Promotional Book (selected pages) of the IATEFL ESP SIG book on English for Work

1. English for Work and the Workplace: Approaches, Curricula and Materials
Current Developments in
iatefl
Current Developments in English for Work and the
Workplace: Approaches, Curricula and Materials Current Developments in
offers a topical insight into current pedagogic practices, with a specific focus on E4W and E4WP.
The IATEFL ESP SIG is very pleased to present this publication to its readers in the hope that the
English for Work and the Workplace:
book bridges a gap in the market while complementing other methodological ESP titles directly
or remotely related to the topic.
Approaches, Curricula and Materials
Mark Krzanowski
Edited by
The ESP Special Interest Group (SIG) is one of fourteen SIGs at IATEFL and its main focus is on English
for Specific Purposes, English for Academic Purposes and English for Occupational/Professional Purposes.
Edited by Mark Krzanowski
The main objective of the SIG is to disseminate good practice in ESP (as well as in EAP and EO/PP) through
its membership and to promote models of excellence in ESP to ELT professionals internationally through
workshops, seminars and conferences and through publishing the output in our Journal and in leading
international ELT Journals and periodicals. More information on the ESP SIG
can be found on http:/espsig.iatefl.org
G A R N E T E D U C AT I O N
arnet
E D U C A T I O N www.iatefl.org
ISBN: 978 1 85964 653 3

2. Contents
Foreword from the Editor 1
Chapter 1 English in the workplace: An Austrian perspective 3
Hans Platzer and Désirée Verdonk
Chapter 2 Bakers don’t say ‘bread’: Designing appropriate ESP materials for 17
operating room technicians in Saudi Arabia
Kieron Devlin
Chapter 3 A needs analysis for information technology service companies in Brazil 39
Rosinda de Castro Guerra Ramos
Chapter 4 Targeting pressure points in the training of learners of English as a 51
second language in the workplace in Africa: The role of communication skills
Bernard Mwansa Nchindila
Chapter 5 Effective English for conducting meetings and writing letters at 61
workplaces in India
Meenakshi Raman
Chapter 6 Communication practices in workplaces and higher education 75
Christine Winberg
Chapter 7 New Zealand’s Language in the Workplace project: Workplace 91
communication for skilled migrants
Meredith Marra, Janet Holmes and Nicky Riddiford
Chapter 8 English for the Workplace practices in Nigeria’s academic and 105
professional industries: 1990–2008
Adejoke Jibowo
Chapter 9 Teaching English for the Workplace in Nigeria using literature and 113
the media
Sunday I. Duruoha
Chapter 10 Teaching business English in Yemen: What and how? 131
Abdulhameed Ashuja’a

3. Chapter 11 Desert island development: Creating ESP courses for Omani 141
Air Force technicians
Neil McBeath
Chapter 12 A pragmatic approach to workplace English in Botswana 153
Modupe M. Alimi
Authors Notes about Contributors 163

4. Foreword from the Editor
English for Work and the Workplace: Approaches, Curricula and Materials is a volume that
offers 12 topical articles written by international English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and English
Language Teaching (ELT) specialists who have been at the forefront of current developments in
this sub-area of ESP and whose expertise informs the content of this book. All the articles have
gone through a peer review process.
Recent years have seen a revival of interest in English for Work (E4W)/English for the
Workplace (E4WP), and this has been reflected both in the output of major ELT publishers as
well as in the range of themed events organized by key language organizations and teaching
associations. The creation of this book is a result of international demand – numerous specific
requests have been made since the publication of the first two IATEFL ESP SIG books
(sponsored by Garnet Education) which clearly favour E4W/E4WP as a potential topic for a new
publication. This volume has also been influenced by specific, focused events (conferences,
seminars or symposia), for example, the English for Work Symposium (30 June–1 July 2008),
University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa, sponsored by the British Council
(Sub-Saharan Africa); the English for Work and the Workplace Pre-Conference Event of IATEFL
ESP SIG (31 March 2009), Cardiff, UK; and the English for Work Hornby Summer School
(April 2009), Cape Town, South Africa, sponsored by the British Council (Sub-Saharan Africa).
All these events paid due attention to cutting-edge advances in the field and attracted the
attention and interest of language teachers, educators, policy makers and publishing houses.
The contributions in this compendium are mainly authored by the members of the IATEFL ESP
SIG, who have done their best to emulate the good practice of the first two books in order to
bring out the specific slant of E4W as an integral, but still distinct, part of ESP. There are also a
couple of submissions prepared by the speakers from the African events mentioned above. Taken
together, the chapters offer a unique blend of various types of E4W theory and practice in
diverse contexts.
E4W and E4WP seem to have become new standard abbreviations that are now gaining
widespread currency alongside other key ELT acronyms and abbreviations, such as EAP, ELF,
ESL, ESOL, EFL, TESOL, to mention but a few. Some consider these two ‘new’ terms to be
revamped variations of EOP, i.e., English for Occupational Purposes. E4W/E4WP may connote
slightly different concepts in various geographical locations. In the UK, for example, ESOL for
Work seems to be associated with state-funded courses for less-skilled professions (e.g., train or
bus drivers, catering staff, tourist industry workers) as opposed to income-generating E4W
courses offered by private language schools for highly skilled professions (e.g., bankers, lawyers,
engineers). This distinction appears less pronounced in most other geographical locations,
although it might be argued that emphasis is normally placed on key industries, depending on
which specific type of E4W is required in a given context.
In the process of compiling and editing this volume, many questions were asked about
approaches, curricula and materials in relation to E4W/E4WP. It may be impossible to answer
these queries with ready-made solutions. Regarding approaches, it seems that ESP professionals
are free to experiment with a range of methods and techniques. In most cases, the generic
principles of ELT methodology work very well in E4W contexts; all that is needed is judicious
PAGE 1

5. adaptation and modification as and when required. As for curricula, E4W/E4WP offers ESP
teachers an opportunity to engage in designing syllabi and schemes of work for interesting,
unique and unusual courses that pose meaningful but rewarding challenges. With regard to
materials, again, E4W involves the practitioners in the process of materials adoption, adaptation,
modification, creation, design and/or redesign. E4W/E4WP, like ESP and EAP or ESOL, will be
welcomed by all those teachers who value the challenges of the sub-discipline, such as
conducting an effective needs analysis, meeting the needs and wants of diverse groups of learners
or, last but not least, embracing the specifics of a complex subject area.
It is hoped that this book provides a selection of articles that will benefit a wide readership. The
articles cover many unique or unusual aspects of ESP, which may well prove an attractive feature
for most readers. Hans Platzer and Désirée Verdonk give an interesting Austrian perspective on
E4W/E4WP and try to determine whether the Austrian way is in any way different from
European or international trends. Kieron Devlin provides a retrospective overview of designing a
tailor-made course for operating room technicians in Saudi Arabia and comprehensively
describes what made the course special and innovative.
Rosinda Ramos reports on how Brazilian ESP experts are coping with the demand for E4W
among the country’s IT companies. Bernard Nchindila reflects on the process of the tailor-made
report writing course offered to local police officers in South Africa. Meenakshi Raman shares
her experience of teaching English for meetings and writing letters, with reference to the Indian
workplace. Christine Winberg presents a study of communication practices in workplaces and
higher education in South Africa and shows how these differ, and why. Meredith Marra, Janet
Holmes and Nicky Riddiford focus specifically on how E4W/E4WP is delivered to skilled
migrants in New Zealand and what the main challenges and successes are. Adejoke Jibowo
reviews E4WP practices in Nigeria in academia and in the professional industries in the last two
decades, and discloses to what extent English is used in various institutions while providing
ample evidence as to why E4W is so important for this multilingual country. Sunday Duruoha
demonstrates how E4W can be successfully delivered through an adept and judicious use of
literature and the media. Abdulhameed Ashuja’a focuses on E4W needs in Yemen and analyzes
the market forces which make a good knowledge of business English a key to professional
success. Neil McBeath describes the minutiae of designing and delivering a challenging E4W
course to Omani aircraft engineering technicians. Last but not least, Modupe Alimi provides an
extensive survey of approaches to training in E4WP in Botswana and backs up her study with
rich statistical evidence and pedagogic guidance.
English for Work and the Workplace: Approaches, Curricula and Materials offers a topical
insight into current pedagogic practices with a specific focus on E4W and E4WP. The IATEFL
ESP SIG is very pleased to present this publication to its readers in the hope that the book
bridges a gap in the market, while complementing other methodological ESP titles directly or
remotely related to the topic. I would like to thank all the authors for their contributions in
which they have conveyed the spirit of their work and research. Special thanks goes to Garnet
Education for their continued support for the series of ESP SIG books.
Mark Krzanowski
IATEFL ESP SIG Coordinator
August 2010
PAGE 2

