Contrasting Views of Business Students’ Writing

Needs in an EFL Environment

Nahla Nola Bacha and Rima Bahous

Lebanon American University

Background of the Study LAU business major students’ comments on the

irrelevant English courses they had with the business major they took

LAU business major faculty’s thought that their students’ English language proficiency was not as good as expected

Researchers’ curiosity on the importance of ESP approach in the English program run at LAU campus

The Aim(s) of the Study To obtain the business faculty and students’

views of the writing level and needs of the students at LAU, specifically to find out the following specific ideas:

1. the importance of language skills 2. the students’ language ability, mainly in

writing 3. the written business task requirements 4. the role of both the English and business

faculty in teaching writing skills

Literature ReviewThe previous studies by some researchers related to thisresearch:I. The importance of writing skill in the business major I.1. Seshadiri and Theye (2001) had the study in a

Midwestern University, USA and resulted the conclusion of how important the writing skill for effective communicative skills and success’ of the students. Hence, business communication professors needed to better prepare business students to succeed in the business world and to focus more on developing skills that lead to improved content, organization, and style.

Literature Review

I.2. Gilsdorf and Leonard (2001) reported that although faculty find usage errors more annoying than executives, the latter read many errors as serious because errors made in the writings affect them, the business discourse communities and business readers, in reading the writings, where usually they read them quickly.

Literature Review

II. English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and writing across and in the disciplines

II.1. ESP, with the ‘…expansion of scientific, technical, and economical activity on an international scale’ after the world war two (WWII), become important to meet the needs of the learner in both academic and work environments, stated by Hutchinson & Waters, 1987

Literature ReviewII.2 Chanock (2003) pointed out the differences in the

English curriculum and in specific writing in the disciplines in different countries. For instance, in countries that follow a British system of education such as Britain itself and Australia, students at university level are not required to take composition classes. Students end up being proficient in essay writing but lacking to strategies needed to analyze different writing modes and genres in order to cope with varied demands of writing in their own profession.

Methodology Context - LAU had 4 schools (2005), 7 schools (now) - Focus of the study is the Business major. - English is the medium of instruction at the

university - The objective of the Business School is

focusing on developing students’ communicative and leadership skills locally, regionally, and internationally (University Calatolg 2005-2006).

Methodology Participants and data collection - It was a need analysis approach, to find out the

students’ writing level and needs. - The study was conducted during the Spring 2005

Semester. - There were 324 questionnaires collected from

respondents, 159 were from the business major students.

- The responses for each questions varied. - Surveys were anonymous and completed on voluntarily

basis. - Informal interview was used to gather additional data

(pp. 82).

Methodology Questionnaires were divided into some questions relate

to the four specific aims of the study: 1. Question 1 the first aim the importance of

language skills 2. Questions 2, 3, 5 the second aim perception on

students’ language ability, especially writing proficiency level

3. Question 4 the third aim the writing task requirements

4. Question 6 the fourth aim the perceptions on the role of the English and business instructors in the development of students’ English proficiency

Findings and Discussion The first question the importance of language

skills for business major - 147 students and 37 faculty answered this. - Answers from both indicated differences as

follows: Using Freidman Statistical Test Students: reading, listening, speaking, writing Faculty: listening, reading, writing, speaking

Findings and Discussion The second question students’ language ability - 133 students and 37 faculty responded this question. - Mann Whitney Statistical Test showed that faculty viewed

students were having lower language abilities than the students do.

- Freidman Statistical Test showed both (students and faculty indicated higher student ability levels in listening and reading than speaking and writing.

- The result of this question was considered not surprising since the faculty often complained that the students’ written language was weak and of ten asked the English Program to give more help in improving their students’ writing.

Findings and Discussion Question 3 students’ writing ability - 132 students and 37 faculty members answered this

questions. - Using the Freidman’s Statistical Test Students viewed

their writing skill higher than that the faculty perceived. - The ability in the ideas was being the highest rated skill

and followed by organization and sentence skills (Freidman’s Statistical Test).

- Although students had higher perceptions of their writing skill than did the faculty, both agreed that students’ writing skills in sentence structure and vocabulary were significantly the weakest.

Findings and Discussion Question 4 Frequency of writing tasks There were 157 students and 37 faculty responded. The 8 writing tasks used in the questions were essay

assignment, essay test, letters, reports, research papers, summary of lecturers, note-taking in the class, note-taking from internet.

Students perceived higher frequencies on all written tasks except for report writing (compared to the faculty, using the Man Whitney Statistical Test).

It seemed that students expected higher writing demands than the faculty usually gave.

Both faculty and students expressed different frequencies for each of written tasks.

(Some rationale pp. 84-85)

Findings and Discussion Question 5 Rate of writing improvement 157 students and 37 faculty responded this

question. On the whole students had a higher positive

percentage (75.5%) towards their English improvement over the semester to deal with their course work than did faculty (59.4%).

Findings and Discussion Question 6 whom the students and faculty perceive

as being responsible in helping students improve in their writing skills in business major.

There were 159 students and 37 faculty gave response. 45.9% of the faculty and 54.1% of the students agreed

that the responsibility of teaching writing were both the English and business faculty’s.

Some other comments from faculty with small percentage appeared and said that the students were also responsible for their writing skill improvement.

Conclusion The research was conducted well with the

findings as explained previously. This kind of study is needed to investigate

our students’ needs and the result will contribute immensely in the improvement and development of our students’ writing skills.

The collaboration between business and English faculty will also be developed better by having the knowledge from the result of this kind of study.

Thank you

R. Adelina Fauzie/ 2009-001-029/April 2011