UNIVERSIDAD DE COSTA RICA SISTEMA DE ESTUDIOS DE POSGRADO ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS: TEACHING PRACTICES TO IMPROVE THE SPEAKING SKILLS OF INTERMEDIATE STUDENTS IN AN ONLINE TASK-BASED ESP COURSE Trabajo final de investigación aplicada sometido a la consideración de la Comisión del Programa de Estudios de Posgrado en Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera para optar por el grado y título de Maestría Profesional en Enseñanza del Inglés como Lengua Extranjera ANDREA MORALES OLIVERIO MARÍA ARAYA PORRAS Ciudad Universitaria Rodrigo Facio, Costa Rica 2022 ii Dedications To my family for their love, support, and encouragement throughout this process and to all my close friends who inspired me to reach this goal. I also thank God for giving me this opportunity and helping me in every step of the journey. I will be forever grateful. Andrea I dedicate this work to my family, especially my parents, for the sacrifices they have endured for me to pursue this dream and for their endless love and support. To my loving life partner for his constant support and encouragement on this journey and for being by my side even on the tough days. Finally, to my best friend and colleague for always encouraging me to be the best I can be and to work toward my dreams. María iii Acknowledgements I would like to express my gratitude to all those who contributed to the design, development, and successful completion of the English course and the research project. Particularly, I would like to thank our students in the ESP Dynamo course for their valuable participation and commitment; all the professors that are part of the Master’s Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language, especially Prof. Randolph Zúñiga Coudin, for providing guidance in our research journey; and my co-researcher María Araya for her hard work and support. Finally, I am deeply grateful to my family for always supporting me to grow professionally and inspiring me to achieve this goal. Andrea I would like to acknowledge the School of Electrical Engineering, especially our group of students, for their participation and engagement in this study. I would also like to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the professors who were part of this process, especially our Practicum Director, prof. Randolph Zúñiga Coudin, for providing guidance and feedback throughout this project. Lastly, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and admiration to my co-researcher, Andrea Morales, for her hard work and dedication. María iv Approval Note v Table of Contents Page Dedications ……………………………………………………………………………... ii Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………………… iii Approval Note ………………………………………………………………………….. iv Table of Contents ……………………………………………………………………… v Resumen ………………………………………………………………………………... xi Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………….... xii List of Tables ………………………………………………………………………….. xiii List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………. xiv List of Abbreviations …………………………………………………………………. xv Introduction ….………………………………………………………………………… 1 Chapter I: Needs Analysis …..………………………………………………………. 3 A. General Description of the Field …………………………………………… 4 B. Methodology ………………………………………………………………….. 6 Research Approach …………………………………………………………… 6 Context ………………………………………………………………………….. 7 Participants ……………………………………………………………………... 7 Instruments ……………………………………………………………………... 8 Procedures ……………………………………………………………………… 9 C. Interests of Primary Stakeholders ………………………………………… 11 Director and Professors from the School of Electrical Engineering ……… 11 Professionals in the Field of Electrical Engineering ……………………….. 14 vi Page D. Group Profile ………………………………………………………………….. 16 Students’ Educational Background and Future Positions ………………… 16 Description of the Students’ Needs ………………………………………….. 17 Description of the Students’ Wants ………………………………………….. 20 Description of the Students’ Lacks …………………………………………… 26 Commonalities ………………………………………………………………….. 28 Students’ Learning Strategies, Styles, and Attitudes ………………………. 30 Participants’ Individual Profiles ……………………………………………….. 32 E. Diagnostic Test ……………………………………………………………….. 32 Key Assessment Principles: Validity and Reliability ……………………….. 32 Test Administration Issues and Time Allotted ………………………………. 35 Macro and Micro Skills Selected …………………………………………….. 36 Constructs Behind the Test …………………………………………………… 36 Types of Items to Assess Each Skill ………………………………………… 37 Subskills Addressed in Each Section ……………………………………….. 38 Number of Items for Reliability ……………………………………………….. 39 Task Design in Terms of Proficiency Levels and Source ………………….. 40 Types of Rubrics for Assessing Writing and Speaking …………………….. 43 Types of Parameters for Assessing Reading and Listening ………………. 44 Diagnostic Test Results ……………………………………………………….. 47 Discussion of Results ………………………………………………………….. 55 Chapter II: ESP Syllabus Design …………………………………………………… 57 A. Course Logo ……………………………………………………….…………. 57 B. Course Name …………………………………………………………………. 58 vii Page C. Course Description …………………………………………………………... 58 D. Statement of Goals and Objectives ………………………………………. 59 Unit 1: Powering-up Reading Skills ………………………………………….. 59 Unit 2: Empowering Communication at Work ……………………………… 60 Unit 3: Engineering the Future ……………………………………………….. 60 E. Methodology …………………………………………………………………... 61 Approach: Task-Based Language Teaching ……………………………….. 61 Classroom Dynamics ………………………………………………………….. 62 Tasks and Techniques and their Rationale ………………………………… 63 Role of the Learners …………………………………………………………… 65 Role of the Teachers ………………………………………………………….. 66 F. Assessment ……………………………………………………….…………… 67 Formal and Informal Assessment ……………………………………………. 67 Formative and Summative Assessment …………………………………….. 68 Task-Based Assessment ……………………………………………………… 69 Description of the Instruments Designed …………………………………… 69 - Student’s Performance: Achievement Tests …………………………… 69 - ESP Course Assessment: All Units ……………………………………… 72 - Student-Teachers’ Performance: All Units ……………………………… 73 G. Contents ……………………………………………………………………….. 75 Unit 1: Powering-up Reading Skills ………………………………………….. 75 Unit 2: Empowering Communication at Work ………………………………. 79 Unit 3: Engineering the Future ……………………………………………….. 83 Conclusions of the Course Design ………………………………………………… 87 viii Page Chapter III: Literature Review ………………………………………………………. 88 Definition of Teaching Practices …………………………………………………… 89 Examples of Teaching Practices ……………………………………………………. 90 Speaking Activities for Intermediate Students …………………………………….. 91 Collaborative Learning ……………………………………………………………….. 97 Grouping Techniques…………………………………………………………………. 101 Error Correction Versus Corrective Feedback …………………………………….. 103 Online Language Teaching ………………………………………………………….. 108 Conclusions of the Literature Review ……………………………………………... 113 Chapter IV: Evidence-Based Reflection on the Practicum …………………..… 114 Impact of the Selected Teaching Practices on the Students’ Speaking Skills as Perceived by the Student-Teachers ……………………………………….…… 115 Speaking Activities for Intermediate Learners …………………………………….. 116 Collaborative Learning ………………………………………………………………. 122 Grouping Techniques ………………………………………………………………… 126 Error Correction Versus Corrective Feedback …………………………………….. 129 Online Language Teaching ………………………………………………………….. 133 Impact of the Selected Teaching Practices on the Students’ Speaking Skills as Perceived by the Supervisors …………………………………………………… 136 Speaking Activities for Intermediate Learners …………………………………….. 137 Collaborative Learning ………………………………………………………………. 140 Grouping Techniques ………………………………………………………………… 141 Error Correction Versus Corrective Feedback …………………………………….. 142 Online Language Teaching ………………………………………………………….. 144 ix Page Students’ Perceptions about the Usefulness of the Selected Teaching Practices for Improvement of their Speaking Skills ……………………………. 146 Speaking Activities for Intermediate Learners ………………………………………. 147 Collaborative Learning …………………………………………………………………. 149 Grouping Techniques …………………………………………………………………... 150 Error Correction Versus Corrective Feedback ………………………………………. 150 Online Language Teaching ……………………………………………………………. 151 Conclusions ……………………………………………………………….…………… 152 References ……………………………………………………………………………… 161 Appendix A. Research Instrument: Questionnaire for Students …………………… 169 Appendix B. Research Instrument: Interview for Stakeholders (Director and Professors) ……………………………………………………………….……………… 176 Appendix C. Research Instrument: Interview for Stakeholders (Professionals) …. 180 Appendix D. Sample Authentic Materials: IEEE Standards ………………………... 183 Appendix E. Participants’ Individual Profiles ………………………………………… 187 Appendix F. Research Instrument: Diagnostic Test ………………………………… 212 Appendix G. Writing Assessment Rubric …………………………………………….. 230 Appendix H. Speaking Assessment Rubric …………………………………………. 231 Appendix I. Students’ Syllabus ……………………………………………………….. 233 Appendix J: Assessment Instrument for Students’ Performance ………………… 239 Appendix K. Assessment Instrument for ESP Course Evaluation ………………… 245 Appendix L. Assessment Instrument for Student-Teachers’ Performance ………. 248 Appendix M. Official Correspondence Between ACTFL and CEFR Ratings …….. 250 x Page Appendix N. Lesson Plans, Handouts, and Key Answer Sheets for the ESP Dynamo Course ………………………………………………………………………… 251 Appendix O. Classroom and Student-Teacher Observation Forms Used by Supervisors ……………………………………………………………………………… 775 Appendix P. Assessment Instrument for ESP Course Evaluation ………………… 778 xi Resumen La presente investigación tiene como objetivo explorar las prácticas de enseñanza que pueden ayudar a mejorar las habilidades de expresión oral de un grupo estudiantes de Ingeniería Eléctrica de la Universidad de Costa Rica, con un nivel de inglés intermedio, a través de un curso en línea de Inglés con Fines Específicos basado en tareas. Este curso estuvo dirigido a una población meta de 20 estudiantes, y fue diseñado e impartido por dos estudiantes- docentes, quienes también son las investigadoras, como requisito para egresar del Programa de Maestría en Enseñanza del Inglés de la misma universidad. Se realizó un análisis de necesidades para recopilar información sobre necesidades, deseos y carencias de los estudiantes en relación con el uso del inglés en el contexto académico y profesional. Asimismo, se aplicó una prueba de diagnóstico para evaluar su nivel de dominio del idioma inglés. Estos resultados condujeron a priorizar la expresión oral en el diseño del plan de estudios que sirvió como base para la práctica del curso. Posteriormente, las investigadoras efectuaron una revisión de literatura sobre las prácticas de enseñanza que pueden ayudar a mejorar la expresión oral en inglés de los estudiantes, entre las que se incluyen: actividades de expresión oral, aprendizaje colaborativo, técnicas de trabajo en grupo, retroalimentación correctiva o corrección de errores, y enseñanza de idiomas en línea. Por último, se realizó una reflexión con base en evidencia sobre la experiencia de práctica, en la cual se triangularon las percepciones de estudiantes-docentes, supervisores y estudiantes y donde los resultados sobre la eficacia de las prácticas de enseñanza seleccionadas por las estudiantes-docentes parecen ser positivos. Este documento también brinda recomendaciones para la implementación exitosa de dichas prácticas como referencia para futuros contextos similares de enseñanza del inglés. Palabras clave: Inglés para Fines Específicos (ESP), Enseñanza de Idiomas Basada en Tareas (TBLT), Inglés para estudiantes de Ingeniería Eléctrica, prácticas de enseñanza, enseñanza de idiomas en línea xii Abstract This research aims at exploring the teaching practices that can help to improve the speaking skills of a group of intermediate Electrical Engineering students at the University of Costa Rica in an online task-based ESP course. This course was addressed to a target population of 20 students, and it was designed and taught by two student-teachers, who are also the researchers, as a requirement to graduate from the Master’s Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language from the same university. First, a needs analysis was carried out to gather information about the learners’ needs, wants, and lacks related to the use of English in their academic and professional context. A diagnostic test was also administered to assess the students’ language proficiency level. These results led the researchers to prioritize speaking in the task-based ESP syllabus designed as a basis for the course practicum. Then, the researchers conducted a literature review to explore a repertoire of teaching practices that could help to improve the English-speaking skills of the intermediate Electrical Engineering students, including: speaking activities, collaborative learning, grouping techniques, corrective feedback or error correction, and online language teaching. Finally, an evidence-based reflection on the practicum experience, where the perceptions of the student-teachers, the supervisors, and the students were triangulated, seemed to yield positive results on the overall effectiveness of the teaching practices selected by the student-teachers. Recommendations for the successful implementation of these teaching practices are also provided in this paper as a point of reference for future similar English-teaching contexts. Keywords: English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT), English for Electrical Engineering students, teaching practices, online language teaching xiii List of Tables Page Table 1. Priorities for Academic Purposes …………………………………………….. 