6. CHAPTER
English in the workplace: An Austrian perspective
1
Hans Platzer and Désirée Verdonk: Department of English,
Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt, Wiener Neustadt, Austria
E-mail: hans.platzer@fhwn.ac.at and verdonk@fhwn.ac.at
Abstract
The economic case for language learning is best characterized by the fact that 11% of
companies polled in the ELAN survey (CILT, 2006) had lost contracts due to a lack of
language competence. However, language skills are also a success factor for individuals.
Grin (2001) finds that language competence correlates with higher wage levels, and in
Austria, language skills are a key factor in recruitment decisions (Archan & Dornmayr,
2006). These facts should theoretically motivate individuals to improve job-related language
skills (E4WP) and employers to support language learning among staff. However, the
Special Eurobarometer 243 records only moderate interest in learning languages, with the
key motivation being private as opposed to job-related, which is also reflected in Austrian
data (Statistik Austria, 2004). Support from employers only materializes to a sufficient
extent in large enterprises, both in the European and the Austrian context (Archan &
Dornmayr, 2006; CILT, 2006; Platzer & Verdonk, 2003/2008a). Hence, neither employers
nor individuals can be relied on to consistently meet the needs of the economy in providing
competence in E4WP. For the foreseeable future, this responsibility will be borne by the
education system. At the skills level, Austrian personnel managers demand that the
education system focus mainly on spoken competence (Archan & Dornmayr, 2006), a
sentiment also echoed by CILT (2006). However, the ELAN survey data also revealed an
urgent need for written competence, as companies routinely commission professional
translations and cite inadequate writing skills as a key reason for losing business. The
education system should therefore continue to take up the challenge of providing instruction
in E4WP, without neglecting written skills, however, as these are demonstrably relevant for
economic success.
Keywords: employability, lifelong learning, motivation, spoken vs written skills, ESP,
business English.
PAGE 3

7. CHAPTER 1
1 Introduction
1.1 Background
The starting point of the following considerations is the 2000 Feira European Council which
‘agreed […] to develop and implement coherent and comprehensive strategies for lifelong
learning’ and to contribute ‘to the establishment of a European area of lifelong learning’
(European Commission, 2001, pp. 3–4). In respect of lifelong learning, two aspects merit
special attention in our context. In the first instance, the Commission reiterates ‘the
importance of improving basic skills’ (European Commission, 2001, p. 22), one of them
being competence in foreign languages. Secondly, the drive towards lifelong learning was
expressly initiated in the context of the European Employment Strategy (European
Commission, 2001), and consequently the Commission identifies ‘employability’ as a key
aim of lifelong learning (European Commission, 2001, p. 22).
Because of the centrality of language skills and employability, both these concepts will inform
the following observations. First of all, as the Commission postulates an economic impact of
language skills on individual workers (and hence their employability), Section 2.1 will briefly
review language skills as an economic factor for the individual employee as well as for
businesses. Secondly, the notion of boosting employability through language skills implies
teaching ESP as opposed to general English, while lifelong learning will also affect the whole
education system. Hence the role of the education system in the teaching of ESP will be the
focus of Section 2.2. Finally in Section 2.3, we shall concern ourselves with specific language
skills that are of particular relevance in the workplace. All these issues will be discussed against
the background of several empirical surveys, providing data at three levels of aggregation.
1.2 Relevant surveys
(a) The most general, European, tier is represented by the ELAN survey dealing with ‘Effects
on the European economy of shortages of foreign languages skills in enterprises’ (CILT,
2006). This report illustrates the overall European situation of English in the workplace and
contains data gleaned from a questionnaire survey of 1,989 small and medium enterprises
(SMEs) from 29 European countries (CILT, 2006, p. 61). The survey also includes
information from a ‘representative sample of 30 large […] companies’ (CILT, 2006, p. 9).
In addition, a previous, though smaller-scale, telephone survey had already been conducted
by CILT in 2005 ‘involving approximately 50 respondents in the UK, France and Germany’
from major multinational companies (CILT, 2005, p. 6).
(b) At a lower level of aggregation, these European data are contrasted with an Austrian
perspective based on two different surveys. First, Archan and Dornmayr (2006) carried out
a questionnaire survey among chief executives and human resource managers from a
representative sample of 2,017 Austrian companies (Archan & Dornmayr, 2006). Secondly,
Weber (2005) presents findings gleaned from a more limited sample of 40 human resource
managers in large Austrian enterprises. Despite this comparatively small sample, these 40
businesses nonetheless accounted for a total of 261,677 staff (Weber, 2005).
PAGE 4

8. CHAPTER 1
(c) Finally at the most detailed level, we will discuss selected data from two questionnaire
surveys of our own, conducted in 2003 and 2008 at the Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt
(University of Applied Sciences). The Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt offers 11 bachelor’s
and 9 master’s programmes in business consultancy, engineering, health professions, police
leadership, and training and sports, with an intake of about 2,500 students a year. The
majority of students are enrolled in full-time programmes, however, several of the business
consultancy and engineering programmes are run on a part-time basis, and it was the
mature, in-service students from these business and engineering programmes who were
polled on the use of English at their place of work. The samples were comparatively small
(2003: N = 153; 2008: N = 165), but what sets off these data from all the above-mentioned
surveys is the fact that our respondents report on their own use of English in the workplace.
By contrast, the surveys described under points (a) and (b) only provide information at one
remove, as personnel managers report on the surmised use of foreign languages in their
companies, while the actual language users themselves, are not given any voice. For this
reason – and despite the small sample – we consider the responses of our subjects to be a
useful check for the personnel managers’ observations.
2 Results and discussion
2.1 Economic impact of foreign language skills
The economic case for fostering foreign languages in general, and English in particular, is
best characterized by the fact that 11% of companies polled in the ELAN survey had lost
contracts due to a lack of language competence (CILT, 2006). The survey also extrapolated
that SMEs could reckon with an export sales proportion of an additional 44.5% if they
implemented language management measures, such as appointing native speakers or using
translators/interpreters (CILT, 2006). With the economic role of foreign languages for
businesses thus firmly established, the question now is whether the economic relevance of
language skills is translated into a premium that employers put on language competence
among staff. This may be expressed either in a positive correlation of language skills and
wage levels, or in a greater willingness of employers to hire polyglot staff. Looking at wage
levels, Grin (2001) conducted a survey among 1,944 Swiss nationals and concluded that
‘English language skills are associated with significant earnings gains’, which is true ‘even at
lower levels of competence’ (Grin, 2001, p. 73). Crucially, Grin assumes that, based on
foreign trade per capita, these conclusions do not only hold true of Switzerland, but that ‘we
would expect similar results […] for the Netherlands, Austria, Germany, France and Italy’
(Grin, 2001, p. 74). Moreover, from a solely Austrian perspective, the language skills of job
seekers also increase the likelihood of their actually being recruited. After all, half of the
Austrian human resource managers polled by Archan and Dornmayr (2006) report that
language competence ‘(almost) always’ or ‘often’ plays a role in recruitment decisions
(Archan & Dornmayr, 2006, p. 60).
PAGE 5

9. CHAPTER 1
2.2 Language training in businesses
Section 2.1 has clearly shown that there is an economic case to be made for the lifelong
learning of foreign languages. However, the notion of lifelong learning, taken at face value,
should then presumably mean picking up job-related skills such as ESP as one goes along,
and not necessarily in the education system. As a consequence, this would theoretically shift
some of the onus of providing ESP teaching away from the education system and on to
employers and language users. To ascertain whether employers and language users are up to
this task, we shall first take a look at the level of support provided by companies in regard
to language learning, and secondly, at the willingness and the motivation of staff to take up
foreign languages.
As the figures in Table 1 suggest, the provision of support depends heavily on company size.
The situation looks fairly satisfactory where large companies are concerned. At the
European level, 86% of large corporations provide their staff with support with regard to
language learning (Table 1). Austrian firms give support at a similar level (85%) and a
comparable number (75%) of our respondents working in large corporations report that
they are actually backed by their employers.
Table 1: Support for language learning in companies
Europe Austria
Company size CILT (2006) Archan & Dornmayr Own survey (2008)
(number of staff) (2006)
Large (250+) 86% 85% 75%
Medium-sized (50–249) 78% 37%
Small (10–49) 49% 55%
15%
Micro (0–9) 38%
However, two things seem to be happening as we move on to SMEs. First of all – and not
unexpectedly – the level of support drops (Table 1). At the European level, CILT (2006) has
49% of SMEs giving support to staff, while in an Austrian setting, somewhat over three
quarters (78%) of medium-sized enterprises foster language learning, with the figure
dropping to 55% in small companies and 38% in micro-corporations. On the basis of the
European data, CILT (2006) concludes that ‘language training was a feature mainly of
larger companies. Medium sized and small companies could simply not afford to invest in
this training’ (CILT, 2006, p. 39). However, the amount of language training actually taking
place may be even lower than that. CILT (2006) observes that while 49% of firms report
that they are offering language training, only 35% confirm that language training had
actually taken place. Hence, ‘there may be difficulties converting the offer of training into
actual take up’ (CILT, 2006, p. 34). This fact may also explain the discrepancy between the
figures reported by Archan and Dornmayr (2006) of Austrian human resource managers’
responses and of our own respondents (Table 1). After all, while 78% of personnel
PAGE 6

