\n
\nThe day was opened by the SIG coordinators,\u00a0<\/span>Prithvi Shrestha from the Open University, UK, & Aysen Guven from British Council, Ankara, Turkey with me, standing in for Diane Schmitt from Nottingham Trent University, the current chair of BALEAP.<\/span><\/p>\n
Investigating the university-workplace interface: implications for ESP instruction<\/em> ESP: Access and workers\u2019 rights<\/em> Investigating the world of business office employees: A case study on Vocational ESP<\/em> International Students and Enhancing Employability: Bridging the Gap with EAP<\/em> HE: Preparation for Work?<\/em> Challenges of developing speaking skills in Business English courses at the tertiary le<\/em>vel Digitising the EAP classroom to develop employability skills<\/em> ESP SIG PCE 2015<\/p><\/div>\n For more information, see:\u00a0http:\/\/espsig.iatefl.org\/<\/a>\u00a0or\u00a0https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/IateflEspSig<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I’ve just returned from the IATEFL English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Special Interest Group (SIG) Pre-Conference Event (PCE) in Manchester, UK. This was a joint pre-conference event between the\u00a0IATEFL English for Specific Purposes Special Interest Group (ESPSIG) &\u00a0BALEAP, the global … Continue reading
\nJemma Prior,\u00a0Free University of Bolzano, Italy
\nThe Free University of Bozen\/Bolzano is a multilingual university situated in South Tyrol, Italy, where students study subjects taught in German, Italian and English. This talk investigated the English language\u00a0needs of a set of companies in South Tyrol and whether \u00a0graduates of the Free University are equipped linguistically for the local workplace after studying in English for three years. The general conclusion was that they were not.<\/p>\n
\nBarbara Tully,\u00a0Northumbria University, UK
\nThis talk discussed the role of the ESP community in engaging with universities, trade \u00a0unions and worker education organisations to develop transformational English language programmes that are set within the context of industrial relations and workers rights. It presented a programme that was delivered in Sierra Leone to address the socio-political needs of the workforce.<\/p>\n
\nMarianthi Batsila,\u00a0Ministry of Education, Greece
\nThe English language is considered a major qualification for employment purposes globally nowadays. However, with the growing demands of the business world it is important for candidate employees and specifically Vocational school graduates to have competency in English language skills required by the contemporary labour market, so as to prepare accordingly. Based on this need, Marianthi presented the results of her examination of the English language skills needed for business office employees in the current Greek employment market.She then compared these to the language skills covered in business English textbooks.<\/p>\n
\nLouise Greener, Clare Carr & Diana Scott, Durham\u00a0University English Language Centre (DUELC), UK
\nThe speakers described how DUELC and the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Centre at Durham have collaborated to produce a number of workshops designed to enhance the ability of international students to navigate the recruitment process in the graduate job market. These sessions drew on the speakers’\u00a0EAP expertise to help students to better access and understand the cultural assumptions and specific language they must master to succeed.<\/p>\n
\nAndy Gillett, UK
\nIn this talk,I presented research looking at assignment types at UK universities and the extent to which they have a work-related focus. I looked at quantitative data on assignments types from several UK universities. I\u00a0also discussed qualitative data from discussion with lecturers and students on these courses and the value they see in\u00a0them. I concluded that there was confusion in this regard, often resulting from the difficulty of distinguishing between\u00a0professional genres and\u00a0academic genres.<\/p>\n
\nAgnieszka Dzi\u0119cio\u0142-P\u0119dich,\u00a0University of Bia\u0142ystok, Poland
\nThe presentation reported on challenges Polish teachers face while developing speaking skills during tertiary Business English courses and preparing graduates for entering the labour market. The presentation also offered some solutions which help bridge a gap between classroom activities and the professional practices of the\u00a0corporate world.<\/p>\n
\nZoe Gazeley Eke,\u00a0Coventry University, UK
\nThe requirement to prepare learners for today\u2019s employment needs has resulted in the decision to introduce more computer-aided language learning (CALL) or networked-based language teaching (NBLT) into the EAP classroom. It is hoped that alongside the crucial EAP focus the learners will benefit from developing their digital literacy skills which will transfer into necessary employability skills.<\/p>\n![\"ESP](\"https:\/\/uefap.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/pce-20151.jpg\")
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