Proposing the Integration of Scrum and ESP for EFL Tourism Students: Theoretical Framework and Methodological Approach

Abstract

This study explores the integration of Scrum methodology into English for Specific Purposes (ESP) instruction for Tourism students to address absenteeism, disengagement, and academic underperformance at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (Spain). Combining Scrum’s iterative, team-based framework with ESP principles, the research aimed to enhance student engagement, language proficiency, teamwork, and self-management. Conducted over 11 weeks with second-year Tourism students, the project used real-world tasks, such as customer service interactions and conflict resolution, structured into collaborative sprints with regular feedback and reflection. The results revealed improvements in student motivation, language skills and teamwork abilities. Challenges included occasional issues with task distribution and workload management. Overall, the study demonstrates that integrating Scrum with ESP creates a dynamic and effective learning environment, aligning language instruction with professional needs while promoting active participation and skill development.