10. CHAPTER 1
managers in medium-sized companies said that staff were offered support, only 37% of our
respondents reported receiving support. A similar discrepancy can be observed in small and
micro-corporations, with 55% and 38% of managers, respectively, saying they provided
support, and only 15% of staff in small firms (including micro-corporations) receiving back-
up. At the European level, CILT concludes that the discrepancy between the level of support
reported and the training actually provided ‘reflects no doubt the more fragile resource base
of the SME’ (CILT, 2006, p. 46). On the other hand, the gap may also be a case of over-
reporting by human resource managers in SMEs (such over-reporting of positively perceived
responses being a well-known phenomenon in surveys). If we relate these findings to lifelong
learning, it does not appear that the concept has truly taken hold in SMEs. It would
therefore be premature to rely on employers to provide the language training necessary for
the economy.
But the flagging support from SMEs is matched by Europeans’ comparative indifference to
taking up languages. The Special Eurobarometer 243 reports that the ‘level of motivation of
EU citizens to learn languages is moderate’ and that ‘softer motives’, i.e., non-vocational
ones, ‘remain very much in evidence’ (European Commission, 2006, p. 5). This means that
if foreign languages are taken up, it will be out of general interest – which implies general
English rather than ESP – and not for professional reasons. Hence, one should not rely on
Europeans to take up ESP on their own initiative. This European state of affairs is also
reflected at the Austrian level. A representative poll by the Austrian Statistics Office
(Statistik Austria, 2004) revealed that only 30% of respondents who had taken up foreign
languages had done so for professional reasons, while the vast majority of 70% had a
strictly private motivation (Statistik Austria 2004, quoted in Archan & Holzer, 2006, p.
66). Our own respondents bear this out as well: 40% claimed they had taken language
training for private reasons, and only 25% for work-related reasons. On the basis of these
data, the Eurobarometer concludes that ‘for many Europeans, school appears to be the only
place where they ever learn foreign languages’ (European Commission, 2006, p. 8); Archan
and Dornmayr (2006) make the same claim for Austria. Therefore, while the lifelong
learning initiative might theoretically shift the onus of providing job-related language skills
(ESP) from the public education system onto the language users and their employers, the
current surveys suggest that this would be a premature move. Based on their data, Archan
and Dornmayr (2006) actually recommend an increased focus of the Austrian education
system on ESP, rather than relying on the initiative of corporations or individuals.
As some work obviously needs to be done in respect of lifelong learning at the corporate
and individual level alike, it may be worthwhile identifying which target groups need
particular persuasion to take up language learning. Both the Austrian Statistics Office
(Statistik Austria, 2004) and our own data reveal that females consistently take more
language classes than men (Figure 1): all three surveys report a ratio of 3:2 in favour of
females. Hence, it seems that lifelong learning of foreign languages will need additional
promotion among male employees.
PAGE 7

11. CHAPTER 1
100%
61% 58% 59%
50%
39% 42% 41%
0%
Statistik Austria (2004) Own survey (2003) Own survey (2008)
(quoted in
Archan & Holzer, 2006, p. 64)
Male Female
Figure 1: Participation in language training in Austria (male:female ratio)
50%
25%
37%
22%
10% 8%
0%
Special Eurobarometer 243 Fessel-GfK (2001)
(European Commission, 2006, p. 8) (quoted in Archan & Holzer, 2006, p. 20)
Group lessons Audiovisual material (tape, CD, etc.)
Figure 2: Preferred method of language learning (Europe and Austria)
In this context, it might be tempting to assume that new technologies and, particularly
e-learning, can play a key role in fostering lifelong learning, especially as such technologies
could address the funding problems mentioned by CILT (2006). This view is obviously
taken by the European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture, which
recommends the use of ‘flexible and time saving Internet courses’ (European Commission
Directorate-General for Education and Culture, 2008, p. 13). However, the appeal of
audiovisual materials for self-study (either on- or off-line) still lags far behind full-blown
language classes (Figure 2).
PAGE 8

12. CHAPTER 1
The Special Eurobarometer 243 reports the popularity of audiovisual materials is half that
of group lessons (10% vs 22%) and the appeal of self-study is even lower in an Austrian
context (8% vs 37%). Among Austrians, the only age group where online resources are
more popular than off-line materials is 20–29 years. However, even here the popularity of
self-study materials never passes the 10% threshold, according to Fessel-GfK (as cited in
Archan & Holzer, 2006, p. 20). Therefore, for the moment, self-study (whether on- or off-
line) still leads a ‘Cinderella’ existence compared with group lessons. That means if lifelong
learning is to be fostered, governments, businesses and learners will need to dig deeper into
their pockets to make funding available for group classes as this still seems to be the
preferred way of language learning, despite the high hopes for e-learning.
2.3 Written vs oral skills
In the final part of our paper, we are going to focus on the perceived needs concerning
written and oral skills. The ELAN survey seems to indicate that the importance placed on
oral skills outweighs that of written skills (CILT, 2006). The most frequently cited skills are
English for negotiations, meetings and exhibitions, with English for correspondence trailing
(CILT, 2006). However, the ELAN survey also indicates that a substantial number of
companies had commissioned professional translators, and compiling an English version of
their homepage (obviously a written skill) was undertaken by 57% of those polled (CILT,
2006). Interestingly, the main reason cited for missing the opportunity of winning an export
contract was the ‘lack of language for negotiation’, but this was immediately followed by
‘lack of English in correspondence’ (CILT, 2006, p. 18). This seems slightly at odds with the
final recommendations which emphasize, inter alia, the need for improved oral skills, but do
not mention any particular written skill.
At first glance, the Austrian situation seems to support the ELAN findings. The Archan and
Dornmayr (2006) report indicates that 80% of the more than 2,000 companies polled stated
that at least some of the staff use English on a regular basis. The breakdown of the skills
most frequently used is depicted in Figure 3.
Speaking 70%
Reading 60%
Writing 53%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 3: Key language skills of staff in Austrian enterprises (Archan & Dornmayr, 2006)
PAGE 9

13. CHAPTER 1
Speaking 72%
Writing 39%
English for 33%
Specific Purposes
Reading 22%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 4: Areas for improvement in language education and training (Archan & Dornmayr, 2006)
Taking a closer look at the three mentioned skills, it is interesting to note that speaking
involves obvious areas like direct personal interaction, telephoning, meetings and
presentations, whereas reading not only includes reading handbooks and technical
information, but also correspondence. The obvious importance of reading (and hence
reading correspondence), together with a 53% rate of companies indicating the need for
written correspondence (letters or e-mails) seems to contradict the perceived needs of
companies, which ranked areas for improvement in language education and training as is
shown in Figure 4.
One could argue, of course, that reading and writing skills are already at an adequate level,
whereas the spoken skills are not. Other data from research with a similar approach do,
however, support the notion that although on the face of it oral skills seem to dominate,
written English does still play a major role in business. When asked about areas for
improvement, Austrian companies polled in a survey by Weber (2005) indicated that they
wanted their staff to improve skills as is shown in Figure 5.
PAGE 10

14. CHAPTER 1
Presentations 70%
Telephoning 70%
Negotiations 70%
Correspondence 60%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
Figure 5: Areas for improvement suggested by large Austrian enterprises (Weber, 2005)
These findings, together with the above-mentioned details of Archan and Dornmayr (2006),
do, in our opinion, make the case for keeping oral as well as written skills in the focus of
language education and training. Therefore, the final recommendations in the Archan and
Dornmayr (2006) study, stressing the need for a revision of language curricula at schools
and institutions of higher education with an emphasis on oral communication at the expense
of written skills and grammar, need to be taken with caution.
To make our case, we would like to bring in a third level of analysis: the results of two
surveys that we carried out in 2003 and 2008. A needs analysis of our in-service students
studying Business or Engineering at the Fachhochschule Wiener Neustadt was primarily
carried out with the aim to revise the curricula of our full-time and part-time programmes
both at the bachelor and master level. One of the aspects that we were primarily interested
in was the issue of oral versus written communication as experienced by these mature
students in their workplaces. Of the 246 students polled in 2008, 165 (67%) said they used
English at work, with more Engineering students (76%) making that claim than Business
students (59%). In 2003, the figures were similar: of the 216 students polled, 153 (70%)
claimed to use English at work, with 70% of the Business students and 72% of the
Engineering students saying they did so. Interestingly, the only obvious change between
2003 and 2008 was the reduction in the number of Business students using English and an
increase in the Engineering students.
In response to the question ‘In which form do you use English at work?’, 72% of students
claimed to use English in both forms, orally and in writing. This was down from 88% in
2003. At the same time, the use of mainly spoken English increased from 7.2% to 20%,
while the use of mainly written English increased over the five-year period from just 4.6%
to 8.1% (Figure 6).
PAGE 11