17 Table 2. Priorities for Professional Purposes ………………………………………….. 18 Table 3. English Skills That Students Would Like to Improve ……………………….. 21 Table 4. Level of Difficulty Experienced by the Participants …………………………. 26 Table 5. Description of the Current English Proficiency Level Perceived by the Participants …………………………………………….…………………………………. 27 Table 6. Scores Obtained in the Use of Reading Strategies ………………………… 48 xiv List of Figures Page Figure 1. Speaking and Listening Activities That Students Would Like in the Course.. 22 Figure 2. Reading and Writing Activities That Students Would Like in the Course ... 23 Figure 3. Speaking and Listening Subskills That Students Would Like in the Course. 24 Figure 4. Reading and Writing Subskills That Students Would Like in the Course ... 25 Figure 5. Participants’ Learning Styles ………………………………………………..… 30 Figure 6. Test Results for Reading Skills ……………………………………………..… 47 Figure 7. Test Results for Writing Skills ……………………………………………….... 49 Figure 8. Test Results for Listening Skills ………………………………………………. 52 Figure 9. Test Results for Speaking Skills …………………………………………..….. 54 Figure 10. General Overview of Test Results ………………………………………..… 56 xv List of Abbreviations ACTFL American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages CEFR Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ESP English for Specific Purposes TBLT Task-Based Language Teaching UCR University of Costa Rica xvi xvii 1 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS English for Electrical Engineering Students: Teaching Practices to Improve the Speaking Skills of Intermediate Students in an Online Task-Based ESP Course In an era of growing demands in terms of education and employment, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) offers learners the opportunity to acquire the language skills that best align with their needs as students and professionals. As a requirement to graduate from the Master’s Program in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) from the University of Costa Rica (UCR), the student-teachers, who are also the researchers, need to design and implement an ESP course focused on the learners’ immediate and future needs. To achieve this, the student-teachers carry out an extensive study divided into two parts. The first section is related to the course design stage, and the second section involves a literature review and a reflection based on the practicum experience. During the course design stage, a needs analysis (Chapter I) has to be conducted to gather information about the learners’ needs, wants, and lacks related to the use of English in their academic and professional context. The results and insights gained through this research serve as a basis for the ESP syllabus (Chapter II). Thus, this study attempts to investigate the English language needs and learning styles of third- and fourth-year Electrical Engineering students from the University of Costa Rica with the aim of designing an ESP course that meets the specific language skills needed to succeed in academic and professional target situations. As part of the needs analysis, the researchers collected and analyzed quantitative and qualitative data by designing and administering surveys to identify the students’ primary needs, considering also the views held by primary stakeholders. In addition, a diagnostic test was carried out to assess the students’ language proficiency level and their areas of strength and weakness. Then, based on the data collected from the needs analysis, the researchers designed a detailed task-based syllabus to be implemented in the course practicum. This 2 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS syllabus includes the course description, the statement of goals and objectives, the contents organized in three units, the methodology, and the assessment. It is worth mentioning that the needs analysis conducted as part of this study identified speaking as a top-priority macro skill for the academic and professional field of Electrical Engineering, especially considering the status of English as an international language for communication and its relevance for scientific and technological areas of study. Scenarios such as conversations with foreigners, international conferences, meetings, job interviews, and telephone calls, among others, are key examples of situations in which the participating Electrical Engineering students and future professionals may have to communicate in English. Interestingly, in addition to occupying such a prominent position as a language need, speaking was also reported as the skill that most of the students and professionals struggle with. These results led the researchers to prioritize speaking in the syllabus designed for the ESP course addressed to Electrical Engineering students, exclusively dedicating two units out of three to the improvement of this macro skill. In view of these considerations, a major pedagogical inquiry emerged from the ESP course design and practicum stages: What teaching practices can help to improve the speaking skills of a group of intermediate Electrical Engineering students at the University of Costa Rica in an online task-based ESP course? This research question served as the main guide for the second part of the research project, which covers a literature review (Chapter III) and an evidence-based reflection on the practicum (Chapter IV). Based on the categorization provided by Sunderland (2018), this research question is descriptive and empirical because it aims to identify and describe, by means of primary data, teaching practices to help intermediate Electrical Engineering students improve their speaking skills in an online task-based ESP course. 3 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS For the purposes of this study, teaching practices will be operationalized according to the focus areas identified in related literature as the basis for the speaking component of the course. They include speaking activities tailored to intermediate students following pertinent theoretical principles, collaborative learning, grouping techniques, feedback or error correction, and teaching strategies adapted or unique to online language teaching. All of them constitute instructional techniques that are promoted and explicitly taught by the teacher so that the students can achieve the course objectives. Addressing the research question is significant as it may shed light on future similar contexts related to oral communication skills for intermediate students, teaching practices in online environments, task-based language teaching, and ESP courses for populations related to engineering or other similar technical fields, thus representing a research milestone in the field of online task-based ESP teaching and a contribution to the literature niches of each variable covered. Chapter I: Needs Analysis According to Brown (2016), a needs analysis is “a systematic collection and analysis of all subjective and objective information necessary to define and validate defensible curriculum purposes that satisfy the language learning requirements of students within the context of particular institutions that influence the learning and teaching situation” (p. 4). Based on this, conducting a comprehensive needs analysis was of paramount importance to identify the participants’ primary needs for this research. This chapter provides a description of the target population, the data collection methodology, the views held by different stakeholders regarding the students’ current and future requirements, and the results of the students’ needs and learning styles. This information allowed the researchers to have a better understanding of the context and to make well-informed decisions during the course design stage. 4 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS As part of the needs analysis, a diagnostic test was also designed and administered by the researchers to measure not only the students’ English proficiency level, but also areas of strength and weakness in terms of language skills to be considered in the ESP course. Brown (2004) indicates that a diagnostic test is designed to diagnose specific aspects of a language, for example features of English that are difficult for learners and should therefore become part of a curriculum (p. 46). In addition, Coombe et al. (2007) state, “Diagnostic tests identify language areas in which a student needs further help” (p. xvi). With these considerations in mind, this chapter also describes the rationale behind the diagnostic test and presents the results elicited from it to serve as a guide in the development of the ESP syllabus. The diagnostic test conducted by the researchers was divided into two parts: a written section to assess the skills of reading, writing and listening, and an oral communication section to assess speaking. A. General Description of the Field The target population assigned for this project is constituted of third- and fourth-year Electrical Engineering students from the University of Costa Rica. For several decades, this school has been training professionals in a major that is critical for the economic, social, scientific, and technological development of the country. According to its Director, Eng. Lochi Yu, the School of Electrical Engineering currently has an enrollment of 2,000 students and a faculty of 60 professors. He also reported that approximately 140 students graduate every year, 20 percent of the students are women, and 30 to 40 percent of the student population comes from outside the Costa Rican Central Valley. Electrical Engineering is a five-year major with three main specializations: Electronics and Telecommunications, Power Systems, and Computing and Networking. The program leads to two degrees, a Bachelor of Science and an undergraduate Post-Bachelor’s degree (Licenciatura) (personal communication, April 15, 2021). 