ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES (ESP): PERCEPTIONS OF STUDENTS AND TEACHERS OF LEARNING NEEDS AT A VIETNAMESE SCHOOL.

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is generating considerable interest and expectation for the quality teaching and learning through the medium of English instruction in Vietnam; however, instructional contents and set course books made by teachers are observed to have little connection with learners' needs at vocational schools or colleges. This paper therefore provides insights into the perceptions of students and teachers at a vocational college in Vietnam about the needs of students in the ESP classes in civil engineering. In particular, this paper is aimed at finding out academic and occupational English language needs of civil engineering students from the perspectives of the students themselves and their ESP teachers in an attempt to meet the increased learning needs of students. Using a quantitative descriptive study, two questionnaires were undertaken with one hundred fifty second-year students majoring in civil engineering and eight teachers who were currently working with ESP programs at this vocational college. The findings indicate that both teachers and students shared similar views on the need for tailoring the course contents and language skills to make the ESP courses appropriate and communicative to students with regard to quality. The central focus of this paper is on the perceptions of students and teachers about the needs of ESP learning resources at a vocational college in Vietnam. ESP therefore plays a vital role in Vietnamese higher education institutions since " science, a key economic priority, is taught through English " (B. H. Nguyen, 2013, p. 26). Priority was given to curriculum development that meets the needs of learners, as one of the government educational policies in Vietnam. The current Vietnamese government highlights the goal that education at colleges and universities should help students gain profound knowledge and practical skills in their jobs with " the ability to work independently and creatively as well as solve problems in the field of study " (National Assembly of Vietnam, 2005, p. 16). To support this strategic plan, the Ministry of Education and Training also launched the National Foreign Languages 2020 Project that addresses the need for the quality of using foreign languages at all levels to satisfy learners' needs (The Government of Vietnam, 2008). This government policy therefore calls for dramatic changes and commitment of teachers to design materials that promote student learning in ESP classes. However, few studies have examined teacher delivery of ESP practice in such classes at tertiary levels in Vietnam, this paper therefore examines both teacher and student perceptions of academic and vocational needs of civil engineering students at a vocational college. The research question that guided the study was " How do teachers and students perceive the academic and occupational needs of ESP learning materials in civil engineering at a vocational college? " Corresponding Author: Huan Nguyen