15. CHAPTER 1
100%
75%
71.9%
88.2%
50%
25%
20.0%
7.2%
8.1%
4.6%
0%
Own survey (2003) Own survey (2008)
(N = 153) (N = 165)
Figure 6: ‘In which form do you use English at work?’
Although this does indicate that spoken English is on the increase (a tendency in line with
both the European and the general Austrian results: Archan & Dornmayr, 2006; CILT,
2006; Weber, 2005), it still shows that written English cannot be relegated to the sidelines.
In terms of frequency of use, a closer look at those actually using English in the workplace
shows that two-thirds are in the high (daily and several times a week) and medium (once a
week to several times a month) frequency ranges. In addition, it also indicates they use
spoken and written English equally as often (Figures 7 and 8).
100%
39.2% 37.1%
75%
50% 19.6% 23.3%
25% 36.6% 35.8%
4.6% 3.8%
0%
Own survey (2003) Own survey (2008)
(N = 153) (N = 165)
Figure 7: ‘How often do you use written English?’
PAGE 12

16. CHAPTER 1
100%
39.0% 36.9
75%
50% 23.9% 27.5%
25%
36.5% 33.8%
0% 0.6% 1.9%
Own survey (2003) Own survey (2008)
(N = 153) (N = 165)
Figure 8: ‘How often do you use spoken English?’
The situations in which spoken or written English is used by our respondents is again in line
with the Austrian situation in general (Archan & Dornmayr, 2006; Weber, 2005). The most
frequently quoted types of spoken situations are telephoning, social contacts and meetings.
The written mode (both as far as reading and drafting are concerned) is topped by letters
and e-mails, followed by technical documentation and reports.
As an institution of tertiary education, the Fachhochschule, with its vocational focus, has
the obligation to provide ESP instruction relevant to the workplace. Based on the
recommendations of the ELAN survey and the Austrian surveys quoted above, this would
mean prioritizing oral aspects at the expense of written skills and grammar. Our surveys, as
do Archan and Dornmayr (2006) and Weber (2005) when scrutinized more closely, indicate
that an equal focus on written skills is still called for. In addition, we hold that as academic
institutions, Fachhochschulen have an obligation to position themselves in a way that caters
for both vocational and academic requirements.
As a last and final aspect, Archan and Dornmayr (2006) report that 50% of contacts
involve customers (as opposed to internal communication). Our students claimed that more
than 75% of contacts were with customers and in such external contacts, some formal
writing skills and politeness strategies are clearly in order. We therefore conclude that it
would be premature to ignore the written medium of English in the workplace.
PAGE 13

17. CHAPTER 1
3 Conclusion
Empirical surveys at the European and Austrian level confirm language competence as a
success factor for both individuals and corporations. The economic impact of the European
Commission’s aim of fostering lifelong learning of ESP has therefore been empirically
substantiated. These economic benefits seem to have been taken on board by large
corporations, both at the European and the Austrian level. However, lifelong learning of
foreign languages does not seem to be firmly established either in SMEs or among individual
learners. Consequently, relying on corporations or individuals to cater to their own needs
with regard to ESP may at this point be ill advised, and the education system will likely
remain the key provider of language training, particularly of job-related language skills, i.e.,
ESP. In the tertiary system, this will probably also involve written skills to a substantial
degree, despite managers’ expectations to the contrary. The relevance of writing tends to be
underestimated by business people, and secondly, especially in the tertiary system, ESP
cannot only involve business English, but will also have to include aspects of academic
English, and hence the written medium.
References
Archan, S., & Dornmayr, H. (2006). Fremdsprachenbedarf und -kompetenzen:
Unternehmensbefragung zu Ausbildungsqualität und Weiterbildungsbedarf. (ibw-
Schriftenreihe Nr. 131). Vienna: Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft. Retrieved
September 21, 2010, from
http://www.ibw.at/de/studien?page=shop.browse&category_id=6&keyword=&manufac
turer_id=0&itemid=127&orderby=product_cdate&start=35
Archan, S., & Holzer, C. (2006). Sprachenmonitor: Zahlen, Daten und Fakten zur
Fremdsprachensituation in Österreich. (ibw-Bildung & Wirtschaft Nr. 38). Vienna:
Institut für Bildungsforschung der Wirtschaft. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://www.ibw.at/html/buw/BW38.pdf
CILT (2005). Talking sense: A research study of language skills management in major
companies. London: CILT. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/research_and_statistics/research/cilt_activities/the_economic
_case.aspx
CILT (2006). ELAN: Effects on the European economy of shortages of foreign languages
skills in enterprise. London: CILT. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://www.cilt.org.uk/home/research_and_statistics/research/cilt_activities/the_economic
_case.aspx
European Commission (2001). Communication from the Commission. Making a European
area of lifelong learning a reality. (COM(2001) 678 final). Brussels: European
Commission. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/education_training_youth/lifelong_learning/c11054
_en.htm
PAGE 14

18. CHAPTER 1
European Commission (2006). Europeans and their languages. (Special Eurobarometer
243). Brussels: European Commission. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_243_sum_en.pdf
European Commission Directorate-General for Education and Culture (2008). Languages
mean business. Companies work better with languages. Recommendations from the
Business Forum for Multilingualism established by the European Commission. Brussels:
European Communities. Retrieved September 10, 2010, from
http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/davignon_en.pdf
Grin, F. (2001). English as economic value: Facts and fallacies. World Englishes, 20(1),
65–78.
Platzer, H., & Verdonk, D. (2003). English in the workplace: A survey among Austrian
professional people. Paper presented at the Annual BESIG Conference, Rotterdam.
Platzer, H., & Verdonk, D. (2008a). English in the workplace: A survey among Austrian
professional people. Paper presented at the Annual IATEFL Conference, Exeter.
Platzer, H., & Verdonk, D. (2008b). Tell us what you want, what you really, really want.
A survey of English in the workplace. Paper presented at the Annual BESIG Conference,
Bonn-Rhein-Sieg.
Statistik Austria (2004). Lebenslanges Lernen. Egebnisse des Mikrozensus Juni 2003.
Vienna: Statistik Austria.
Weber, M. (2005). Fremdsprachen in österreichischen Großunternehmen: Eine
Bedarfanalyse. Unpublished master’s thesis, University of Economics and Business
Administration, Vienna, Austria.
PAGE 15

19. CHAPTER
Bakers don’t say ‘bread’: Designing appropriate ESP
2
materials for operating room technicians in Saudi Arabia
Kieron Devlin, The Language Centre, University of the Arts, London
E-mail: k.j.devlin@arts.ac.uk
Abstract
Initially, English for Special Purposes (ESP) was founded in the area of science and technology
and had a growth period in the 1970s, particularly in the Middle East (Gatehouse, 2001).
One offshoot of that was English for Medical Purposes, in which Graeco-Latin terminology
underpinned the courses written for the health sciences. Since then, ESP has ‘lost some of its
early lustre’ (Harding, 2007, p. 3) and has split into business English and English for
Academic Purposes (EAP), yet it remains relevant to today’s global language needs. Writing
ESP materials, however, is a process that requires intensive research on the part of the
curriculum designer. In 1997, an in-house study book was produced for Saudi Arabian
students who were simultaneously learning English and doing work training in the operating
rooms at Riyadh Military Hospital. This course trained Saudis to acquire operating room
skills in conjunction with John Moore’s University, Liverpool. The aim was to set standards
in line with City & Guilds qualifications. The materials required not only medical
knowledge, but a survey of interpersonal language used among health staff. This paper seeks
to reflect on the issues involved in creating this ESP book, exploring the teaching and learning
possibilities inherent in the task, and on the limitations of working within such a highly
specialized workplace. It speculates on the changes in approach since 1997 regarding ESP
materials design and states which elements of the resulting materials were effectively tailored
to their audience and which might now require a freshly considered approach.
Keywords: English for Specific Purposes (ESP), English for Science and Technology (EST),
operating room technician, operating department practitioner, English for Operating
Department Practitioners (EODP) syllabus design, operating room.
PAGE 17

