Adapting the task-based approach to the teaching of English for engineering technology studies

Abstract

This paper explores how task-based language teaching can be adapted to the teaching of English for engineering technology studies. This approach has been adapted in view of the results of a needs analysis carried out to provide insight into the current situation in ESP teaching to students of engineering technology at Serbian universities. Task-based language teaching is based on the recognized and validated communicative approach to language teaching, combining teaching of English for academic and professional purposes with procedures and techniques used in task-based teaching. The experimental group of students was taught using the adapted approach and modified teaching materials, while the control group was taught according to the existing syllabus. A comparison of the two groups' knowledge test results before the course and upon its completion indicates that students in the experimental group showed significantly greater progress according to all six individual criteria as well as the cumulative test score. These results confirm the greater effectiveness of the adapted approach in engineering technology ESP, primarily due to the importance of practice-oriented teaching aimed at enabling students to successfully complete target tasks in English and prepare them for effective communication in a professional environment.

Keywords

• needs analysis
• task-based language teaching
• English for science and technology
• language skills
• English for specific purposes