Abstract

English language and communication abilities are an essential part of the global engineering community. However, non-native English speaking engineers and students tend to be unable to master these skills. This study aims to gauge the perceived levels of their general English language proficiency, to explore their English communicative problems, to investigate their perceived abilities when performing English-related tasks in an engineering workplace communication situation, and to obtain feedback on student performances from English instructors in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. The participants included 130 Thai undergraduate students and two English instructors at a government university. There were two instruments; a questionnaire for the students and a series of interview questions for the instructors. The results revealed that (a) although the students perceived their abilities to be at a fair level, they experienced difficulty using productive skills in English communication; (b) the English-related tasks that the students performed best and worst in were reading and writing tasks respectively; and (c) in the ESP courses, the ability of the students to use English in the ‘real world’ was not dramatically improved, and (d) these students also had unrealistic language learning goals. These results would benefit both ESP instructors and stakeholders in terms of increasing awareness of both language and communication problems, and designing tailor-made courses that are a perfect fit for their students with regard to the contemporary engineering community.

Highlights

  • The globalization of world markets requires engineers with the capabilities of working in and with different cultures, as well as knowledge of the global markets

  • The results revealed that (a) the students perceived their abilities to be at a fair level, they experienced difficulty using productive skills in English communication; (b) the English-related tasks that the students performed best and worst in were reading and writing tasks respectively; and (c) in the English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses, the ability of the students to use English in the ‘real world’ was not dramatically improved, and (d) these students had unrealistic language learning goals

  • In order to identify the perceptions and problems experienced by undergraduate engineering students involved with local, regional, and even international labor markets, with regard to their English skills and communication abilities, this study aims to gauge the perceived level of their general English language proficiency, to explore their English communicative problems, to investigate their perceived abilities in performing English-related tasks in an engineering workplace communication situation, and to obtain feedback on student performances from English instructors in ESP courses

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Summary

Introduction

The globalization of world markets requires engineers with the capabilities of working in and with different cultures, as well as knowledge of the global markets. These engineers do need technical knowledge, and the ability to express it This means that dynamic personalities, or individuals who are skilled and efficient in multitasking (i.e. hard and soft skills) are required. This fact implies that engineers must possess communicative abilities in order to be professionally successful. This globalized era confirms the need for individuals to develop their English language abilities as a result of increasing international interactions in both the individual and organizational contexts. Most international and local organizations, in Asian countries, set English language proficiency as one of the primary criteria for the recruitment of new staff (Ayokanmbi, 2011; Marina & Rajprasit, 2014; Pratoomrat & Rajprasit, 2014)

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