Business students’ perceptions of the importance of ESP courses for Bangladeshi undergraduate students

Abstract

English is the lingua franca of the world in almost all cases. It is the language of higher education in almost all the universities of the world. Almost all the universities in Bangladesh, particularly all the private universities, use English as the medium of study. Therefore, in order to succeed in universities having good English skills is one of the prerequisites. To develop undergraduate students’ English skills universities often offer English courses known as English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. In Bangladeshi context, ESP courses are provided to undergraduate students to develop their English speaking and writing skills. However, the ways in which students are taught in the ESP courses – combined with the syllabus, materials, and classroom setting – should improve to achieve more effective results. This study is a qualitative study in nature, and it explores the perception of business students of some private universities regarding the effectiveness of theses courses. Data for this research was collected through online interviews due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s restrictions. Participants are current students from three universities and some have already passed from the same universities and are working in different sectors. This study has found out that there are lots of lacking regarding the syllabus and teaching method of ESP courses. Moreover, the study finds that students also should grow their interest in learning. Finally, this study has suggested some recommendations that may help the learners and teachers to get the proper use of ESP courses and benefit from them.