The objective of the present paper is to investigate problems concerned with the teaching of productive skills in Business English classes. Productive skills refer to speaking and writing. Business English is a branch of English for Specific Purposes (ESP).
This research project aims to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of the Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion (ENCG) students about the productive skills in the ESP course, as well as to figure out whether the ENCG students are fully aware of the significance of productive skills in their prospective professional communication.
This paper strives to answer the following questions: What are the general features which appear to characterize the teaching of oral skills in the ESP course? Does writing in the ESP course enable students to become good English business writers? And to what extent do speaking and writing prepare ESP students for professional communication?
Table of Contents
General Introduction
Part I: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
I.0 Introduction
I.1 ESP: Preliminaries
I.1.1 Definitions
I.1.2 ESP Development
2. Beyond the sentence: rhetorical or discourse analysis
4. Skills and strategies
5. A learning-centered approach
I.1.3 ESP: Categories and Sub-categories
I.1.3.1 Main Categories
I.1.3.2 Business English
I.1.4 Speaking versus Writing
I.1.4.1 Differences between speaking and writing
I.1.5 The ESP Teacher
I.2 Approaches and Types of Language Syllabi
I.2.1 Communicative Approach
I.2.2 A learning-centered Approach
I.2.3 Structural Syllabus
I.2.4 Functional-notional Syllabus
I.2.5 Conclusion
Part II: DATA COLLECTION METHODOLOGY
II.1 Introduction
II.2 Description of target population
II.3 Classroom Observation
II.4 The Research Instrument
II.4.1 Advantages of the Questionnaire
II.4.2 The Questionnaire
II.2: Data Classification and Analysis
II.2.1 The informants
II.2.1.1 Background information
II.2.3 Needs and purpose
II.2.4 Deficiency needs
III. General Conclusion
Research Objectives and Thematic Scope
The research investigates the pedagogical challenges surrounding the teaching of productive skills (speaking and writing) within Business English courses in Morocco. It specifically aims to evaluate the perceptions of students at the Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion (ENCG) regarding these skills and to assess how effectively current instruction prepares them for professional communication.
- The theoretical foundations of English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Business English.
- Methodological approaches to teaching and syllabus design, including communicative and learning-centered models.
- Analysis of student attitudes toward productive skills development and classroom activities.
- Identification of specific learning needs and deficiencies in English for professional settings.
Excerpt from the Book
I.1.4 Speaking versus Writing
The four learning skills, listening, reading, speaking and writing, play an influential role in the enhancement of any language program. They help learners convey their thoughts and opinions verbally and non-verbally. Learners receive language instruction through listening and reading. Yet, the teaching of productive skills is more essential than receptive skills in any business course, for they better enable students to become professionally productive and efficient communicators. Indeed, they are tailored to reinforce students’ ability to communicate in both oral and written forms, as well as to help them become more productive when joining the job market. One should know that students’ motivation and performance in productive skills are immensely premised upon the interest and enjoyment generated by the activities conducted in the classroom.
Speaking and writing are both communication skills that are important in all subject areas in the educational curriculum. Likewise, they are two primordial channels through which normal human beings communicate. They are also governed by the rules of semantics and syntax.
Summary of Chapters
General Introduction: Outlines the objective of investigating productive skills in Business English and the importance of professional communication for Moroccan university students.
Part I: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE: Reviews definitions of ESP, its historical development, and explores various teaching approaches and syllabus types relevant to productive skills.
Part II: DATA COLLECTION METHODOLOGY: Details the research population (ENCG students), the use of classroom observation, and the administration of a needs analysis questionnaire to identify learning gaps.
III. General Conclusion: Summarizes the findings regarding current shortcomings in teaching methodology and offers suggestions for improving student engagement and proficiency.
Keywords
Business English, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Productive Skills, Speaking, Writing, Needs Analysis, Communicative Approach, Learning-centered Approach, Syllabus Design, Professional Communication, Classroom Observation, Moroccan Higher Education, Language Proficiency, TEFL, Pedagogical Methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research project?
The research focuses on the pedagogical challenges associated with teaching speaking and writing (productive skills) within Business English courses specifically for students at the Ecole Nationale de Commerce et de Gestion (ENCG) in Morocco.
What are the central thematic areas covered in the literature review?
The study covers the definitions and development of ESP, the roles of the ESP teacher, various teaching approaches (Communicative, Learning-centered), and different types of language syllabi (Structural, Functional-notional).
What is the primary goal or research question?
The project seeks to understand students' attitudes toward productive skills and determine whether their current ESP courses provide them with sufficient proficiency for their future professional careers.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author utilized both classroom observation to assess current teaching methodologies and a self-administered needs analysis questionnaire to gather quantitative data from 64 students.
What is addressed in the main body of the work?
The work provides a thorough literature review, a detailed description of the target student population, an analysis of classroom practices, and a comprehensive breakdown of student needs and performance deficiencies in productive skills.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
The key themes include Business English, ESP, Productive Skills, Needs Analysis, and Communicative Competence in the Moroccan educational context.
Why are productive skills considered more essential than receptive skills in this study?
The author argues that productive skills are more critical for Business English students because they directly enable individuals to become efficient and professional communicators, which is a requirement for the modern globalized job market.
What specific writing challenges are highlighted in the student findings?
The data revealed that students struggle significantly with coherence, cohesion, and the formation of topic sentences, largely due to a lack of targeted writing practice and a reliance on French as the primary language of instruction.
How does the author propose to improve student performance in speaking and writing?
The author suggests increasing the number of weekly English hours, incorporating more authentic materials, utilizing role plays and simulations, and ensuring that instructors move from being mere "knowledge dispensers" to facilitators of the learning process.
- Citar trabajo
- Housseine Bachiri (Autor), 2011, Business English and the Teaching of Productive Skills in Morocco, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/379285
