Empowering Administrators: Exploring the Perceived Impact of ESP Learning on Private School Efficiency

نوع المستند : المقالة الأصلية

المؤلفون

1 Head of the English Department Al-Waha International School, Egypt

2 English Instructor, Education Department , Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation, Aswan Heart Centre, Egypt

3 Lecturer of Education, Humanities Department, College of Language and Communication, Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, Egypt

المستخلص

Administrators may need a basic understanding of English to communicate effectively with all the staff members, parents, and a few students identified as foreigners. Additionally, according to their job descriptions, administrators' required English proficiency depends on their specific roles and responsibilities. This study explores the perceptions of administrative staff in a private school on the impact of learning English for Specific Purposes on their assigned tasks and responsibilities. A qualitative exploratory design was used, where 22 administrative staff in a private school in Cairo, Egypt, shared via unstructured interviews their perceptions of the impact of learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP) on their administrative performance. Thematic analysis of the unstructured interviews showed that the responses of the private school administrative staff could be coded into challenges and proposed solutions to overcome these challenges. Participants, including private school employees, shared real-world challenges they encountered based on their professional experiences. Additionally, they proposed pragmatic solutions to address these dilemmas. Notably, this research diverges from existing studies, which predominantly focus on teaching methodologies, student attitudes, and perceptions of learning and teaching strategies. The findings underscore the need for administrators to actively promote, inspire, and facilitate employees’ utilization of English for specific purposes, thereby ensuring future benefits and supporting enhanced performance. Furthermore, institutional policies and leadership principles must evolve to align with the evolving needs of both staff and educational organizations.

الكلمات الرئيسية

الموضوعات الرئيسية


Adejimola, A. S. (2009). Language and communication in conflict resolution. Journal of law and conflict resolution1(1), 001-009.
Ahmad, S. R. (2016). Importance of English Communication Skills. International Journal of Applied Research, 2(3), 478–480.
Ananyeva, M. (2014). A Learning Curriculum: Toward Student‐Driven Pedagogy in the Context of Adult English for Academic Purposes, English for Specific Purposes, and Workplace English Programs. TESOL Journal5(1), 8-31.
Anita, D. (2014). Perception of English in relation to communication and identity. Journal of Asian Pacific Communication, 24(1), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1075/japc.24.1.01dew.
Anthony, L. (1997). Defining English for specific purposes and the role of the ESP practitioner. Center for language research 1997 Annual review, 115-120.
Boonyachokanan, P. (2017). Problems and need for English communication improvement of employees at a private university. Unpublished MA thesis. Thammasat University.
Buddhithammaporn, N. (2013). Problems with the English Communication Skills ofEmployees at OELT LTD. Retrieved from
Cheng, L., Im, G. H., Doe, C., & Douglas, S. R. (2021). Identifying English language use and communication challenges facing “entry-level” workplace immigrants in Canada. Journal of International Migration and Integration, 22, 865-886.https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-020-00779-w.
Coleman, H. (2010). Teaching and learning in Pakistan: The role of language in education. Islamabad: The British Council, 1-56.
Cozma, M. (2015). The challenge of teaching English to adult learners in Today's World. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences197, 1209-1214.
Crismore, A., Ngeow, K. Y. H., & Soo, K. S. (1996). Attitudes toward English in Malaysia. World Englishes, 15(3), 319-335.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-971x.1996.tb00118.x.
Dawson, M., Madera, J. M., Neal, J. A., & Chen, J. (2014). The influence of hotel communication practices on managers’ communication satisfaction with limited English–speaking employees. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 38(4), 546–561. https://doi.org/10.1177/1096348012461552
De Bohun Clark, C. M., & Ackerley, K. (2019). Meeting the challenges of delivering specialised English language training for university staff. Linguæ &-Rivista di lingue e culture moderne, 18(2),  13-29. https://www.ledonline.it/index.php/linguae/article/view/1708
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The “what” and “why” of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11, 227-268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01
Dimock, M. E. (1937). The study of administration. American Political Science Review31(1), 28-40.
Elfers, A. M., & Stritikus, T. (2014). How school and district leaders support classroom teachers’ work with English language learners. Educational Administration Quarterly, 50(2), 305-344. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161x13492797.
Gritsenko, E., & Laletina, A. (2016). English in the international workplace in Russia. World Englishes, 35(3), 440-456. https://doi.org/10.1111/weng.12211.
Gunantar, D. A. (2016). The impact of English as an international language on English Language Teaching in Indonesia. Language Circle: Journal of Language and Literature10(2), 141-151.
Hyland, K. (2022). English for specific purposes: What is it and where is it taking us?. Esp Today, 10(2), 202-220. https://doi.org/10.18485/esptoday.2022.10.2.1 .
Ilyosovna, N. A. (2020). The importance of English language. International Journal on Orange Technologies2(1), 22-24.
IvyPanda. (2020, January 21). The Role of Contact between English and Arabic in Egypt. https://ivypanda.com/essays/the-role-of-contact-between-english-and-arabic-in-egypt-essay/
Jalal, T. S. T. A. (2016). Workplace English: An analysis of communication needs. In International conference on industrial engineering and operations management (pp. 1379-1388).
Jassim, L. (2021). Using and Learning English by Administrative Staff for Communication purposes. , 26, 78-108. https://doi.org/10.51424/ISHQ.27.29.
 