5 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS As a general definition, the School’s website indicates that Electrical Engineering is “an applied science based on Mathematics and Physics; therefore, it requires a solid background in these areas, which are complemented with electrical, electronic, and computational analysis techniques.” (Escuela de Ingeniería Eléctrica [EIE], 2020). Electrical Engineering students are provided with sufficient theoretical and practical knowledge to be able to perform a wide variety of tasks once they graduate, ranging from consultancy services as independent workers to collaboration with interdisciplinary teams in both the public and the private sector. Thus, Electrical Engineering has become one of the most in-demand careers in a broad spectrum of fields, including biomedical applications, telecommunications, computing, robotics, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, electronics, manufacture, space industry, and so forth. Within this framework, English plays a key role from the perspective of educational and professional success. The most up-to-date information, as well as business-related interactions within the domain of Electrical Engineering, frequently demand the use of this language. In the academic context, for example, Electrical Engineering students are often required to read field- related articles and books, and even navigate websites in English for research purposes. They may also need to understand video tutorials and lectures on topics related to their major (Gözüyeşil, 2014, pp. 4184-4186; Rezaee & Kazempourian, 2017, p. 10). Once in the professional context, electrical engineers may require a combination of English language skills, with speaking ranking in the first position, to be a qualified candidate for a job and to communicate with others in the workplace, especially in the case of international firms. Professionals need to attend meetings or conferences, make telephone calls, send emails, and write technical reports. Moreover, they should have knowledge of technical vocabulary to understand articles, books, manuals, specifications, datasheets, and software guides (Rezaee & Kazempourian, 2017, p. 13). In terms of communication, they also need to become familiar with 6 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS text patterns that may be used even in more general situations, for example: giving instructions, describing a process, describing a product, asking for clarifications, giving recommendations, making comparisons, expressing figures, expressing ideas politely, making a critical judgement, and identifying and using connectors, among others. All these language demands represent a challenge for Electrical Engineering students and professionals, especially if they have not previously received any proper English instruction. B. Methodology This section provides a detailed description of the research approach, the context, the participants, the instruments, and the procedures used for the needs analysis. Research Approach This research project follows a mixed-methods approach, which is defined by Johnson et. al. (2007) as follows: Mixed methods research is the type of research in which a researcher or team of researchers combines elements of qualitative and quantitative research approaches (e.g., use of qualitative and quantitative viewpoints, data collection, analysis, inference techniques) for the broad purposes of breadth and depth of understanding and corroboration. (p. 123) The researchers selected this hybrid method to take advantage of both the statistical or numerical measurement of data obtained from closed-ended questions in the surveys and the qualitative coding analysis procedures for open-ended questions. The integration of these two methods leads to a more comprehensive study of the information, and the triangulation of data from different sources, a key feature of the mixed-methods approach (Dörnyei, 2011, p. 43), also contributes to improving and strengthening the validity of the findings. 7 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Context The research project is contextualized at the School of Electrical Engineering from the University of Costa Rica, specifically considering third- and fourth-year students who have English language needs for academic or future professional purposes. Data from the needs analysis was gathered during a four-week period from the beginning of the first academic term at said university in April 2021. Participants The participants correspond to an initial group of 118 Electrical Engineering students from the University of Costa Rica. The non-probability sampling method called convenience sampling, in which “members of the target population are selected for the purposes of the study if they meet certain practical criteria, such as geographical proximity, availability at a certain time, easy accessibility, or the willingness to volunteer” (Dörnyei, 2011, pp. 98-99), was used as the target population volunteered to participate in the study by following a series of steps for registration. The School of Electrical Engineering posted the invitation to the ESP course via its Facebook page. This invitation was mainly addressed to third- and fourth- year students. Those interested in participating had to send an email with their personal data, including their full name, their academic year, their perceived proficiency level, their contact information, and the main reason why they would like to study English. This information was collected in a database by the researchers, allowing a preliminary overview of the students’ previous knowledge of English and main language needs. For example, preferences related to speaking skills, as well as an English level ranging from Basic User to Independent User, emerged as a commonality based on the data initially reported by the students during this registration stage. The total number of participants was reduced to 88 students after conducting the needs analysis survey, as they were the only ones who responded within the time allotted. 8 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS The research project also had the participation of a group of primary stakeholders, including Eng. Lochi Yu, PhD, who is the Director of the School of Electrical Engineering, and three professors recommended by the Director, namely Eng. Mercedes Chacon, PhD, and Eng. Jose David Rojas, PhD, both from the Automation Department, and Eng. Gustavo Valverde, PhD, from the Power Systems Department. In addition, a group of seven professionals in the field also participated as stakeholders. They were also selected through convenience sampling. These electrical engineers were considered suitable sources of information as they are former UCR graduates and have extensive professional experience in the public and private sectors, including companies such as the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) and Intel, two of the main employers of electrical engineers in the country. Instruments The instruments used to collect needs analysis data included questionnaires and interviews. Questionnaires are defined as “any written instruments that present respondents with a series of questions or statements to which they are to react either by writing out their answers or selecting from among existing answers” (Brown, 2001, as cited in Dörnyei, 2011, p. 102). Based on this, the questionnaire designed for Electrical Engineering students (see Appendix A) comprised four sections: the participants’ personal data, their previous and current knowledge of English, their language needs in academic and future professional contexts, and their learning styles. Most items in the questionnaire were closed-ended, including yes/no questions, Likert scales, multiple-choice items, and rank order items. Additionally, open-ended questions were incorporated to further explore specific aspects of their English needs and to identify less-known details not previously anticipated by the researchers. 9 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Interviews were used as an additional instrument for data collection. In the case of the primary stakeholders, online interviews were scheduled with the Director and the professors from the School of Electrical Engineering (see Appendix B). This type of interview was semi- structured as a set of topics and questions was defined in advance to serve as a guide for the researchers; however, during the interview, further details were explored in a conversational and flexible manner depending on the responses given by the interviewees. The instrument was made up of open-ended questions corresponding to three main sections: personal information of the participant, generalities of the academic major, and English language needs for academic and professional purposes. Regarding professionals from the field, online questionnaires and virtual semi-structured interviews (see Appendix C) were used depending on the participants’ availability. Both instruments included the same open-ended questions and were subdivided into three main parts: personal information of the participant, generalities of the professional field, and English language needs for professional purposes. Procedures To administer the questionnaire for students, an advance notice was sent to them via email to announce the survey, describe its purpose, and set the dates on which it was going to be available online. This notice was sent to the institutional or personal email accounts obtained from the registration process, and it allowed raising awareness of the students’ participation in the needs analysis as a required step to be eligible for the ESP course. From the total number of 118 students registered, the researchers selected a sample group of 18 students to conduct a pilot questionnaire. This group was defined through random sampling, and it represented 15% of the original total population. An email was sent to this specific group of participants with the link that redirected them to the online survey. 10 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Later, the remaining 100 students were contacted via email to send them the link to the final version of the questionnaire. This final redesigned version considered feedback provided by the pilot survey, the Course Design professor, the review by peers from the Master’s program, and information collected from the interviews with the stakeholders; however, no significant changes that could affect the main structure or content of the original pilot version were made. Because of this, the pilot group did not have to retake the questionnaire. The tool selected to administer the pilot research tool and the final questionnaire was Google Forms, which is an online survey administration software for collecting results in a simple and efficient manner. The estimated time required for completing the pilot and final instruments was approximately 15 minutes per person. The data from the questionnaires was subjected to numerical analysis and then summarized as averages, frequencies, and percentages for representation in tables and graphics. Regarding the administration of the interviews for the stakeholders from the School of Electrical Engineering, the researchers sent an email to their institutional accounts to describe the purpose of the research and to request their participation. Once they had accepted the invitation and agreed on a scheduled date, each interview was conducted via a virtual meeting and required approximately 30 to 45 minutes. Note-taking and video recording were used by the researchers as support to gather information. The interviews were transcribed by the researchers, and the data was analyzed through inductive coding, meaning that the information was carefully scanned in search of specific patterns or emerging categories for further comparison of findings and building of meanings and interpretations (Burns, 2010, pp. 104-109). Similar planning and administration strategies were used for the professionals. They were contacted via email to confirm their availability, and they decided to participate via an 11 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS online interview or a Google Form questionnaire. Taking each instrument required about 15 to 30 minutes. The results of the questionnaires completed by the students were correlated with the findings from the interviews and surveys taken by the stakeholders. Reasonable conclusions derived from this correlation led to well-founded suggestions for the ESP course design. C. Interests of Primary Stakeholders