Collaboration between ESP and Content Teachers: Challenges and Advantages

Abstract

Collaboration or co-operation have been active areas of research and inquiry in TEFL. However, most writings have focused on the different collaborative methods and techniques used in classrooms. Researching the process of co-planning and co-teaching and the way collaboration between language and content teachers can be implemented has been give much less attention. In the Algerian context, collaboration represents a newly advocated teaching strategy which would enable ESP practitioners overcome some of the difficulties they face as well as assist them to improve self-efficacy, teaching effectiveness and expertise. Therefore, this study is set out to investigate ESP teachers’ views and readiness for collaboration with teachers of content in addition to the way they engage in collaborative practices in the ESP tertiary context in Algeria. A group of five ESP teachers and seven content teachers in the department of Commercial Sciences, Algiers university3, participated in the study. Data collection and analysis of teachers’ pre-survey questionnaire, observations and focus group interviews showed that the vast majority of ESP teachers are in favour of working collaboratively with their peers as well as with content teachers. The study also revealed that ESP teachers need to know better the process of collaboration not only for designing courses and preparing teaching materials, but also for their satisfaction, performance and professional development. The study also concluded that collaboration has to be encouraged to promote the ESP teaching situation at the department of Commercial Sciences despite the factors which may hinder a successful collaborative teaching.

Keywords

• collaboration
• esp teachers
• teachers of content
• commercial sciences
• tefl