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Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology

Received: 10 March 2022    Accepted: 2 April 2022    Published: 14 February 2023
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Abstract

In Ethiopia, English is given as a course starting from elementary school to higher education. Besides, it is the medium of instruction starting from secondary education. Even after receiving more than ten years of formal English language education in school, the students still remain inadequate in their ability to use the language and to comprehend its use in interaction both in verbal and written mode. The graduates of Ethiopian Technical University who become trainers in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) Colleges are expected to prepare teaching learning materials, provide training, conduct researches in their field of study, present project works and so on. In addition to field area knowledge, these tasks demand English language ability in order to execute their jobs successfully. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the English occupational needs of garment and apparel fashion technology trainers. The findings reveal that the important English language macro-skills in workplace setting are writing, speaking, listening, and reading in descending order. The trainers have more gaps on speaking, and writing skills than the other two skills. The sub-skills are also identified and prioritized in relation to the four macro language skills; therefore, the most important sub-skills from each of the four macro-skills presented here. The three most important speaking sub-skills are giving lectures, giving oral presentation, and participating in pair/group discussions. From the writing skills writing operation sheet, writing project proposals, and writing information sheet are the first three most important sub-skills. Based on the findings, it is recommended to design an English course considering the relative importance and difficulty of English macro-skills and sub-skills. In addition, it is necessary to consider the trainees’ learning preferences when designing an English course in order to improve trainers’ language ability which makes them more effective on their job.

Published in English Language, Literature & Culture (Volume 8, Issue 1)
DOI 10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13
Page(s) 10-21
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2023. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

English for Specific Purposes, English for Occupational Purposes, English for Academic Purposes, Needs Analysis, Trainers

References
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[2] Dudley-Evans, T. (1994). Genre analysis: an approach to text analysis for ESP. In Coulthard, M. (ed.) Advances in Written Text Analysis London: Routledge, 219–228.
[3] Guo, G. H. (2007). Strategies on Adoption of English Immersion Approach in Teaching Business Courses of Business English Program. Journal of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, 5, 63-66.
[4] Anthony, L. (1997). English for Specific Purposes: What does it mean? Why is it different? ONCUE, 4 (3), 9-10.
[5] Hutchinson, T and Waters, A. (1987). English for Specific Purposes: A Learning-centered Approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[6] Anthony, L. (2015). The changing role and importance of ESP in Asia. English as a Global Language Education (EaGLE) Journal, 1, 01–21.
[7] Belcher, D. (2009). What ESP is and can be? An introduction. In D. Belcher (Ed.), English for specific purposes in theory and practice (pp. 1-20). Ann Arbor, US: University of Michigan Press.
[8] Kavaliauskiene, G. (2004). Adult Learners' Perceptions of Needs as a Factor to Lifelong Learning." Studies about languages, 5, 99-102.
[9] Bracaj, M. (2014). Teaching English for Specific Purposes and Teacher Training, European Scientific Journal, 10 (2).
[10] Kharma, N. (1998). EFL and Community Needs. IRAL, 36 (1), 49-66.
[11] Kim, D. (2008). English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) and Training: Two Languages or One? UK: Aptara Books Ltd.
[12] Long, M. H. (1985). A Role for Instruction in Second Language Acquisition: Task-Based Language Teaching.
[13] Basturkmen, H. (2010). Developing Courses in English for Specific Purposes. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.
[14] Basturkmen, H. (2006). Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. New York: Routledge.
[15] Long, M. H. (2005) Methodological issues in learner needs analysis. In Long, M. H. (ed.). Second Language Needs Analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
[16] Dudley-Evans, T. and St. John, M. (1998). Developments in English for Specific Purposes: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
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[20] Spence, P., and Liu, G. –Z. (2012). Engineering English and the high-tech industry: A case study of an English needs analysis of process integration engineers at a semiconductor manufacturing company in Taiwan. Foreign Languages & Literature Department, Foreign Language Center, National Cheng Kung University: Taiwa.
[21] Kaewpet, C. (2009). Communication needs of Thai civil engineering students. English for Specific Purposes, 28, 266–278.
[22] Kim, S. (2006) Academic Oral Communication Needs of East Asian International Graduate Students in Non-Science and Non-Engineering Fields. English for Specific Purposes, 25, 479–89.
[23] Ferris, D. (1998) Students’ Views of Academic Aural/Oral Skills: A Comparative Analysis, Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages Quarterly, 32, 289–318.
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  • APA Style