Director and Professors from the School of Electrical Engineering This group of primary stakeholders provided deep insights into the students’ English language needs and shared their expectations and valuable recommendations for the ESP course. For example, regarding the importance of this language for academic purposes, all the interviewees agreed that, although English is not an official requirement in the Electrical Engineering major at UCR, most courses demand that students read texts in English for their studies. In fact, the participants highlighted that the most updated information and books related to their field are only available in English. Therefore, being able to read and understand a text in this language seems to be a minimum requirement for students. One of the professors also mentioned that the School of Electrical Engineering sometimes organizes conferences with international guest speakers. While some students understand the main ideas, some others may have a hard time understanding what is being said, and others do not even attend these events because they do not have the required English level. Another professor also referred to the speaking and writing skills required of applicants for scholarships abroad. As for the importance of English for the professional context, all the stakeholders indicated that mastering speaking is essential to find a job, especially in multinational companies, and students or graduates who are not proficient enough could face many difficulties in job interviews and in daily interactions at the workplace. It was also pointed out that 12 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS students may face obstacles to find an internship at a company, which would reduce their chances of satisfying this graduation requirement or entering the workforce early. When asked about the language skills that are considered the main priorities for academic and professional purposes, three out of four interviewees identified reading as an academic priority for Electrical Engineering students; nevertheless, one of them argued that most students already know how to read or take advantage of online translation tools, so that reading does not represent an obstacle for them. For professional life, three of the interviewees stated that speaking and reading are the main priorities. Interestingly, one of the participants stated that, in the professional field, the most important skills are writing, reading, and speaking, with writing being the most relevant and speaking the least relevant skill. With regard to specific activities that Electrical Engineering students need to carry out in English, all of the interviewees agreed that reading technical documentation is one of the main tasks for academic purposes. One of the stakeholders also mentioned that a small percentage of students may need to write in English as part of assistant hours, and another interviewee reported that students need to be able to understand the spoken language as well because sometimes they need to watch field-related videos. When asked about the specific activities that professionals need to perform in English, the interviewees provided a series of examples related to all four macro skills. For instance, according to three of the interviewees, professionals may be required to have meetings or phone calls with English-speaking clients and colleagues from different countries to explain a project, a product, or software. In the same vein, professionals sometimes need to travel abroad and receive training in English. Graduates from the Computing and Networking specialization, in particular, may need to install and manipulate different tools that require consultation of websites to solve problems they may encounter. In general, professionals are likely to read 13 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS datasheets, manuals, specifications, and specialized books in English. Furthermore, they may need to write specifications, reports, or quotes and send them over to a client abroad, and they often need to write emails in English as well. Finally, professionals have to understand videos in English to extract technical information for their work. As for the main deficiencies in English that affect Electrical Engineering students and professionals, one of the interviewees warned that knowledge of English is one of the major selection criteria when applying for a job nowadays. Unfortunately, when they are required to have an advanced level and demonstrate fluency, they have more difficulty finding a job or getting a job promotion. One of the stakeholders also admitted that the vast majority of the professionals in the field have trouble speaking and writing in English. A similar situation occurs in the case of students, who are characterized by interviewees as “being afraid” of productive skills such as speaking and writing. In addition, one professor stated that some do not know the English equivalents of technical words and have pronunciation issues as well, a situation that prevents graduates from being hired or getting better jobs. The primary stakeholders had a series of recommendations for the ESP course, such as taking the students to the next level and helping them gain confidence as they learn English. They also suggested teaching useful phrases and technical vocabulary for the learners to communicate fluently and sound more native-like in their future job interactions. Two interviewees also stressed the importance of paying attention to developing soft skills and addressing multiple intelligences when planning and teaching the lessons. These recommendations were taken into consideration for the purpose of data triangulation in the subsequent course design stages of this project. 14 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Professionals in the Field of Electrical Engineering A group of seven electrical engineers, each with over ten years of professional experience, has also provided relevant data related to the demands of English in work-related scenarios. Firstly, when asked about the importance of this language in the Electrical Engineering field, all the participants described it as “very important,” “indispensable,” and “completely necessary,” among other comments. One of the respondents added that English is an essential requirement in the private sector, and that it is desirable in the public sector as well. In fact, 100% of the professionals reported a frequent use of English for their work. In the same vein, two experts concurred that the vast majority of technical information and the standards used by electrical engineers are mainly available in English. Moreover, three respondents claimed that, even though the School of Electrical Engineering at UCR has not integrated English courses into its curriculum, most of the didactic materials used by the professors are in this language. Thus, knowledge of English becomes an important requirement. Concerning the skills that most professionals struggle with, all the respondents agreed that speaking occupies the first place as the most difficult to achieve. Then, they chose writing and listening in the second and third positions, respectively. Reading and technical vocabulary were the least difficult to achieve. Overall, the professionals warned that English is a selection criterion in their field since the proficiency level demonstrated in a job interview has a direct bearing on the prospective employee’s ability to perform future tasks in English. When asked about the language skill that they considered the highest priority for the professional context, the entire group of stakeholders agreed on reading as the most important skill to do their job. This was followed by speaking and technical vocabulary as the second priority, and listening was ranked in third position. 15 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Regarding the specific activities related to reading and writing in the professional field, most of the respondents chose tasks such as reading technical articles, reports, manuals, specifications, and standards with the same level of priority. Reading technical textbooks was in the second position, while navigating websites and writing emails were in the third position. The participants were also asked to rank speaking and listening activities in order of importance. The most relevant results were related to the following: attending international presentations and conferences, having conversations with foreigners, and participating in meetings, debates, and group discussions. The researchers requested examples of typical interactions for which the use of English is necessary in the field of Electrical Engineering. For most respondents, the main activity in multinational companies is speaking, as they need to hold meetings and have conversations in English with managers, clients, and sponsors from all around the globe. For instance, one of the professionals who works as a team leader for Intel added that understanding different accents is very important in this particular context. Some other examples included attending meetings and conferences and reading technical manuals and datasheets. When asked about the most relevant topics and areas to be considered in the design of an English course, the participants suggested the following: telecommunications, computing and networking, power systems, process automation, design and electrical installations, robotics and artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and project management, among others. Finally, the professionals recommended that the instructors focus on teaching technical vocabulary that can be used either in written or spoken interactions within the Electrical Engineering discipline. 16 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS D. Group Profile Students’ Educational Background and Future Positions The total number of participants who responded to the survey was 88 students. Regarding their year in the major, 41% corresponded to fourth-year students, and 38%, to third- year students. Learners from other levels not corresponding to the main target population also participated in the survey; for instance, 11% were fifth-year students, and 6% were first-year students. No reports were given by second-year students, and 5% belonged to postgraduate programs. In regard to the Electrical Engineering subdisciplines, the majority (41%) belonged to Electronics and Telecommunications, followed by Power Systems (36%) and Computing and Networking (20%). As for the acquisition of previous English knowledge, public schools were selected by the majority of the participants (68%), followed by self-learning (61%), English courses (24%), private schools (17%), and visits to an English-speaking country (3%). An additional 3% reported that they have never studied English before, specifying that they were students in public schools with deficiencies or limited access to English language instruction. In relation to future positions, most stakeholders reported that electrical engineers are highly employable and that they can find jobs in a broad range of areas, including electronics, telecommunications, automation, biomedical applications, consultancy, robotics, higher education, renewable energy, power systems, control systems, industrial design, construction, computing and networking, operation and maintenance of electrical equipment, etc. Professionals may work for local companies and institutions from the public sector, such as ICE, CNFL, SUTEL, ARESEP, ESPH, Coopelesca, Coopeguanacaste, and Coopesantos, among others. They may also work in the private sector for international firms such as Intel, 17 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Hewlett- Packard, Boston Scientific, National Instruments, Procter and Gamble, Philips, Emerson, Avionyx, and so forth. A minority was reported to work as freelance professionals. Description of the Students’ Needs To identify the needs determined by the demands of academic and professional situations, the