ESP Students; Variations across Gender and Proficiency. A Case study

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine certain disturbing issues concerning learning English for Specific Purposes, as a compulsory academic subject at all majors. The subject of the present study were the 57 freshman students (Female = 40 and Male = 17); at “F.S.Noli” University, History – Geography Department, in Korca, Albania. This study sought to establish what the students were like at the start of their English language course, investigating their strengths and weaknesses. The research questions it addressed are: 1) Are there any variations concerning both genders or within each gendered group? 2) What are the actual proficiency skills Male and Female students employ in English language learning? The scope of this study was to seek and find information relating to both TSA (Target situation analysis) and PSA (Present situation analysis) for a good start in the present ESP course in this department. The whole study developed under the implementation of the two research instruments: Placement test associated with the researcher’s accurate Needs analysis. Based on the reliable data the present study concluded that: different proficient students had different language needs. Thus what they were taught, should be restricted to what they need as part of the ESP academic needs. Consequently, once their needs were identified, and most of the gendered variations were specified; the practice educator could easily design the content of the present ESP course for a successful combination of TSA and PSA.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n7p774