Developing Criteria for Designing an Appropriate English Course for Technical Students
No Thumbnail Available
Date
1997-05
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the
communicative as well as target and learning needs of the
technical students with special reference to three technical
schools in Addis Ababa with a view to developing criteria
for designing an appropriate English course for these
students.
For the study! questionnaires were designed and
distributed to three different groups: English teachers!
academic and technical subject teachers and technical
students.
Interviews were conducted with English teachers and
technical students to crosscheck responses obtained through
questionnaires.
An analysis of the English textbooks was made to find
out the most frequent language functions and notions
students needed.
The basic criteria developed from the findings are that
the syllabus should be topic-based incorporating language
functions and notions! skills! vocabulary and structure; the
content should derive both from the technical and general
English; the materials should cover all the four language
skills with emphasis placed in order of priority on reading!
speakin~ writing and listening skills and the methodology
would adopt a variety of more recent and suitable techniques
for language learning such as pair or group work problem
solving activities.
Description
Keywords
Criteria for Designing