students were asked to categorize the language skills according to levels of priority by using a ranking scale. The results collected are displayed as frequency distributions and percent distributions. Table 1 shows the language skills that occupied the first three levels of priority for academic settings. Table 1 Priorities for Academic Purposes Skill Level of priority First Second Third N % N % N % a. listening 18 20 22 25 12 14 b. speaking 15 17 21 24 10 11 c. reading 27 31 9 10 18 20 d. writing 3 3 6 7 12 14 e. grammar 4 5 9 10 11 13 f. technical vocabulary 7 8 17 19 14 16 g. pronunciation 14 16 4 5 11 13 As can be seen, reading was reported as the macro skill with the highest priority for academic purposes by the largest number of students, with nearly a third of the responses (31%). Listening was in second place with a fifth of the participants (20%) reporting it as their first priority, closely followed by speaking with slightly less than a fifth (17%). Writing occupied the fourth position with only 3 out of 88 participants ranking it as their first priority for academic 18 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS purposes. In the case of micro skills, pronunciation was reported as the first priority (16%), followed by technical vocabulary (8%) and grammar (5%). For the second level of priority, the ranking of the macro skills, in order, was listening, speaking, reading, and writing, while the ranking of the micro skills was technical vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation. For the third level of priority, the macro skills were ranked as follows: reading, listening and writing (with the same number of respondents), and speaking, while the ranking of micro skills corresponded to technical vocabulary, followed by grammar and pronunciation (with the same number of respondents as well). Thus, in addition to the prominent position occupied by reading, the results coincided in that listening is the second macro skill as first priority and the first macro skill as second priority, making it the second priority for course design for academic purposes. Speaking emerged as the third priority and writing as the fourth. To complement this information, Table 2 presents the prioritization of language skills for professional settings. Table 2 Priorities for Professional Purposes Skill Level of priority First Second Third N % N % N % a. listening 24 27 24 27 10 11 b. speaking 36 41 26 30 5 6 c. reading 3 3 5 6 28 32 d. writing 3 3 5 6 9 10 e. grammar 5 6 5 6 11 13 f. technical vocabulary 6 7 15 17 9 10 g. pronunciation 11 13 8 9 16 18 19 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS According to Table 2, speaking was selected as the macro skill with the highest level of priority for professional purposes (41%). Listening was in second place with nearly a third of the participants (27%) reporting it as their first priority. Both reading and writing occupied the third position, each reported by a low percentage of students (3%) in comparison with the skills in the first two ranks. Regarding micro skills, pronunciation was reported as the highest priority (13%), followed by technical vocabulary (7%) and grammar (6%). Curiously, for the second level of priority, the ranking of the macro skills followed exactly the same pattern as in the previous case: speaking, listening, and reading and writing (these two with the same number of respondents again), while the ranking of the micro skills was technical vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar. For the third level of priority, the macro skills were ranked as follows: reading, listening, writing, and speaking, while the ranking of micro skills corresponded to pronunciation, followed by grammar and technical vocabulary. Despite the variations found in the third level of priority, the ranking of the skills categorized as first priority for professional purposes, with speaking occupying the most important position, was clearly confirmed by the prioritization shown in the second level. Furthermore, as part of the identification of needs, Electrical Engineering students were asked to provide examples of interactions with other people for which they require the use of English. The qualitative analysis of this open-ended question highlighted job interviews, conferences, conversations or dialogues in job-related environments, meetings and presentations, telephone calls, training sessions, participation in technical forums, and scholarship procedures. Interestingly, they also provided examples of more specific communication subskills such as the following: explaining the solution to a problem or a design modification, giving instructions, requesting quotations or technical specifications, describing electrical components or products, preparing or giving lab reports, indicating warnings or 20 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS specifications of equipment, explaining a process, understanding videos, giving opinions, and presenting a project, among others. Students reported that those interactions may involve the participation of other professional colleagues (engineers, technicians, etc.), experts and consultants, professors, clients, suppliers, coworkers, and employers. In another open-ended question, the Electrical Engineering students were required to provide examples of documents or materials that they use in English. The most relevant examples on which most of them agreed included articles and reports of technical, scientific, or academic nature; technical documentation (manuals, specifications, catalogues, datasheets, and standards); textbooks; informative and training videos; websites of different institutions or companies; programming forums, and publications related to the National Electrical Code (NEC) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Some examples of these authentic materials are included in Appendix D. Description of the Students’ Wants Several questions were included in the questionnaire to explore the students’ wants from a top-down perspective, which means that the English skills in which the students were interested were first identified from a general level, and then additional survey items allowed the researchers to dig deeper into more specific subskills, activities, and topics on which the students would like to focus during an ESP course. Based on this, the participants were first asked to categorize the language skills by using a priority rank order. The results included in Table 3 show the skills that they would like to improve based on the first levels of priority. 21 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Table 3 English Skills That Students Would Like to Improve Skill Level of priority First Second Third N % N % N % a. listening 19 22 16 18 13 15 b. speaking 36 41 23 26 4 5 c. reading 4 5 4 5 25 28 d. writing 4 5 11 13 11 13 e. grammar 2 2 5 6 18 20 f. technical vocabulary 10 11 17 19 5 6 g. pronunciation 13 15 12 14 12 14 As Table 3 shows, speaking was identified as the first priority or most important want by almost half of the participants (41%), followed by listening skills with 22%. The same pattern was found for the second level of priority, in which speaking was reported by 26% of the respondents, followed by listening with 18%. Additionally, reading was the macro skill most frequently reported as third priority. In relation to micro skills, pronunciation obtained the highest rank for first priority, technical vocabulary obtained the highest rank for second priority, and grammar was most frequently reported as the third priority. When students were asked about the particular speaking and listening activities of interest, their answers provided the results shown in Figure 1. 22 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Figure 1 Speaking and Listening Activities That Students Would Like in the Course According to Figure 1, four main speaking and listening activities stand out from the rest. The majority of the participants (85%) indicated that conversations with foreigners are the main activity that they would like to put into practice. The activity corresponding to meetings, debates, and group discussions was classified by 74% of the respondents as the second most interesting task. The third position was occupied by international presentations and conferences. This activity was selected by 61% of the participants. A fourth activity, corresponding to work interviews, was also taken into account by the researchers since it was chosen by almost the same percentage of participants (60%) as the previous one. The survey results also identified the main activities that students would like to learn in terms of reading and writing skills. These activities are displayed in Figure 2. 0 20 40 60 80 100 h. others g. sale of products or services abroad f. work interviews e. telephone calls d. technical visits with foreigners to a work site c. meetings, debates and group discussions b. international presentations and conferences a. conversations with foreigners % of Participants S p e a k in g a n d L is te n in g 23 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Figure 2 Reading and Writing Activities That Students Would Like in the Course In this case, the results revealed three main activities with the highest frequencies. Almost all the participants (93%) identified articles and technical reports as the most relevant reading and writing activity. The second activity corresponds to manuals, specifications, and standards, which was selected by 78% of the respondents. The third activity, which is related to the use of textbooks, was reported by 73% of the sample population. These three main results are followed by résumés (45%) at a more distant position in the graph but still relevant to be considered in the future ESP course. At a more specific level of detail, the questionnaire also provided information about particular communication subskills and text patterns that each student would like to address. Figure 3 shows the results corresponding to speaking and listening. 0 20 40 60 80 100 j. others i. quotations h. programming forums g. forms f. resumes e. e-mails d. websites of entities and organizations c. textbooks b. manuals, specifications and standards a. articles and technical reports % of Participants R e a d in g a n d W ri ti n g 24 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Figure 3 Speaking and Listening Subskills That Students Would Like in the Course Regarding speaking, the majority of participants (84%) indicated that describing the sequence of a process is a key subskill that they would like to learn to perform appropriately in the field of Electrical Engineering. Giving instructions and directions was also selected by most participants (67%). Two more additional speaking activities were identified by more than a half of the respondents: describing a product (58%) and expressing figures (56%). For listening activities, the highest percentage corresponded to understanding fast talkers (77%). This result is followed by two listening activities evenly selected by 68% of the respondents: identifying main ideas (in conversations, presentations, audios, videos, etc.), and understanding audios or videos. Identifying specific details was the third listening activity with the highest number of respondents (61%). 