Students' and teachers' perceptions of effective ESP teaching

Abstract

Given the importance of ESP teaching, this study explores and compares students' and teachers' perceptions of effective ESP teaching. The researcher administered a 32-item Likert-scale questionnaire to 248 participants (216 students and 32 teachers) at five universities in Vietnam. The participants were then stratified to select 20 participants (fifteen students and five teachers) for interviews. Results showed that there were significant discrepancies between students and teachers' perceptions of four categories: task-based language teaching, corrective feedback and assessment, discipline specifications, and culture integration. However, students' and teachers' perceptions of three categories, namely language use, application of technologies, and grammar teaching, were aligned. Interview data generally confirmed the quantitative results and provided more insights into what the participants thought. It might be important for teachers to present their concerns about ESP teaching to students and understand students' needs and expectations to bridge the gaps.