20. CHAPTER
A needs analysis for information technology service
3
companies in Brazil
Rosinda de Castro Guerra Ramos: Pontifical Catholic University of
São Paulo, Brazil
E-mail: rramos1@uol.com.br
Abstract
One of the new challenges that ESP practitioners in Brazil have to deal with is the shortage
of proficient English speaking professionals to supply the needs of the information
technology (IT) outsourcing market, which has been experiencing a phenomenal growth in
the country. English courses specifically designed to meet the needs of IT groups have rarely,
if ever, been reported. How, then, can we make these individuals perform adequately in
English at work? The research project presented here represents an effort to resolve this
problem. It reports on a needs analysis conducted in two IT companies. First, the context of
the study is presented and, second, the steps taken during the whole process are described.
Third, the different sources and ways of collecting data are presented. Finally, the analysis
procedures and preliminary results are shown and discussed in the hope that ideas may be
shared so that these results may lend themselves as input for the design of materials.
Keywords: English for the Workplace, needs analysis, ESP in Brazil, English for
Information Technology.
1 Introduction
One of the new challenges ESP practitioners in Brazil have been facing is the increasing
demand attached to effective knowledge of English in the workplace (Cardoso, 2003a,
2003b; Gomes, 2003; Ramos, 2005; Vian Jr., 2003; among others). To explain, for some 30
years now, Brazilian ESP practitioners have been mostly devoted to the teaching of reading
and/or academic skills (Celani, Deyes, Holmes & Scott, 2005; Celani, Holmes, Ramos &
Scott, 1988; Holmes, Celani, Ramos & Scott, 1993; Ramos, Lima-Lopes & Gazotti Vallim,
2004). However, the substantial economic technological worldwide changes have brought
about new professional demands.
Successful use of oral communication skills in English has become more and more vital to
guarantee a job in Brazilian corporate settings, especially in positions requiring advanced
English language proficiency. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why business English
courses have been attracting increased interest throughout the big cities in the country.
More recently, a particularly urgent case has emerged – the shortage of proficient English-
speaking professionals to supply the needs of the IT outsourcing market.
PAGE 39

21. CHAPTER
Targeting pressure points in the training of learners of
4
English as a second language in the workplace in Africa:
The role of communication skills
Bernard Mwansa Nchindila: Department of English Studies,
University of South Africa (UNISA), Pretoria, RSA
E-mail: nchinbm@unisa.ac.za
Abstract
Teaching English as a second language in a multilingual workplace can be quite exciting, but
this is not always the case. Because traditional schools, colleges and universities are not yet
well positioned to respond to the demands of the workplace, individuals and small enterprise
organisations continue to be the main actors in this business. This paper identifies three
major reasons why teaching English in the workplace is a difficult exercise, especially in
Africa. (i) Adult learners usually perceive themselves as knowledgeable in English language.
(ii) Workplace training is sometimes carried out by experts who are not necessarily teachers.
Few have qualifications for teaching adults and so many never apply any methodology at all.
Evidence of this is that experts in the field have actually been moving further and further
away from the business of teaching. (iii) In much of Africa in general, English is taught not as
a second language but as a ‘second-hand language’. The net effect is that collectively these
factors culminate in pressure points in the life of learners in the workplace, which must be
targeted during training in order to minimize the pressure. The paper then shares an
approach aimed at helping trainers in teaching English as a second language in the workplace
that was used in training police officers in report writing skills in Pretoria in 2004. Using
report writing as a sub-text, the paper proposes the use of communication skills and portfolio
assessments as opposed to using traditional methods, such as examinations, as ways of
treating the pressure points of these learners while they are learning.
Keywords: report writing, adult English learners, communication training skills, English for
work teaching approach, pressure points in learning English in Africa.
1 Introduction
One day research will come out of Africa to explain the African servitude of accepting
donations in the form of ‘leftovers’: heavily scented and fumigated worn-out sweatshirts
from the UK, the USA and France; hurriedly made jeans from China; and English as a
‘second-hand language’ from England. Like the Reading Wars of America, issues pertaining
to the social implications of Africa’s servitude are battles and wars to be fought, lost or won
another day. The body of literature on teaching of English to adults is, however, growing
considerably (e.g., Harmer, 1997, 2001; Scrivener, 2005; Smith & Swan, 2001). The
PAGE 51

22. CHAPTER
Effective English for conducting meetings and
5
writing letters at workplaces in India
Meenakshi Raman: BITS, Pilani – K.K. Birla Goa Campus, Goa, India
E-mail: mraman@bits-pilani.ac.in and raman.mee@gmail.com
Abstract
Communication is the lifeline of any workplace, irrespective of whether it belongs to any
industrial sector such as engineering, information technology, financial, pharmaceutical,
medical, or an education sector or a government sector. Every workplace has its own
communication networks to keep alive information sharing among its employees, between
its managers and employees, among its managers, and between its employees and its clients.
As the success of an organization depends on the quality and quantity of the information
flowing through its personnel, it is essential to ensure the effective transmission of messages
through all communication channels. This criterion necessitates the enhancement of the
linguistic ability of an organization’s employees. With English being the most widely used
language in a large number of workplaces in India and also being the lingua franca of the
world, organizations need to provide adequate training to their employees in using English
effectively for their communication purposes. Although there are some organizations in
India, including public organizations, that use other Indian regional languages for
communication both oral and written, liberalization and globalization have brought to the
fore the importance of English in the professional world. There are several forms of
communication that are common to many workplaces in India. For instance, oral forms –
such as meetings; conversations, both face to face and telephonic; and negotiations – and
written forms – such as letters, memos, e-mails and circulars – are being used at almost all
workplaces and English is predominantly used in these forms. All these forms expect their
communicators to use appropriate expressions in English so that their messages are direct,
precise and clear. The same requirement arises while using English in contexts such as
interacting with clients and customers, managing conflicts, delivering project presentations,
briefing project teams or drafting reports and proposals. Hence, it would be fruitful to know
how English is being used in Indian workplaces in various contexts.
This paper focuses on the English expressions that are used in workplaces in India in two
commonly used contexts, namely, business meetings and business letters, and discusses these
aspects of language through examples from workplace situations. The examples specific to Indian
contexts would enhance our understanding of the clarity and precision with which English needs
to be spoken or written to meet the various communication challenges in workplaces.
Keywords: workplace, India, English, oral, written, meetings, letters.
PAGE 61

23. CHAPTER
Communication practices in workplaces and
6
higher education
Christine Winberg: Cape Peninsula University of Technology,
South Africa
E-mail: winbergc@cput.ac.za
Abstract
Communication practices in the workplace and related higher education sites in the fields of
architecture, mechanical engineering and radiography were studied and compared. A wide
variety of communication practices was found in workplaces, each with specific purposes,
audiences and contexts. A more limited range of communication practices was found in
higher education departments, with less clarity with regard to the intended purpose,
audience and context of the communication. The study showed that in their workplaces,
architects, engineers and radiographers do not normally write for other architects, engineers
or radiographers, but for related professionals. Architects would, for example, prepare
drawings and documents for structural engineers; mechanical engineers would prepare
layout diagrams and instructions for electrical engineers; and radiotherapists would prepare
and update patient records for oncologists. The clear sense of purpose, audience and context
that is apparent in workplace writing is related to the inter-professional, interdisciplinary
focus of professional writing. In contrast, the communication practices in career-focused
(undergraduate) higher education tend to be intra-professional and intra-disciplinary; this
causes students to experience confusion in terms of the purpose, audience and context of
their writing.
Keywords: technical communication, technical writing, technical and professional genres,
professional communication, non-academic writing, work-based writing, career-focused
higher education.
1 Introduction
This paper reports on a research study which mapped communication practices in
workplaces and related higher education disciplines, in order to identify opportunities to
enhance communication practices in applied science, engineering and technology (ASET)
disciplines. The research objective was to critically examine the educationally effective,
inclusive and work-focused communication practices in the context of ASET disciplines in
higher education, for the mutual benefit of students and workplaces.
PAGE 75