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 m. understanding audios or videos l. understanding fast talkers k. understanding different accents j. identifying specific details i. identifying main ideas h. making comparisons g. expressing figures f .describing a product e. giving recommendations d. requesting clarifications c. describing the sequence of a process b. giving instructions and directions a. greetings and farewells % of Participants S p e a k in g a n d L is te n in g 25 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Figure 4 presents the results gathered for reading and writing. Figure 4 Reading and Writing Subskills That Students Would Like in the Course As can be seen from Figure 4, making a critical judgement about a text was identified as a key reading subskill by most of the students, specifically 76%. In addition, identifying the main ideas of a text was selected by 64%. With respect to writing, the highest results corresponded to writing clear complex sentences (72%), organizing ideas in a logical and structured order (68%), and using a wide variety of vocabulary in a text (64%). The exploration of students’ wants also allowed the researchers to identify the most relevant Electrical Engineering topics for students. From a list of twenty different topics, more than a half of the results were linked to the following options in hierarchical order: renewable energy (60%), design and electrical installations (57%), robotics and artificial intelligence (56%), 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 k. using proper connectors j. organizing ideas in a logical and structured order i. using a wide variety of vocabulary in a text h. writing clear complex sentences g. using punctuation marks correctly f. writing words with correct spelling e. providing a critical judgement about a text d. identifying the different parts of a text c. guessing the meaning of unknown words b. identifying specific information in a text a. identifying the main ideas of a text % of Participants R e a d in g a n d W ri ti n g 26 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS process automation (55%), instrumentation, machines and equipment (53%), electronics (52%), project management (51%), and computing and networking (50%). Description of the Students’ Lacks A Likert scale was included in the survey to identify the level of difficulty experienced by the students in relation to the main English language skills. The results obtained from the instrument are displayed in Table 4. Table 4 Level of Difficulty Experienced by the Participants Skill Level of difficulty Very easy Easy Difficult Very difficult N % N % N % N % a. listening 8 9 33 38 37 42 12 14 b. speaking 0 0 15 17 53 60 20 23 c. reading 7 8 54 61 24 27 4 5 d. writing 1 1 32 36 48 55 7 8 e. grammar 2 2 22 25 48 55 3 3 f. technical vocabulary 1 1 15 17 50 57 23 26 g. pronunciation 1 1 23 26 53 60 11 13 Based on Table 4, speaking is the macro skill perceived as the most difficult by the respondents. The total sum of participants who categorized it as difficult or very difficult is equivalent to 83%. The results also revealed that writing (63%) and listening (56%) were challenging skills in terms of difficulty. In the case of micro skills, it is worth noting that technical vocabulary occupied a remarkable position, with well over three-fourths (83%) of the population classifying it as difficult or very difficult. 27 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS To complement the information about lacks, the participants were asked to rank the four major language skills according to detailed descriptors given to them to understand the performance expected at each proficiency level. The results allowed the researchers to have a first glimpse of language proficiency based on the participants’ own perceptions and background before administering the actual diagnostic test. The results are summarized in Table 5. Table 5 Description of the Current English Proficiency Level Perceived by the Participants Perceived level Skill Listening Speaking Reading Writing N % N % N % N % a. advanced 11 13 2 2 14 16 4 5 b. intermediate 33 38 25 28 40 45 29 33 c. beginner 28 32 39 44 23 26 37 42 d. extremely limited 16 18 22 25 11 13 19 22 The results point to the majority of students being categorized as beginners or intermediate, matching the preliminary information obtained in the registration process. By exploring the findings in more detail, the data showed that the main lacks are related to productive skills. For example, in the extremely limited level, speaking (25%) and writing (22%) represented the highest percentages of students within this category. The same pattern was found in the case of the beginner level, which reported 44% for speaking and 42% for writing as the highest percentages for that specific proficiency level. As the perceived level increases to higher categories, the percentage of students corresponding to productive skills decreases proportionally. Thus, the intermediate level reported 28% of students for speaking skills and 28 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS 33% for writing, the lowest results within this category, while the advanced level included only 2% for speaking and 5% for writing, which are also the lowest values. Commonalities The triangulation of data provided by the three sources of information (professors, electrical engineers, and students) allowed the researchers to identify the following commonalities regarding the participants’ needs, wants, and lacks. First, it is worth noting that the stakeholders and the students clearly consider English an essential requirement in the field of Electrical Engineering, as it opens the doors to a more diverse collection of academic and professional opportunities. Specifically for academic purposes, the general perception is that reading is the most important language skill needed by students. Although it is not an official requirement in the major, all the professors agreed that most courses demand that students read technical texts. In relation to this, the professionals added that most of the didactic materials and updated technical references are in English. In addition, the professors highlighted the relevance of listening for attending conferences or watching videos, and of speaking and writing in the case of applying for a scholarship abroad. These findings are consistent with the responses provided by the students. When asked to categorize the different language skills by using a rank order, reading occupied the highest priority, followed by listening and speaking. In the case of professional needs, the findings demonstrate that all the macro skills become important when performing work-related activities; however, students and stakeholders emphasized the importance of speaking, which is currently a requirement to find a job or to get an internship at a company. Additional priorities reported by the professionals included reading and technical vocabulary. As for the students, the secondary priorities corresponded to listening and reading. 29 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS After exploring the needs in the academic and professional contexts, the students were also asked to select the English skills that they wanted to improve. Interestingly, the tendency of the respondents was closer to the needs identified for the professional settings. This means that speaking was identified as the first priority, followed by listening and reading. A possible explanation attributed to this trend is that students may be more interested in language skills required for job-related environments since they will soon complete their major and expect to enter the labor market. Regarding particular activities that require the use of English, the most relevant speaking and listening tasks selected by the stakeholders included attending international presentations and conferences, having conversations with foreigners, and participating in meetings, debates or group discussions. In terms of reading and writing, the activities were mainly related to reading technical documentation (articles, reports, manuals, specifications, datasheets, and standards), reading textbooks, and writing emails. These needs reported by the stakeholders clearly matched the wants selected by the students in the survey. In terms of lacks, both groups of stakeholders mentioned that the main deficiency affecting students and professionals corresponds to speaking, as it has recently become an important selection criterion used by employers. Writing was also identified by stakeholders as the second most difficult skill. These findings are consistent with the results collected from the students in the survey. Finally, in regard to recommendations for the ESP course, both groups of stakeholders agreed on similar suggestions: helping students gain confidence, developing soft skills, and improving technical vocabulary for usage in written or spoken interactions. 30 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Students’ Learning Strategies, Styles, and Attitudes The survey taken by students explored their learning strategies, styles, and attitudes. Figure 5 presents the main findings collected in this part of the research. Figure 5 Participants’ Learning Styles Figure 5 evinces that conversations or dialogues are some of the main activities that students would like to have in the English class, representing 91% of the total sample. The second activity in which they are mostly interested corresponds to reading comprehension of technical articles (70%). Two additional preferences reported by more than a half of the participants include writing exercises (67%) and multimedia exercises (audios, videos, games, etc.) (65%). Regarding interpersonal or intrapersonal participation, most students seemed to prefer group or pair work (47%) in comparison with individual work (39%). The participants also 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 l. activities that involve physical movement k. use of visual aids: diagrams, graphs, etc. j. solution of problems i. experiments or technical simulations h. competitions g. group or pair work f. individual work e. writing exercises d. reading comprehension of technical texts c. oral presentations b. conversations or dialogues a. multimedia exercises: audio, videos, games, etc. % of Participants L e a rn in g S ty le s 31 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS showed more interest in the survey items related not only to spatial-visual intelligence, as 56% indicated that they like the use of visual aids (diagrams, graphs, images, etc.), but also to logical-mathematical intelligence, reporting interest in experiments or technical simulations (53%) and solution to problems (50%). The bodily-kinesthetic intelligence (activities that involve physical movement) featured the lowest percentage of participants (18%). The purpose of the last open-ended question in the needs analysis questionnaire was to collect additional information about the learners’ attitudes towards learning, as well as their expectations and suggestions for the design of an ESP course. Overall, the students are greatly interested and have very positive attitudes towards the course. Several salient trends emerged from the qualitative analysis. For example, the main opinion among the participants was that they would like to improve their speaking skills to communicate effectively in a professional context. Many students mentioned that they are interested in practicing constantly to improve fluency, learning useful expressions, improving their pronunciation, and becoming familiar with different English accents to feel confident enough to engage in spontaneous conversations. Furthermore, a large number of students also pointed out that they would like to learn technical vocabulary that helps them improve their receptive and productive skills in both the academic and professional fields. Some of the participants also stated that they would like to improve their reading and writing skills. Additionally, the students highlighted that it is important to teach these skills in a fun, dynamic, and interactive way. Finally, yet importantly, the learners stated that they would like to have instructors who really care about their progress and help them improve in every way possible. Their time is limited due to the requirements of their major, but they would clearly take advantage of the ESP course. 