Karachedee, P. (2017). Needs for English communication skills of Thai employees in a multinational company. Unpublished Master’s thesis). Burapha University, Thailand.
Kassim, H., & Ali, F. (2010). English communicative events and skills needed at the workplace: Feedback from the industry. English for specific purposes, 29(3), 168-182. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2009.10.002 .
Kluensuwan, P., Chaisiri, T., Poomarin, W., & Rungruangsuparat, B. (2019). Needs analysis of English for engineering staff in the Electronics Industry in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya and Pathum Thani, Thailand. NIDA, 24(36), 64–90.
Lam, P. W., Cheng, W., & Kong, K. C. (2014). Learning English through workplace communication: An evaluation of existing resources in Hong Kong. English for Specific Purposes, 34, 68-78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.esp.2013.09.004 .
Little, D., Goullier, F., & Hughes, G. (2012). European language portfolio. Perspectives from the European Language Portfolio: Learner Autonomy and Self-assessment7, 15-16.
Marra, M. (2013). English in the workplace. The handbook of English for specific purposes,120, 175-192.
Mat Husin, M.Z., & Radzuan, N.R. (2021). Identifying English language needs among administrative support staff in Malaysian public university: A preliminary study. English Language Teaching Educational Journal, 4(3), 199-212.
Michalska, M. (2015). Teaching English to adults. World Scientific News, (2), 118-131.
Moslehifar, M. A., & Ibrahim, N. A. (2012). English language oral communication needs at the workplace: Feedback from human resource development (HRD) trainees. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 66, 529-536. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.297
Otilia, S. M., & Brancusi, C. (2015). Needs analysis in English for specific purposes. Annals of the Constantin Brâncuşi University of Târgu Jiu, Economy Series1(2), 54-55.
Rahman, A. R. M. M. (2008). Attitudes towards English among Malaysian undergraduates. Language in India, 8(2), 3-13.
Rajprasit, K., & Hemchua, S. (2015). The English language & communication in the international workplace: An examination of Thai computer engineering professionals. 3L, Language, Linguistics, Literature, 21(3).
Rao, P. S. (2019). The role of English as a global language. Research Journal of English4(1), 65-79.
Renandya, W. A., Hamied, F. A., & Nurkamto, J. (2018). English language proficiency in Indonesia: Issues and prospects. Journal of Asia TEFL, 15(3), 618.
Reynolds, B. L., & Yu, M. H. (2021). A language course to teach administrative staff English for communication in an international university. Education as Change25https://doi.org/10.25159/1947-9417/8749
Reynolds, B. L., & Yu, M. H. (2018). Addressing the needs of administrative staff in Taiwan’s internationalized higher education: call for an English as a lingua franca curriculum to increase communicative competence and willingness to communicate. Language and Education, 32(2), 147-166.
Roberts, C. (2005). English in the workplace. In E. Hinkel (Ed.), Handbook of research in second language teaching and learning(pp. 117–136). Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.(14) (PDF) Teaching Second Languages for the Workplace. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/231956795_Teaching_Second_Languages_for_the_Workplace .
Rodríguez González, E. N. (2021). English for specific purposes and the communication skills in adults, during the year 2020 (Bachelor's thesis, Guayaquil: ULVR, 2021.).
Schaub, M. (2000). English in the Arab Republic of Egypt. World Englishes, 19(2), 225–238. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-971X.00171  
Thitthongkam, T., Walsh, J., & Banchapattanasakda, C. (2010). The roles of foreign language in business administration. Journal of Management Research, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.5296/jmr.v3i1.509
Verapornvanichkul, P. (2011). Survey of problem in oral communication skills when dealing with English client: a case study of employees at one of the big four audit firm in Thailand. Master’s thesis, English for Careers in English Institutes, Thammasart University.
Zarina, M.K., Rosly, S., Nurain, J., & Khalid, I. (2020). The use of English among supply chain workers in Malaysia. International Journal of Innovative Technology and Exploring Engineering (IJTEE), 9(3). DOIhttps://doi.org/10.35940/ijitee.C9227.019320.