GETTING MESSAGES ACROSS: THE INTEGRATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION SKILLS INTO ESP TEACHING

Abstract

For many years, ESP instruction was confined to teaching specialized terminology and translating texts. However, today’s globalized professional environment requires that its members should also master a set of communicative skills that round off their specialist knowledge if they are to complete their tasks effectively and preserve their margin of success. In spite of the apparent need for professional communication proficiency, there seems to be insufficient available research supplying an accurate understanding of the methods of teaching professional communication to undergraduate students as part of the ESP curriculum. This paper discusses the core skills underpinning successful professional communication and attempts to present a functional integrative professional communication model to be used in academic settings, with an emphasis on the use of English in an engineering environment.