32 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Participants’ Individual Profiles To have a general overview of the potential students for the ESP course, the individual profile of 25 participants selected at random from the entire group is provided as part of this study. This number was suggested by the Course Design professor as a representative sample of the target population. Based on the information gathered from the needs analysis, a one- page table was prepared for each student, including information about their academic year, academic specialization, needs, wants, lacks, previous English language experience and perceived proficiency. A coding number was also used to avoid giving the participants’ names. The descriptions can be found in Appendix E. E. Diagnostic Test Key Assessment Principles: Validity and Reliability To render effective and trustworthy results, the researchers considered the assessment principles of validity and reliability important cornerstones for designing, administering, and analyzing the diagnostic test, which is included in Appendix F. First, validity is defined as “the extent to which a test measures what it purports to measure” (Coombe et al., 2007, p. xxii). Brown (2004) and Coombe et al. (2007) refer to different types of validity. For example, a test shows content validity when it assesses the content and outcomes by using formats familiar to the students and by requiring test-takers to perform the behaviors being measured; construct validity occurs when the underlying theories and methodology of language learning match the type of assessment; and face validity refers to the extent to which a test appears to measure the knowledge and the abilities that it is supposed to measure. Thus, the diagnostic test achieved content validity because it aimed to measure language proficiency based on the ESP context, considering academic and professional 33 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS situations that Electrical Engineering students may face in real life: technical readings such as datasheets and articles, applications for student exchange programs, audios on technical topics, and job interviews. These situations were selected based on the data collected from the needs analysis questionnaire and interviews. In addition, when designing and selecting the items for each skill, the researchers were careful to ask students about the specific required ability and not to measure other skills or previous knowledge in a subject. The test was also divided into sections for each macro skill, and a relative weight was assigned to each. Moreover, in line with Genesee and Upshur (1996), who suggest that “it might be useful, in some cases, to prepare the test instructions for students with a common first language” (p. 201), the instructions for each section were provided in English and Spanish in order not to test comprehension of directions, a situation that could mainly affect the performance of students with a low proficiency level. The diagnostic test also evidenced construct validity as different constructs (theoretical knowledge) and rubrics were established for assessment. Even though the main construct corresponds to the students’ current performance and knowledge in English based on the objectives and descriptors from the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the following specific language constructs were also assessed as part of each skill: - Reading: Scanning, using typographical clues, guessing meaning from context, reading for main ideas, reading for specific details, and identifying facts and opinions. - Listening: Listening for main ideas and for specific details and making inferences. - Writing: Organization, content, grammar, mechanics, and style and quality of expression. - Speaking: Content, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Regarding face validity, different considerations were taken into account by the researchers to make the test look professional, relevant, and useful for students. For instance, 34 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS the test was well-structured in terms of format and familiar tasks relevant to the Electrical Engineering academic and professional settings. Feedback from the review by the Course Design professor was also incorporated to make the items clear. The difficulty levels for each skill presented a reasonable challenge from the easiest to the most difficult items. Furthermore, considering that the test had to be administered online, detailed instructions were also provided to the students for accessing the virtual platforms and for taking the test. The researchers were constantly monitoring the contact address and the online platforms in case of questions from the students, and even several positive comments were received from the examinees after administering the instrument. The second assessment principle with a key role for the diagnostic test was reliability. According to Brown (2004), a reliable test is consistent and dependable, meaning that it should yield similar results if given to the same or matched students on different occasions (p. 20). As an attempt to accomplish student-related reliability, the researchers made the written test available for two days in order for students to take it at their most convenient time. In the case of the speaking section, small talk and warm-up questions were included at the beginning of the interview to reduce the students’ anxiety and help the test-taker become comfortable with the situation. For test-administration reliability, the general instructions highlighted the importance of the following special requirements: having the proper equipment and Internet connection, taking the test at a quiet and undisturbed location, providing a personal identification, and not using any support to obtain accurate results that could truly reflect the students’ level of competence. For test reliability, the test was properly constructed regarding format, type of items selected for the test, levels of difficulty, and clear instructions. Students were also provided with information about the purpose of the test, the weighting of each section, the time available, the number of sections, and special test conditions. The researchers decided to use an extensive exam in 35 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS terms of number of items because “testing research shows that longer exams produce more reliable results” (Bachman, 1990, as cited by Coombe et al., 2007, p. xxiii). For example, the written test for assessing reading, writing and listening included approximately 40 items, two different readings, and three different audios, and the oral communication test was scheduled for a date different from the written test in order not to overload students with information. Finally, for inter- and intra-rater reliability, specific rubrics were prepared beforehand for the productive skills of writing and speaking, and the test items were graded and discussed by the two researchers to avoid any inconsistency issues related to fatigue, subjectivity, or human error. Test Administration Issues and Time Allotted Due to the large number of participants who submitted the needs analysis questionnaire (a total of 88 students), the diagnostic test was divided into two parts for practicality purposes, so that the researchers would be able to develop the test and analyze the results within the available time and with the available resources. The written section was the first part to be administered, and it assessed the skills of reading, writing, and listening. A total of 70 students out of 88 completed this section of the diagnostic test. Google Forms, which is a common online tool for conducting surveys and tests, was the platform selected for the written section. In addition, Google Classroom was also required to provide students with the general instructions and to attach the diagnostic test and the complementary materials: two readings in PDF format, one video, and two MP3 audio files. Google Classroom also served as a means of contact with students in case of questions during this test. The written section was available for two entire days, from Thursday, May 27 to Friday, May 28, 2021. As part of the general instructions, the participants were informed that they had a maximum of 3 hours to complete the test. 36 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS The second part, corresponding to the oral communication section to assess speaking skills, was administered separately by scheduling an online interview with each student who took the written test. Zoom, which is a well-known software for video conferencing and distance education, was the virtual platform selected for administering this part of the test, as it allows the researchers to record the sessions for backup purposes and to organize students in waiting rooms if they log into the session before the scheduled time. The appointments were scheduled every 10 minutes, meaning that the total time required for administering all the oral interviews was approximately 12 hours. The oral interviews were set up one week after administration of the written section. Macro and Micro Skills Selected In light of the results collected from the needs analysis, the researchers decided to include the four macro skills in the diagnostic test to support the perceived levels that had been previously reported by the students in the questionnaire. Additionally, the micro skills selected for the test were closely related to the language needs and the academic and professional tasks identified as priorities by the students: reading technical documentation, writing emails, listening to technical audios, and interacting in a job interview. Constructs Behind the Test Under the umbrella of a main general construct corresponding to the students’ current performance and knowledge in English based on the objectives and level descriptors from the CEFR, specific language constructs were also assessed for each major skill as described in the following subsections. Reading Reading skills were assessed by means of two technical texts: one datasheet about a fiber optic cable, and an IEEE article about a wave energy power system. The constructs 37 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS assessed included scanning, using typographical clues, guessing meaning from context, reading for main ideas and specific details, and identifying facts and opinions. Writing The writing section consisted of one productive response item where students had to write an email. The constructs evaluated in this task were organization, content, grammar, mechanics, and style and quality of expression. Listening The constructs considered in this section were listening for the main idea, listening for specific details, and making inferences. Speaking The oral communication test consisted of an individual guided interview with each student. Three sets of questions were used, each set corresponding to a proficiency scale from the CEFR (two questions for Basic User, two for Independent User, and one for Proficient User). The language constructs assessed were content, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. Types of Items to Assess Each Skill The diagnostic test used a combination of receptive and productive response items. For the written section, the selection of items for each skill was largely determined by the format and options already established in the online platform for administering the test (Google Forms). Reading The reading section included receptive response items, specifically multiple choice and true-false. The multiple-choice items required students to choose one of three possible options, except for the true-false exercise for main ideas and the fact and opinion exercise, in which only two possible options were available. 38 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Writing This section consisted of a productive response item task where students were required to write an email with a minimum extension of 10 lines and a maximum of 15 lines. Listening Receptive response items were used for assessing this skill. While the first two parts of the listening section corresponded to a multiple-choice exercise, the last part was composed of true-false items. Speaking The speaking section included productive response items as the skill was assessed by means of a set of open-ended questions and prompts in an oral interview. Subskills Addressed in Each Section The particular subskills addressed in the diagnostic test resembled a series of objectives established for each section. Reading 1. To show understanding of technical readings with different lengths and levels of difficulty. 