask them to complete tables, flowcharts, and diagrams These activities draw the learners’ attention to the most salient ideas in the text by Sasan Baleghizadeh & Amir Hossein Rahimi (2011)
- Add more speaking exercises for the student to talk more in and of the class
- Add more listening and speaking activities to the textbook
- I recommend focusing on activities outside the classroom, for example, real projects, project-based learning, speaking with native speaker s…
- In my opinion, should have various activities outside the school and add more teaching methods or authentic books
Table 4.1.4: Descriptive statistics in the evaluation of language skills provided by the materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D Level of agreement
The reading tasks are appropriate for improving students’ reading skills 20 41 32 6 1 3.73 0.88 agree Reading activities can motivate learners become effective readers 19 39 37 5 0 3.72 0.83 agree
The writing tasks are appropriate for improving students’ writing skills 19 36 33 11 1 3.61 0.95 agree The writing tasks are suitable in terms of accuracy 12 29 51 8 0 3.45 0.80 moderate
The materials offer a great range of listening texts 21 27 43 9 0 3.60 0.92 agree
Textbook activities can help students acquire a range of listening skills 17 36 37 10 0 3.60 0.88 agree
The speaking tasks are appropriate for improving students’ speaking skills 22 41 31 5 1 3.78 0.88 agree There are adequate materials for spoken
English (e.g dialogues, role-plays, etc) 9 32 40 17 2 3.29 0.92 moderate
The table showed the statistic of the questionnaire with the language tasks and activities in the current materials Generally, the students gave positive responses to the 6 statements of language activities and tasks included in the materials with the agreed level (mean score = 3.60 –
3.78 respectively) However, fewer of the students gave negative responses to the 2 statements of the language task and activities with the moderate level (mean score = 3.29 & 3.45 respectively)
McDonough and Shaw (2003, as cited in Hadi Salehi, 2015) indicated that ESP materials should enable the learners to see how the four skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) can be used effectively in appropriate contexts They also stated that when materials for integrated skills are likely to involve learners in authentic and realistic tasks, their level of motivation will be increased Therefore, they perceive a clear rationale behind what they are being asked to do
Support by Cunningsworth (1995, as cited in Hadi Salehi, Ameneh Davari & Melor Md Yunus, 2015) asserted that all four language skills should be dealt with in the coursebook
Developing speaking skills is essential for students because they were expected to use English in a real-life situations Moreover, the materials for spoken English should equip learners with real- life interactions like participating in the seminar and listening to lectures students seek The materials should provide an authentic listening task that is relevant to students’ needs to enhance their achievements in the real world Furthermore, learners are required in some contexts or situations like writing a short essay to practice writing skills
We need some trick or strategy in writing journal, article and report that why in writing material we need to write a lot of journals or essay to improve our ability in writing
Table 4.1.5: Descriptive statistics in the evaluation of vocabulary - grammar and materials availability of ESP materials:
The items 5 4 3 2 1 X´ S.D Level of agreement
The vocabulary items are appropriate for the students’ level 14 30 38 16 2 3.38 0.98 moderate
The main grammar items the textbook covers are appropriate for the student's level 9 35 39 15 2 3.34 0.91 moderate The grammatical structures are presented inductively 13 33 44 9 1 3.48 0.87 moderate
The materials for teaching grammar, 14 37 33 13 3 3.46 0.98 moderate vocabulary, and pronunciation are graded appropriately.
There are materials needs in the library 0 1 18 64 17 2.03 0.62 disagree There is online version of the materials 0 8 42 33 17 2.41 0.86 disagree
I am satisfied with the materials 0 6 41 36 17 2.36 0.83 disagree