The Concordance between EFL Learners’ Linguistic Sequential Development and the Curricula of Formal and Informal Learning Settings: An Analytical Study

Jalal H Albaqshi

doi:10.5539/elt.v9n3p167

Abstract

<p>This research explores the sequence of content in ESP curricula to our learners’ linguistic development and to authentic situations. This study has been conducted in Alahsa College of Technology, Saudi Arabia. Methodology used was an analysis of an ESP textbook in corpus-based approach and matching the units of the textbook to students' needs analysis of observed real life situation in a car workshop. Results show that the content of the textbook, to some extent, meet the course objectives and students' needs in technical terms with some shortage in expanding the activities to be a functional simulation of an authentic environment regarding conversational and written skills. <strong></strong></p>

Highlights

Curricula are designed and constrained to formal environment of education which can be enhanced by certain facilities and feasible methodology
This paper came out to explore how smooth is the gradualism in an English for specific purposes (ESP) textbook
From the results and outcome, it is concluded that gradualism is appropriate in technical focus and vocabulary presentation

Summary

Introduction

Curricula are designed and constrained to formal environment of education which can be enhanced by certain facilities and feasible methodology. With ESP courses, there is a separation, to some extent, between curricula content and authentic situations This separation can lead to a lower curriculum functionality and compatibility to the sequential development of learners of English for specific purposes. English for specific purposes (ESP) programs offer their courses with a diversity of textbooks and methodologies. This diversity creates, in some cases, optimal learning opportunities but result, in other cases, to ineffective outcomes. The conflict of such results presents a high demand to examine whether or not these curricula meet real ESP environment and situations

Methods

Results

Conclusion