2. To identify specific details in a technical reading by means of scanning. 3. To show understanding of typographical clues in a text. 4. To decode the meaning of words in a reading based on contextual clues. 5. To recognize main ideas in a technical reading. 6. To recognize facts and opinions in a technical reading. Writing 1. To write an email where students introduce themselves and talk about their background in an academic context by using appropriate language and writing conventions. 39 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS 2. To explain the importance of being selected for a student exchange program by giving reasons, opinions, and examples in terms of future plans and expectations. Listening 1. To show understanding, aided by visuals, of phrases, and expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance regularly encountered at work and school. 2. To show understanding of the main point and the specific details of speech, including technical discussions in the field of specialization. 3. To identify the speaker’s viewpoints and attitudes as well as the information content. 4. To demonstrate understanding of finer points of detail in recorded and broadcast audio material. Speaking 1. To demonstrate understanding of texts (questions and prompts) during an oral interview. 2. To successfully interact by asking and answering questions, giving descriptions, narrating experiences, and giving opinions about a variety of familiar and technical topics. 3. To produce chunks of language at different lengths, fluent speech, correct grammatical structures, appropriate English phonemes, and an adequate repertoire of vocabulary. Number of Items for Reliability To ensure reliable results, the diagnostic test included a total of 90 points. The reading section was made up of 25 items distributed in six different exercises for a total of 25 points. The writing section contained a single item that assessed multiple subskills at the same time; therefore, it was worth 25 points. The listening section consisted of 15 items distributed in three exercises for a total of 15 points. The speaking section included three sets of questions for a 40 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS total of 25 points (two questions for Basic User, two for Independent User, and one for Proficient User). Task Design in Terms of Proficiency Levels and Source The tasks for each macro skill were mainly designed based on the descriptors set by the CEFR for each proficiency level, as these scales “describe in a comprehensive way objectives that learners can set to achieve” (Kantarctoglu & Papageorgiou, 2012, p. 85). The levels of difficulty defined for each macro skill usually start increasing as the communicative functions, vocabulary, and structures become more demanding for the examinees. The CEFR includes six broad levels of ability, with A1 being the lowest and C2 the highest, and learners can be classified into three distinct groups or categories: the Basic User (levels A1 and A2), the Independent User (B1 and B2), and the Proficient User (C1 and C2) (Cambridge University Press, 2015, The CEFR, para. 2). Reading The reading section included six exercises, each assessing a different reading strategy. The Basic User level (A1 and A2) was exclusively associated with the scanning tasks because students were required to understand simple words and short sentences that, in some cases, were very predictable or had similar equivalents in Spanish. Moreover, some of the items were complemented with visual support. A score of 0 to 9 points was assigned for the Basic User level. With regard to the Independent User level, it included the reading strategies related to typographical clues and meaning in context for B1, and identification of main ideas for B2. The student was required to score from 10 to 21 points to be placed at the Independent User level. The Proficient User level (C1) was exclusively dedicated to the identification of facts and opinions because this task requires understanding a text in more detail. To reach this level, the student had to score from 22 to 25 points in the reading section. 41 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Writing To assess the learners’ proficiency level in writing, the researchers designed an analytic scale combining the descriptors dictated by the CEFR and the DIALANG scales, the latter also based on the CEFR guidelines and commonly used for diagnostic purposes (Council of Europe, 2001, p. 226). The researchers used this rubric to determine whether the learners showed command of the five constructs evaluated according to the different CEFR levels: Basic User, Independent User, or Proficient User. For this section, the students who showed mastery of the Basic User writing skills were assigned 1 point in the corresponding constructs, the students with skills suggesting an Independent User level were assigned 3 points, and those who exhibited more advanced skills, corresponding to the Proficient User level, were assigned 5 points. Furthermore, students had to write an email in which they were required to introduce themselves, which is a task that Basic Users are expected to accomplish according to the descriptors and scales mentioned above (A1 and A2). Then, they were instructed to describe their academic qualifications in the email, as Independent Users should be able to write straightforward, detailed descriptions on a range of familiar subjects within their field of interest (B1), and more advanced language users (B2) should be able to product clear, detailed texts on a wide range of subjects and explain their viewpoint with appropriate highlighting of significant points and relevant supporting detail. The test-takers also had to refer to their plans and expectations in the academic and professional field, which would be a task easily accomplished by a Proficient User as per the descriptors followed by the researchers (C1). Therefore, the test- takers had the opportunity to write an email, either simple or elaborate, according to their abilities. 42 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Listening The researchers designed listening tasks with levels of difficulty also based on the CEFR and the DIALANG scales. The listening section was divided into three parts, each containing five items. A total of 15 points were assigned to this particular macro skill, meaning that each item was worth 1 point. The first five items dealt with listening for specific details. The students with a Basic User proficiency level were expected to understand the first listening text as the speech was clearly and slowly articulated, the phrases and expressions were mostly related to school or work, and the speech was supported by visuals (A1 and A2). The second set of items involved two questions to listen for specific details, two questions where the students had to make inferences, and one last question to identify the main idea of the audio. At this point, the students with a perceived Independent User level should have been able to guess the meaning of occasional unknown words from the context, identify both specific details and main ideas since the audio was related to an academic and professional topic, and understand the audio material delivered in standard language to identify the speaker’s mood and tone, among others (B1 and B2). The third exercise was a true-false activity in which the test-takers were required to listen for specific details and make inferences to determine if each item was accurate or not. The students suggesting a Proficient User level were expected to understand this broadcast audio material and identify finer points of detail, as well as understand the speech that was delivered at a fast native speed (C1 and C2). Thus, the students had to score 0 to 5 points to be considered Basic Users, 6 to 10 points to be Independent Users, and 11 to 15 to be Proficient Users. Speaking The oral interview used for assessing speaking skills was designed based on a combination of different CEFR descriptors for production and interaction, and a rubric was 43 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS developed for scoring the various components of speaking skills. The interview adapted the stages proposed by Canale (1984) as a framework for oral proficiency testing: warm-up, level check, probe, and wind-down (Brown, 2004, p. 168). As part of the level check, the first set of questions corresponded to the Basic User, and it required students to score from 0 to 10 points. The students had to provide simple descriptions and short exchanges of information mainly about personal or familiar topics (A1) or about routines, educational or professional background, likes and dislikes, past activities, and future plans (A2). The second set of questions during the interview corresponded to the Independent User, and here the students were required to narrate an experience or sequence and to describe a solution, a simple point of view, or a plan of action (B1). The students could also go further and interact with a degree of fluency on more specialized and detailed topics (a technical discussion, advantages and disadvantages, advice on technical matters, a procedure, etc.) (B2). The Independent User scale required a total score of 11 to 20 points in the oral interview. Finally, the questions corresponding to the Proficient User (probe), with an assigned score of 21 to 25 points, demanded clear, fluent, and detailed texts on more complex subjects, with a broad command of vocabulary and expressions; therefore, it was the most challenging stage for the test-takers. Types of Rubrics for Assessing Writing and Speaking Analytic rubrics, which “result initially in several scores, followed by a summed total score” (Mertler, 2001, p. 2), were used for assessing writing and speaking skills on a multidimensional level. Even though this type of rubric usually implies a slower scoring process, it provided the researchers with more specific feedback and supporting data for placing the participants at the corresponding perceived English levels. 44 ENGLISH FOR ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING STUDENTS Writing For the writing section, the student-teachers adapted an analytic scale based on the CEFR descriptors, the TOEFL writing rubrics, and a rubric sample for rating composition tasks (Brown, 2004, pp. 244-245). According to Coombe et al. (2007), “unlike holistic marking scales, analytical writing scales provide teachers with a “profile” of their students’ strengths and weaknesses in writing, which is very useful for diagnostic feedback” (p. 83). Thus, this type of rubric helped the researchers to place students at the perceived proficiency level, determining strengths and weaknesses for appropriate design of tasks that address the identified needs. The rubric reflected the following constructs: organization, content, grammar, mechanics, and style and quality of expression. See Appendix G. Speaking The analytic scoring guide used for assessing speaking was developed as an adaptation from references such as the table on qualitative features of spoken language by the CEFR (Council of Europe, 2020, pp. 183-185), oral proficiency scoring categories (Brown, 2004, pp. 172-173), and a speaking assessment scale (Coombe et al. 2007, p. 127). The rubric included the following five components: content, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary. See Appendix H. Types of Parameters for Assessing Reading and Listening The parameters or descriptors that characterize the proficiency levels of reading and listening were taken and adapted from the CEFR guidelines for the specific context under stud