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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

This thesis explores the teaching and learning of English for Medical Purposes (EMP) in a Syrian Arab university (Tishreen University). It investigates the inherent contradictions in the position of EMP in an Arab-medium university by drawing on the socio-political and economic factors shaping English language education policy in Syria. It also critiques “mainstream” ESP through examining the “purpose” in English for Medical Purposes. Rather than viewing learning as an end product, this study suggests that learning English is part of a dynamic process of learning to become a doctor in Syria and as part of constructing the 21st Century Syrian “doctor” identity. I draw on aspects of poststructuralism and complexity theory to take the analysis of English for Specific Purposes beyond issues of needs analysis, content, and materials development. ESP, from its outset, has been proposed for decades as a commodity that meets students’ linguistic and communicative needs. However important these concerns are for the development of the discipline, as I argue in this thesis, ESP seems to adopt a “mechanistic” approach by predetermining “needs” and “purposes” which fails to account for the complexity of human beings’ behaviours and responses in educational contexts. The deterministic conceptualisation of ESP places rigid boundaries between ESP and the reality of the medicine profession, therefore, fails to meet students’ needs which transcend boundaries of classroom in aspiration for recognition by the medical community worldwide. English for Medical Purposes, in this study, goes beyond “specific purposes” to account for the role of English as a foreign language in constructing doctor identity and in the process of becoming a doctor. Data in this qualitative research were collected through focus groups with students of medicine in Tishreen University, semi-structured interviews with medical tutors and management officials in the Faculty of Medicine and the Higher Institute of Languages, as well as ESP teachers. Policy documents were analysed, and field notes were taken in classroom and hospital observations. Based on the analysis of these sources, a deeper understanding of EMP at Tishreen University is reached through the lens of poststructuralism and complexity theory. Finally, this thesis ends by drawing an ESP/Applied Linguistics relationship among the implications the findings have for policy makers, teachers and medical students, alongside recommendations for future ESP research directions.

[pt] O objetivo deste estudo é identificar as necessidades da situação de aprendizagem (necessidades dos alunos) da língua inglesa dos estudantes de um curso técnico em Turismo e Hotelaria em uma escola técnica estadual, e da situação-alvo (necessidade do mercado de trabalho), comparando-as com a proposta curricular existente. Para levantar os dados, foram utilizados como instrumento de coleta: questionários, entrevistas semi- estruturadas e documentos sobre o curso de Turismo e Hotelaria e sobre a disciplina Inglês Instrumental. O principal arcabouço teórico que norteou esta pesquisa está fundamentado nos trabalhos de Hutchinson e Waters (1987/1996), Dudley-Evans e St. John (1998/2005) e Robinson (1991), autores da linha de estudo de ensino de línguas denominado Inglês para Fins Específicos - ESP (English for Specific Purposes), ou Abordagem Instrumental, termo adotado no Brasil. A análise dos dados confirma a extrema necessidade da situação de aprendizagem e da situação-alvo da compreensão auditiva e da produção oral. No entanto, o ensino da habilidade de leitura de gêneros discursivos tais como sites, folhetos, regulamentos, entre outros, precisa ser redimensionado. Esta pesquisa pretende dar subsídios para uma adequação do curso de Inglês Instrumental atualmente implementado na escola técnica onde esta pesquisa foi realizada, tendo em vista as necessidades dos alunos desta unidade escolar e do mercado de trabalho. / [en] The aim of this study is to identify, first, the learning needs of students that study English as a foreign language in a technical course in Tourism and Hotel Management in a state school, and, second, the target needs for work in the market; in addition, the study compares the students` needs and market needs with the course syllabus followed in the school. The data were collected through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and documents about the Tourism course and about the English course. The main theoretical framework of this study is based on Hutchinson & Waters (1987/1996), Dudley-Evans & St. John (1998/2005) and Robinson (1991), authors of the approach called ESP - English for Specific Purposes, or Inglês Instrumental, as it is known in Brazil. The analysis of the data confirms that, in both learning and target situations, speaking and listening skills are extremely important. However, the teaching of reading skills for genres such as web sites, brochures, and regulations must be reevaluated and adjusted to the reality of student and market needs. Suggestions are presented for new directions toward making the ESP course under study more suitable for both the learner and the market.