    Gashaw Shewangizaw, Alemu Hailu. (2023). Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology. English Language, Literature & Culture, 8(1), 10-21. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13

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    ACS Style

    Gashaw Shewangizaw; Alemu Hailu. Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology. Engl. Lang. Lit. Cult. 2023, 8(1), 10-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13

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    AMA Style

    Gashaw Shewangizaw, Alemu Hailu. Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology. Engl Lang Lit Cult. 2023;8(1):10-21. doi: 10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13,
      author = {Gashaw Shewangizaw and Alemu Hailu},
      title = {Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology},
      journal = {English Language, Literature & Culture},
      volume = {8},
      number = {1},
      pages = {10-21},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ellc.20230801.13},
      abstract = {In Ethiopia, English is given as a course starting from elementary school to higher education. Besides, it is the medium of instruction starting from secondary education. Even after receiving more than ten years of formal English language education in school, the students still remain inadequate in their ability to use the language and to comprehend its use in interaction both in verbal and written mode. The graduates of Ethiopian Technical University who become trainers in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) Colleges are expected to prepare teaching learning materials, provide training, conduct researches in their field of study, present project works and so on. In addition to field area knowledge, these tasks demand English language ability in order to execute their jobs successfully. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the English occupational needs of garment and apparel fashion technology trainers. The findings reveal that the important English language macro-skills in workplace setting are writing, speaking, listening, and reading in descending order. The trainers have more gaps on speaking, and writing skills than the other two skills. The sub-skills are also identified and prioritized in relation to the four macro language skills; therefore, the most important sub-skills from each of the four macro-skills presented here. The three most important speaking sub-skills are giving lectures, giving oral presentation, and participating in pair/group discussions. From the writing skills writing operation sheet, writing project proposals, and writing information sheet are the first three most important sub-skills. Based on the findings, it is recommended to design an English course considering the relative importance and difficulty of English macro-skills and sub-skills. In addition, it is necessary to consider the trainees’ learning preferences when designing an English course in order to improve trainers’ language ability which makes them more effective on their job.},
     year = {2023}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Investigation of English Language Needs of Trainers of Garment and Apparel Fashion Technology
    AU  - Gashaw Shewangizaw
    AU  - Alemu Hailu
    Y1  - 2023/02/14
    PY  - 2023
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13
    T2  - English Language, Literature & Culture
    JF  - English Language, Literature & Culture
    JO  - English Language, Literature & Culture
    SP  - 10
    EP  - 21
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2575-2413
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ellc.20230801.13
    AB  - In Ethiopia, English is given as a course starting from elementary school to higher education. Besides, it is the medium of instruction starting from secondary education. Even after receiving more than ten years of formal English language education in school, the students still remain inadequate in their ability to use the language and to comprehend its use in interaction both in verbal and written mode. The graduates of Ethiopian Technical University who become trainers in technical and vocational education and training (TVET) Colleges are expected to prepare teaching learning materials, provide training, conduct researches in their field of study, present project works and so on. In addition to field area knowledge, these tasks demand English language ability in order to execute their jobs successfully. Thus, this study was conducted to analyze the English occupational needs of garment and apparel fashion technology trainers. The findings reveal that the important English language macro-skills in workplace setting are writing, speaking, listening, and reading in descending order. The trainers have more gaps on speaking, and writing skills than the other two skills. The sub-skills are also identified and prioritized in relation to the four macro language skills; therefore, the most important sub-skills from each of the four macro-skills presented here. The three most important speaking sub-skills are giving lectures, giving oral presentation, and participating in pair/group discussions. From the writing skills writing operation sheet, writing project proposals, and writing information sheet are the first three most important sub-skills. Based on the findings, it is recommended to design an English course considering the relative importance and difficulty of English macro-skills and sub-skills. In addition, it is necessary to consider the trainees’ learning preferences when designing an English course in order to improve trainers’ language ability which makes them more effective on their job.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 1
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of English Language and Humanities, Ethiopian Technical University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

  • Department of English Language and Humanities, Ethiopian Technical University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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