24. CHAPTER
New Zealand’s Language in the Workplace project:
7
Workplace communication for skilled migrants
Meredith Marra, Janet Holmes and Nicky Riddiford:
Victoria University of Wellington
E-mail: meredith.marra@vuw.ac.nz
Abstract
Because of perceived English language difficulties, professional migrants are often
overlooked in their quest for employment which appropriately matches their qualifications
and expertise. This chapter describes Victoria University of Wellington’s Workplace
Communication for Skilled Migrants course, a government-funded initiative for unemployed
and underemployed skilled migrants in New Zealand. The specific goal of the course is the
development of communication skills for the New Zealand workplace, with a particular
emphasis on the sociopragmatic demands of workplace interaction. With a philosophy of
empowerment, course members are encouraged to undertake their own analyses of what is
going on in workplace talk, in order to facilitate the development of sociopragmatic skills
that have application beyond narrow contexts and tasks. We begin by reporting on the
course design. The course materials draw on an extensive corpus of naturally occurring
workplace interactions between effective native speaker communicators, which has been
collected and analysed by the Wellington Language in the Workplace Project over the past
decade. Next, we describe a current research project which is evaluating the success of the
course by tracking the participants as they enter the New Zealand workplace on supported
workplace internships. Finally, we note the importance of the two-way commitment
between hosts and newcomers which is contributing to migrants’ improved participation in
the workforce.
Keywords: English for work, skilled migrants, sociopragmatic competence, government policy.
1 Introduction
For many skilled migrants who come to New Zealand, finding employment that matches
their qualifications and experience often proves difficult, with a perceived lack of English
language proficiency creating a seemingly insurmountable hurdle. The much-needed expertise
that they bring and their potential to make a considerable contribution to society is
acknowledged and actively sought by the government. But speaking the majority language is
viewed as a necessity for facilitating successful employment and settlement, and hence a key
feature of the entry requirements is a reasonably high level of English proficiency (IELTS 6.5,
or equivalent). Despite reaching this benchmark, professional migrants are frequently
PAGE 91

25. CHAPTER
English for the Workplace practices in Nigeria’s academic
8
and professional industries: 1990–2008
Adejoke Jibowo: Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye,
Ogun State, Nigeria
E-mail: avjibowo@gmail.com and avjibowo@yahoo.com
Abstract
English has become a global language, spreading fast into various walks of life: education
and teaching, engineering, banking, media, military and religion. Academic and professional
training in Nigeria, for instance, now includes courses in English language and
communication skills. The main objective of this development has been to meet the growing
demands of recruitment and retention of staff in workplaces. This study takes a look at the
English for Workplace (E4WP) practices in Nigeria’s academic and professional industries
between the years 1990 and 2008. One hundred and eleven (111) academics and
professionals responded to a questionnaire designed to find out the practice, extent and
usefulness of English in their different industries. The researchers’ observations and
experiences of the teaching of English in an academic institution were also used in the
research. The data gathered were analysed. The results revealed a high level of penetration
and use of English language skills in education, engineering, banking and businesses, media,
military and religion-based institutions in Nigeria.
Keywords: English for Work, academic and professional practices, industries.
1 Introduction
The emergence and spread of English as language of international relationships,
dissemination of knowledge, ideas and culture is well attested. It is by far the most
important and acceptable language of scientific and scholarly conferences, workshops and
debates (Ammon, as cited in Kirkpatrick, 2007). In many workplaces, both academic and
professional, engaged in by Nigerians, a certain level of attainment in and understanding of
English language is required. It is almost impossible to be profitably engaged in any work in
Nigeria without at least some competence in the language. Many workplaces, especially in
the last two decades (1990–2008) have placed greater emphasis on effective communication
as a requirement in staff recruitment and retention. The 1990 Communication Skills Project
(COMSKIP) of the Overseas Development Agency (ODA), the British Council and the
National Universities Commission (NUC) was a major attempt to address the problem of
lack of adequate communication skills among Nigerian graduates signalled by workplaces
through feedback reports. Employers in Nigeria, like in other countries, require that their
PAGE 105

26. CHAPTER
Teaching English for the Workplace in Nigeria using
9
literature and the media
Sunday I. Duruoha: Rivers State University of Science and Technology,
Port Harcourt, Nigeria
E-mail: sid2rule@yahoo.com
Abstract
In this paper, I discuss the modalities for teaching English for the Workplace (E4WP) in a
Nigerian context and establish the fact that in a good E4WP class in Nigeria, standard British
English should be used by both teachers and students – but not to the exclusion of other
variants, like Nigerian English. Several activities are described to practise the skills of listening,
speaking, reading and writing, using English literature texts, local Nigerian poetry, plays and
newspaper articles. The aim of this paper is to improve the competence/ability of agricultural
extension workers to communicate concepts and ideas to farmers in rural communities.
Keywords: agriculture, literature, methodology, skills, workplace communication.
1 Introduction
The global status of English may have been firmly confirmed by the appearance of an article
titled ‘English, English everywhere’, published in the Newsweek International of November
15, 1982. Before then, the dominance of English as a global language was a putative idea,
even with the global rise of the USA in world politics. Since then, the ‘eruption’ of
information technology (IT) and the concept of globalization has made English not only the
winning language, but the language of science, technology and cultural interaction. In the
21st century, this is now a well-known fact. But what may not be well known is that as the
USA had been a beacon in the use and spread of English worldwide, when it comes to
Africa, Nigeria, the most populous black nation, was the pillar of the spread of the English
language, as Roger Bowers (1995, p. 82) of the British Council alludes:
It can be observed that English is a major asset for a country like Nigeria; but it is an
asset under threat. Nigeria’s influence in international trade and diplomacy, and its
capacity to export its rich cultural traditions, are enhanced by the relative ease of access
to English and the widespread command of English among what might be termed the
travelling classes. The consistent demand for English among Nigeria’s Francophone
neighbours is adequate proof of the instrumental value of English in this sense.
In this extract the endocentric and exocentric forces are evidently laid bare. While Nigeria is
or could be instrumental in the spread of English especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, the
language remains under ‘threat’ within the Nigerian system as it were.
PAGE 113

27. CHAPTER
Teaching business English in Yemen: What and how?
10
Abdulhameed Ashuja’a: Sana’a University, Yemen
E-mail: ashujaa2@gmail.com
Abstract
Business English has become one of the ESP branches heavily demanded in the labour
markets of many countries, particularly in developing and less-developed ones. Based on a
comprehensive needs analysis carried out in Yemen in 2004, this paper discusses two issues:
what components of English for business should be provided to students of Commerce and
Business Administration (university level), and how to teach these components. Priority is
given to listening and speaking skills, whereas reading and writing skills can come later in
the course. To deliver a business English course, task-based learning (TBL) – as a very
helpful and practical method – is suggested. A model writing task is explained using the TBL
model. Finally, the paper concludes by listing a number of requirements that are of
paramount importance to make the teaching of business English successful.
Keywords: business English; present, target and learning needs; task-based learning; second
language acquisition; work-related activities.
1 Introduction
Business English has acquired greater significance due to the globalization of economy in
which every country tries to look for markets across its borders, and because of the emergence
of multinational companies all over the world looking for new ventures. This implies that
there is a need for a common communicative genre language that is going to be used among
businesspeople and partners from different countries that have diverse mother tongues.
We, in Yemen as a developing country, are facing many challenges. One of these challenges
is how to cope with the requirements of the open market and free economy, from the point
of view of language communication. The advent of multinational companies of different
origins to the Yemeni market, makes communication with such companies more difficult
and troublesome. The language barrier does exist, although English has recently assumed a
better status and a greater importance in the Yemeni society than ever.
As researchers and, basically, teachers of English, we should contribute, therefore, to the
displacement of this barrier, or at least to reducing its effects. Our contribution can be by
bringing the job market into the classroom where business English (BE) is taught, and to take
the classroom to the workplace. The aim should be to teach BE in a more pragmatic and
lively way. In view of this, this paper will touch upon two key issues: what to teach and how?
PAGE 131

28. CHAPTER
Desert island development: Creating ESP courses for
11
Omani Air Force technicians
Neil McBeath: Sultan Qaboos University, Oman
E-mail: neilmcbeath@yahoo.com
Abstract
The following paper is an account of the creation of a series of courses in English for
aircraft engineering technicians working for the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) at the
airbase of RAFO Masirah, Oman.
It outlines the importance of conducting a needs analysis and indicates how the use of
authentic materials can facilitate learning by incorporating obviously relevant content with
the target structures and lexis.
The paper is unusual in one respect, as it records the approach of an English for Specific
Purposes (ESP) practitioner who was both the technical english language specialist and
simultaneously a serving uniformed RAFO officer. This dual role provided invaluable access
to some of the principal stakeholders and established the instructor within the
organizational hierarchy of the RAFO. This paper suggests, however, that the approach
outlined here could be recreated by any ESP practitioner who is prepared to act on Micic’s
(2006, p. 5) advice and ‘not become a teacher of the subject matter, but rather an interested
student of the subject matter.’
Keywords: authentic communication domain, listening, professional reading, schema,
stakeholder training, writing.
1 Introduction
Masirah Island is literally a desert island. It is situated off the eastern coast of the Sultanate
of Oman. The mainland of Oman lies to the north and west. To the east, there is nothing
but the Indian Ocean until one reaches the western coast of India. Head south, and the next
landfall is Antarctica. The fullest account of the island is to be found in Richardson (2001).
Masirah is inhabited by, at most, 5,000 Omanis, most of whom depend on the sea for their
livelihood. There is only one village of any size, and that is located at the northern end of
the island, next to the RAFO Masirah airbase. Both the village and the camp are remote,
even by Omani standards. They are approximately 45 minutes’ flying time from Muscat
(military aircraft only) and some six hours across the desert by ferry and road.
PAGE 141