Esta tese trata do problema da escrita de artigos científicos em inglês como língua estrangeira. Do ponto de vista teórico, foram investigados métodos e técnicas de duas áreas da Inteligência Artificial - Lingüística Computacional e Raciocínio Baseado em Casos -, em busca de soluções para a construção de ferramentas de software que diminuíssem os problemas de interferência da língua materna e de falta de coesão e coerência nos textos escritos por estudantes da área de física experimental, principalmente. Do ponto de vista prático, foram desenvolvidas duas ferramentas de auxilio a escrita. Uma primeira, chamada Ferramenta de Referência, foi implementada utilizando-se o método de análise de corpus para a geração de uma Base de Expressões que contém as colocações do tipo expressões padrão, comumente encontradas em textos científicos de artigos e livros de subáreas de física e informática. O acesso às colocações pode ser feito de três maneiras: através de componentes e sub-componentes da estrutura esquemática de artigos da área de pesquisa experimental, através de palavras-chave pertencentes a este gênero, e pelos padrões retóricos mais comuns que este gênero utiliza. Uma ferramenta de aquisição de conhecimento esta acoplada a Ferramenta de Referência, permitindo extensibilidade, fácil personalização, e transporte (portability) para novos domínios. Testes com alunos de pós-graduação em um curso de Escrita Cientifica no IFQSC-USP comprovaram a eficácia da ferramenta, urna vez que seu uso auxiliou na superação do bloqueio inicial em se produzir um primeiro rascunho de texto, e forneceu input adequado para a escrita de textos coesos. Como se observou também, que esta ferramenta é adequada para usuários com boa recepção da língua inglesa e alguma experiência em escrita cientifica, uma nova ferramenta foi implementada para urna classe de usuários que possuem problemas mais severos quanto à coesão e interferência da língua materna. Ela foi denominada Ferramenta de Suporte, e para sua implementação utilizou-se, alem do método de analise de corpus, a abordagem baseada em casos para modelar as fases da escrita. A análise de corpus nesta segunda ferramenta foi mais detalhada, ficando assim restrita a Seção Introdutória de Artigos Experimentais. Esta análise identificou trinta estratégias retóricas encontradas em artigos científicos, geralmente realizadas por três ou quatro mensagens (denominação para os tipos diferentes de informações) tomadas de um conjunto de quarenta e cinco tipos. A base de casos da implementação atual da ferramenta conta com cinqüenta e quatro instancias de introduções autenticas das revistas Physical Review Letters e Thin Solid Films, um número ainda pequeno que deve ser aumentado para que uma avaliação quantitativa do método de busca seja realizada. Uma ferramenta para auxiliar o engenheiro de conhecimento na aquisição de novos casos e vários filtros para automatizar o processo de edição dos casos foi implementada, tornando o processo de geração de novos casos semi-automático. Os trabalhos futuros com relação a esta segunda ferramenta devem tratar principalmente do acréscimo de casos na base, da avaliação da precisão e revogação da busca, e de testes com usuários, que, com certeza, contribuirão para o aperfeiçoamento de ferramentas construídas nestas bases / This thesis considers the problem of writing scientific papers in English as a foreign language. From the theoretical point of view, techniques from two areas of Artificial Intelligence, namely Computational Linguistics and Case-based Reasoning, were investigated in the search for possible solutions to minimize mother tongue interference and lack of cohesion and coherence in student\" texts, especially in experimental physics. Two writing tools were then developed. The first one, named Reference Version, employed corpus analysis for creating a sentences base containing collocations frequently used in scientific writing. Such collocations could be accessed in one of three ways: according to the components and subcomponents of the schematic structure of a scientific paper, by searching keywords and communicative goals. An acquisition mode was also implemented so that the tool can be customized easily thus allowing portability to other domains and possible extensions within a given domain. Experiments in a technical writing course at IFQSC-USP for graduate student\" have demonstrated the efficacy of the tool. It was particularly useful in helping students to overcome the initial block in the preparation of a first draft and also in providing contextualized linguistic input for producing a cohesive text. It was also observed that this first tool was only helpful for students possessing reasonable reception of the English language and some experience in scientific writing. A new, more sophisticated tool was then proposed and implemented. It is named Support Version and utilizes corpus analysis and the case-based approach as a framework for modeling the different stages of the writing process. Because a more detailed analysis had to be performed, the tool was restricted to the Introductory Section of papers on experimental physics. In this analysis 30 rhetorical strategies were identified which were generally realized linguistically using 3 or 4 rhetorical messages from a set of 45 types of message. The implemented cases base has 54 introductions from the Physical Review Letters and Thin Solid Films journals, which has been shown to be a far too small number for reasonable recall and precision figures to be obtained. A scheme has been incorporated into the tool for adaptations to be made in the cases recovered, by making use of revision rules. In future the tool may be extended in a straightforward way to other parts of a scientific paper or to other areas of research with a semi-automatic edition process of new cases that has been built into the Support tool. This certainly opens the way for customization, which will greatly facilitate the assessment of the tool according to usability criteria

