Student presentations as a means of teaching and learning English for Specific Purposes: an action research study. Issue 2 (17th February 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ai, Bin; Kostogriz, Alexander; Wen, Daorong; Wang, Lifei
• Is Part Of: Teaching in higher education. Volume 25:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 237
• Publication Date: 2020-02-17
• Subjects: Chinese postgraduate students -- student presentations -- ESP pedagogy -- dialogic teaching -- action research; College teaching -- Periodicals; Education, Higher -- Evaluation -- Periodicals; Education, Higher -- Aims and objectives -- Periodicals; 378.1205
• DOI: 10.1080/13562517.2018.1557136
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1356-2517

Abstract

ABSTRACT: With China's rising role in the global economic market, both local and international employers seek graduates with well-developed communication skills in at least one additional language to complement their specific knowledge and abilities. University graduates are taught English for Specific Purposes (ESP) within their particular disciplines. This article reflects on the first author's action research, using student presentations as a pedagogical practice with first year postgraduate students not majoring in English in a Chinese university. The authors propose that ESP pedagogy needs to progress beyond the monological Chinese Confucian model of education to a dialogic, inclusive, and hospitable model of the classroom as an imagined third space where creative, critical thinking is encouraged. This research aims to contribute to Chinese ESP pedagogy, to inform international educators of developments in the education of graduates for internationalized business practice, and to contribute to the global discourse on ESP pedagogy.