29. CHAPTER
A pragmatic approach to workplace English in Botswana
12
Modupe M. Alimi: Department of English, University of Botswana
E-mail: alimimm@mopipi.ub.bw
Abstract
In many countries in Africa, there has been a general disenchantment about the language
proficiency of workers in different professions. Sometimes employers are swift to blame
producers of the workforce for the ‘decline’ in employees’ ability to express themselves. In
Botswana, there have been waves of criticism about the English language deficiency of
graduates of the University of Botswana. Similarly, a number of employers have requested
that short courses focusing on specific aspects of language use at the workplace be
introduced for their employees. These criticisms and demands are indications that, globally,
workplace English language requirements are being appraised. This chapter aims to examine
the workplace language needs in Botswana by providing answers to the following questions.
What are the core linguistic characteristics of the different work environments in Botswana?
How do these characteristics impact on the workplace language needs in the country? What
measures can be adopted to enhance workplace language use and what challenges do these
characteristics pose to English language curriculum design in tertiary institutions in
Botswana? The chapter recommends a more pragmatic approach that is cognizant of the
language ecology of the country on the one hand and the powerful forces of globalization
on the other.
Keywords: Botswana, linguistic diversity, general and restricted repertoire, mutual
adaptation, needs analysis, curriculum, globalization.
1 Introduction
Many African countries over the past two to three decades, have witnessed a growing concern
for the apparent fallen standard of English (spoken and written) of high school leavers and
university graduates. The concern is heightened by the fact that these groups of people are
eventually absorbed into the workplace. Statements such as ‘The standard of English has
fallen’ and ‘Graduates these days no longer speak/write good English’ are commonplace.
Botswana has not been insulated from these outcries. For example, in 2005, the Sunday
Standard editorial of April 24 lamented the lack of competence of English graduates from the
University of Botswana by alluding to their appalling performance in the workplace:
PAGE 153

