Questioning business English teaching during the pandemic era: Challenges and prospects in E-learning

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in the shutdown of industrial, economic, academic, and public institutions all across the world to ensure social separation among individuals. On the education ground, decision-makers called for a switch from on-the-ground to online instruction as a remedy to this challenging issue. This study, therefore, aimed to investigate the primary challenges that English for Specific Purposes teachers and learners encounter in the Higher School of Management of Tlemcen, Algeria in E-learning classes, as well as the most effective ways and skills to cater to the needs of this global age during this pandemic era. This research is a case study conducted on 5 ESP teachers and 60 first-year learners. The data collection was through a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. Findings revealed that despite their recognition of the vital importance of such courses, both teachers and learners encounter a set of challenges related to organizational, technological, pedagogical, and psychological issues. Keywords: Business English; COVID-19; E-learning; pandemic.