Learning English as a second language is a key factor to promote globalization, because the language has spread widely. Furthermore, learning English vocabulary for the fast-paced global business environment is highly dependent on the imagined future of a business major; he or she must imagine in what context the business career will take place: what sphere of activity will be involved, in which scenarios of language usage, and what lexical items will be needed. Vocabulary learning has long been characterized by the use of decontextualized vocabulary academic word lists. As an alternative, this project researches the use of an integrated language thematic mode--the theme being business communication-with a focus on incorporating various linguistics aspects of learning English. This research will emphasize the integrated linguistics approach to the acquisition of academic vocabulary. Additionally, the project explores the use of an individual’s imagined community in setting vocabulary goals and second-language-acquisition strategies. The study took place at the English Language Program and College of Business and Public Administration (CBPA) at California State University, San Bernardino in the spring of 2016. International students were asked to participate in a survey; an interview questionnaire was designed to discover the students’ preferences strategies and in learning English with respect to their future career. The results varied based on students’ backgrounds, their specific majors, and their personalities and preferred ways of learning.

The demand for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in Vietnam is very great. In Hanoi alone, there are more than 20 universities and colleges in which English Foreign Language (EFL) is taught in the curriculum. Much has been done to improve the task of teaching and learning ESP. Not much work has been done, however, about ESP teachers, their roles, responsibilities and position in the process of learning and teaching. It is inevitable that the teacher plays a decisive part in English learning and teaching. It is therefore the purpose of this study is to explore and investigate the roles and functions of the ESP teacher. This investigation has been carried out through questionnaire, class observation and interviews with teachers. Factors are identified which make ESP teachers successful and effective. The study concludes by suggesting ways in which ESP teachers training in Vietnam could be improved

As a result of the New Economic Reform in Vietnam, the need for more business people proficient in the English language is constantly growing. This need requires the Hanoi Foreign Trade College, which is officially charged with the training of business people for the whole country, to devise relevant curricula for short courses in Business English. The purpose of this report is to examine some major theoretical and practical issues in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and in syllabus design that can provide course designers at the Hanoi Foreign Trade College with a deeper insight into the problems essential to the development of their work. The report consists of five chapters: (i) Chapter One is the Introduction. It gives the background to the study, pointing to changes in Vietnam and the role of the HFTC in adapting to meet the new need created by these changes. (ii) Chapter Two deals with the methodology employed in the data collection and discusses its findings. (iii) Chapter Three looks at some major theoretical issues in English for Specific Purposes with a view to applying this theory to the practical needs for Business English in Vietnam. (iv) Chapter Four is directly concerned with the planning of the short courses in Business English for Vietnam which are the central focus of this study. (v) Chapter Five is the Summary and contains recommendations for future development of the proposed short courses.

Vietnam has been sending a lot of people overseas for study and training but the results obtained from overseas study and training are not satisfactory owing to language deficiency. This has prompted the present study which aims to investigate the language problems and language needs of Vietnamese going overseas for study and training. Chapter 1 presents the justification and objectives of this Study Project Report. Chapter 2 gives some insight into the definition of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), its development, and the situation of English language teaching and ESP teaching in Vietnam. Chapter 3 discusses the nature of analysis and its role in ESP course design, types of needs of learners of English, and the methods of collecting information for needs analysis. Chapter 4 examines the noticeable problems of Vietnamese learners of English in overseas settings in terms of difficulties in language, study skills, and cultural differences by carrying out through a survey and a case study. Chapter 5 specifies three kinds of English that Vietnamese in general will needs for study and training in overseas settings: English for survival needs, English for social needs, and English for descipline-specific needs. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations are presented in the last chapter.