30. CHAPTER 12
A few years ago the University of Botswana was said to be not only the best in Africa
but [sic] the whole world. No longer so. Bachelor’s degrees in English students [sic]
cannot construct a single grammatically correct sentence let alone produce a
comprehensive memorandum.
In many high schools, teachers also lament the poor performance of students in English.
According to the summary of results released by the Botswana Examinations Council in
2007, students’ performance in English language seems to have been declining over a period
of six years (Table 1).
In 2002, 23.4% of the 17,137 candidates who took the Botswana General Certificate of
Secondary Education (BGCSE) examination in English obtained grade C and above. By
2003, this had risen to 25.9%. In 2004, 28.1% of the 17,440 students who took the English
examination obtained grade C or above, implying that they were potentially qualified to be
admitted into the University of Botswana and subsequently join the workforce on
completion of their degree programmes. In 2005 and 2006, there was a slight decline of
about 1% in the numbers of those who obtained grade C and above. In 2007, however, the
number of those who did not potentially qualify to be admitted into the University of
Botswana had risen to 16,790 (76.3%). These figures and the series of remarks about the
Table 1: Summary of students’ results in English in BGCSE between 2002 and 2007
Year Total no of Grade C and Grade D and
candidates above below
2002 17,137 4,006 (23.4%) 13,131 (76.6%)
2003 17,242 4,465 (25.9%) 12,777 (74.1%)
2004 17,440 4,899 (28.1%) 12,541 (71.9%)
2005 17,812 4,838 (27.2%) 12,974 (72.8%)
2006 18,029 4,927 (27.3%) 13,102 (72.7%)
2007 22,016 5,226 (23.7%) 16,790 (76.3%)
Botswana Examinations Council and University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (2007)
fallen standard and poor English language skills of graduates indicate that society is overtly
concerned about the proficiency and competence of high school and university graduates in
Botswana, and their workplace performance.
This chapter discusses workplace English language needs in Botswana by providing answers
to the following questions. What are the core linguistic characteristics of the different work
environments in Botswana? How do these characteristics impact on the workplace language
needs in the country? What challenges do these characteristics pose to English language
curriculum design in tertiary institutions and what measures can be adopted to enhance
workplace language use?
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2 Workplace in Botswana: The linguistic landscape
Botswana is a multilingual and multicultural society. It was a British protectorate until it
gained independence in 1966. In addition to retaining English as its official language at
independence, the country adopted Setswana as its national language. Thus, unlike many
countries in West Africa, where English completely dominates the indigenous languages,
English competes with Setswana in a number of domains in Botswana. In terms of
functions, English is the medium of communication in formal and technical arenas such as
in government, business, international relations, higher education, science and technology
and the media. Batibo (2008, p. 16) asserts that this privileged position accords it higher
prestige and status. Setswana, on the other hand, is the medium of instruction from
Standard 1 to 3, and the medium of expression in cultural arenas such as kgotla (ward)
meetings, customary courts, political meetings and indigenous programmes in the media.
While Setswana is spoken by about 78% of the population, either as mother tongue or
second language, English is spoken as mother tongue by only 0.002% (Batibo, 2008, p. 17).
Although there are native speakers of about 20 other languages, Setswana enjoys higher
prestige as the national language with clearly delineated functions. In terms of attitude to
the language, English seems to benefit from a positive and favourable disposition, which is
connected with the prestige or high status accorded it and its users since it is the language
with the greatest global currency.
One of the implications of the above scenario is that the workplace in Botswana is
multilingual/multicultural and therefore dynamic. According to Batibo (2008, p. 18), the
dialectics of language choice and use is conditioned by external factors such as
globalization, the requirement of technical jargons and interaction with foreign
interlocutors, and internal forces including national identity and cultural consciousness,
level of education and social class.
Based on the above, the linguistic landscape of the Botswana workplace seems to divide into
two overlapping types: (i) work environment, where English is predominantly the tool of
oral and written communication (EEWP), and (ii) places where both English and the
dominant local language, Setswana, are used for oral communication, with English
dominating the written mode (ESWP). In both groups, it may be assumed that some
workers, particularly the non-managerial cadre, can get by in their vocations without being
fluent in spoken English. A typical example of the EEWP in Botswana is the mining
industry. Botswana is the world’s largest producer of diamonds. Recently, the country has
made moves to ‘reduce its economic dependence on diamonds to boost local business and
employment by encouraging more value to be added to diamonds locally’ (BBC News
website). Subsequently, the Diamond Trading Company of Botswana, a joint venture with
De Beers, was launched, which is a testimony to the increased globalization of the country’s
economy. As indicated by the De Beers’ chairman, the emergence of the Diamond Trading
Company is expected to result in ‘one of the largest transfers of skills and commercial
activity to Africa’ (BBC News website).
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In addition to the mining industry, tourism has become another major source of revenue in
the country. It is estimated that ‘over the next ten years, Botswana’s travel is expected to
achieve annualized real growth of 5 per cent, exceeding the world average at 4.3 per cent
and the Sub-Saharan Africa at 4.5 per cent’ (Botswana Tourism Board website). A recent
report by the World Travel and Tourism Council (2007, p. 3) indicates ‘that travel and
tourism already accounts for over 10% of total employment and just under 16% of non-
mining GDP’, a further confirmation of heightened globalization of the economy of the
country. The report further highlights the importance of preparing Botswana for careers in
tourism, noting that ‘the success of travel and tourism like most service-based activities,
depends heavily on its labour force’ who will be required to provide ‘high standards of
customer service’ (p. 61). Obviously, high standards of customer relations alluded to in the
report indirectly underscores the importance of English in the EEWP in Botswana.
Apart from these two major industries in the country, there are ancillary industries such as
banking, hospitality (hotels and travel operators) and IT, where the requirement of technical
jargon and interaction with foreign interlocutors accord English prominence over Setswana.
As the leading stable democracy in Africa, Botswana has many diplomatic missions and
embassies whose workforce comprises diplomats and citizens of Botswana. Furthermore, the
government uses English as the medium of communication. For example, in parliament,
English was the only language of discourse until 1997 when a cabinet memorandum was
issued to authorize the use of Setswana for parliamentary discussions (Kgolo, 2008, p. 62).
A typical example of a work environment that leans more towards the ESWP in Botswana is
the commercial arm of the aviation industry responsible for the management of Air
Botswana. In this arena, national identity and cultural consciousness are the powerful
prevailing forces. This is the reason that announcements relating to flight schedules,
boarding and many other types of oral messages are relayed in Setswana and English.
Significantly however, the official news magazine of the industry, Peolwane, previously
referred to as Marung, is published in English. A slightly different scenario exists in the
courts where the services of court interpreters are required for parties who might not be
proficient in English. As indicated by Nhlekisana (2008, p. 55), court interpretation in
Botswana is hampered by the lack of relevant training for interpreters. According to her,
many interpreters have a first degree in English or African languages, but are unable to deal
with interpreting culture-specific terms into English. This is an indication that such
interpreters could benefit from a workplace English programme for court interpreters.
3 How do these characteristics impact on the workplace
language needs in the country?
The discussion above indicates that that the workplace in Botswana is disparate, with each
work environment requiring some measure of specialism, apart from the common core
features, in their English language needs. In the EEWP, English is crucial for communication
with management, staff and superiors. It is the language of power, for giving instructions
and receiving feedback. It is also the gatekeeper language, for conducting the affairs of the
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workplace and the means by which workers’ competencies are assessed. English for such
work environments is the language of documentation for presenting all types of reports, the
language of marketing to promote the sale of goods and services, and the ‘metalanguage’ for
describing the peculiarity/specialism of those workplaces. English is also to a large extent the
means of communication among colleagues and therefore the language for building and
maintaining relationships (social or business), especially between different nationalities.
It is in recognition of the important role of English in the EEWP in Botswana that the
Attorney General’s Chambers in 2006 asked the Department of English, University of
Botswana, to offer a grammar refresher course for its legislative drafters. In the same vein,
the department has been asked by the parliament to offer a workshop on report and speech
writing for some of its staff. Specifically, parliament staff are to be trained in the following:
committee reports (fact finding, meeting public hearing and benchmarking reports), officers
exchange programme/benchmarking/attachment reports, conference/seminar/workshop
reports, and ‘rapporteuring’ and speech writing. Another significant development in this
respect is a plan which is still at its conception stage to offer a degree programme in
professional and creative writing in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Botswana.
4 What measures can be adopted to enhance English in the
workplace in Botswana?
One of the pragmatic measures that can be adopted to enhance English in the two types of
workplace, EEWP and ESWP, in Botswana is the principle of mutual adaptation (Thomas &
Gregory (1993/94, p. 367), cited in Dicker (1998, p. 290)). This is a situation in which both
employers and employees benefit and therefore ‘accept and understand differences and
diversity, knowing full well that those realities may call for adaptation on the part of all
components of the whole’ (Gregory, 1993/94, p. 367). In order to make adaptation work in
Botswana, the employers that hire highly skilled foreign nationals who do not speak English
may wish to consider introducing English for Specific Purposes (ESP) classes to such
employees. This will aid the process of systematically creating a conducive work
environment for both parties. Ultimately, such workers will become useful assets to the
organization, not only in terms of their output but also in terms of their career
advancement. In Dicker’s (1998, p. 292) view, such ‘employer gets workers who can
interact more easily with dominant-group employees and managers and who are more easily
trainable.’ Even in the ESWP in Botswana, employees not proficient in English but who are
willing to develop themselves could also be encouraged to take advantage of ESP classes, a
step that could broaden their horizon and expose them to better career opportunities.
In terms of the content of such ESP instructions, the Department of English, University of
Botswana will be very useful in developing relevant and appropriate curricula, an issue that
will be discussed in detail in the last section of this chapter. However, the point needs to be
emphasized here that the English language curriculum in the University of Botswana and
other tertiary institutions in the country needs to pragmatically respond to workplace
requirements. In order to achieve this, the English curriculum needs to become a synergy of
the traditional menu of English linguistics and practical global workplace communication
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needs. In recognition of the importance of the changing demands of the global workplace,
the Department of English, University of Botswana, as noted earlier, is proposing a
programme in professional and creative writing. However, to successfully achieve its
objectives in developing this programme, conducting a detailed needs analysis is imperative.
This also has implications for the promotion of strengthened relationships between English
departments in tertiary institutions and the industries to ensure a continuous flow of
information between the two groups on changing needs in the workplace. Such information
will enhance the development and sustenance of dynamic curricula.
ESP/English for Academic Purposes (EAP) practitioners in Botswana who provide services in
English for the Workplace (E4WP) also need to become accustomed with the language used
in workplaces and its functions. Master (1997, pp. 30–31) recommends that:
professional ESP practitioners must become versed in and or develop an enthusiasm
for networking, establishing a reputation, knowing compensation norms, using a
business approach with companies, perfecting a professional image, being aware of
company attitudes towards instruction and involving management.
Becoming versed in these areas will enable the ESP practitioner to keep abreast of
developments in the workplace and appropriately ‘adapt teaching theory to specific needs’.
5 Challenges to workplace English language curriculum in
Botswana
In this section, the general coverage of a comprehensive curriculum on E4WP in the country
will first be highlighted before addressing some of the challenges that workplace English
might encounter. It can be fairly assumed that, in general, a comprehensive curriculum for
workplace English should focus on the following areas: English grammar, conversation at
work, report writing, working in Botswana, oral presentations, telephoning in English,
vocabulary development, pronunciation skills, writing and grammar, and speaking skills
(adapted from the University of New South Wales Institute of Languages website). These
focus areas should assist workers to sharpen their English grammar skills, develop more
confidence as speakers in different work situations, and improve their report writing,
listening and speaking skills in the Botswana work environment. In addition, the skills
should enable workers to develop better oral presentation and telephoning skills, expand
their general vocabulary, and become more articulate in spoken communication not only in
the workplace but in other social contexts. Apart from the general skills highlighted above,
each workplace language-specific need will then be incorporated as determined by the needs
analysis of the specific work context. Examples of such specific skills include interpretation
skills for court interpreters, technical writing skills for technicians/engineers, business report
writing skills for accountants, and diplomacy and advocacy skills for diplomats and lawyers.
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Now we will look at the challenges that E4WP practitioners may have to deal with.
According to Gatehouse (2001), successful communication in a profession requires three
types of abilities:
the ability to use the particular jargon characteristic of that specific occupational
context, the ability to use a more generalized set of academic skills, such as
conducting research and responding to memoranda and the ability to use the language
of everyday informal talk such as chatting or responding to informal e-mail messages.
The general and everyday abilities outlined by Gatehouse (2001) as applicable to Botswana
have already been discussed. The EAP/ESP practitioner has the onerous responsibility of
ensuring that these three abilities are properly integrated in the curriculum (Gatehouse,
2001). At whatever level an E4WP programme is being designed (basic, intermediate,
advanced or even as a degree programme), the ESP practitioner will obviously be confronted
with maintaining balance in the course content to reflect these three types of ability. This is
precisely why a strengthened relationship between course providers and employers will be of
immense benefit in prioritizing needs. As Gatehouse (2001) indicates, in the knitting
process, course designers/providers must ‘develop a model that best integrates the restricted
repertoire with the academic and general for the learners.’
In recent times, many people have raised concerns about the role of English, particularly its
adverse effect on the growth of indigenous languages in the country. Advocates of this view
refer to the admission requirements of the University of Botswana, which stipulate a
minimum of grade C in English irrespective of the proposed course of study. This
requirement not only denies seemingly good students access to university education, but also
diminishes the importance of Setswana, a poor grade in this examination attracting no such
stringent penalty. The view is also held that English has been encroaching into domains that
should be exclusive to Setswana, such as the Ntlo ya Dikgosi (House of Chiefs). At the
swearing in ceremony of members of Ntlo ya Dikgosi in 2007, the master of ceremonies
chose to direct the proceedings in English, causing one of the chiefs to recite ‘So help me
God’ as ‘So God me help’; the press vehemently criticized the master of ceremonies and
blamed his language preference on the dominance of English, which is a result of the
prestige that has been associated with it (see Mathangwane, 2008; Nthapelelang, 2008).
Some others contend that the exclusive use of English as the medium of instruction from
Standard 3 ‘contradicts UNESCO’s recommendation to instruct learners in their mother
tongue for as long as possible’ (Nthapelelang, 2008, p. 80). Given these objections to the
spread and dominance of English in Botswana, the promotion of English in the workplace
would seem to increase the stifling of Setswana and other indigenous languages in the
country and consequently erode the cultural heritage of the nation. Thus, employers who
choose to promote English in the workplace in Botswana must be prepared to cope with the
linguistic diversity of the country and respect the rights of individuals whose linguistic
preferences are in line with their cultural and national aspirations (Baugh, 2004, p. 205).
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