ENHANCING EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS IN ESP (ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES) CONTEXT – A STUDY CONDUCTED AT SOUTH EAST EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY
Abstract
Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to define the notion of employability skills and to position the term in the context of higher education and language teaching and learning, more specifically the context of ESP (English for Specific Purposes) environment. The importance of employability skills in the context of higher education is frequently emphasized, due to the expectations that higher education needs to produce future experts with marketable skills and competencies which will be valued by the employers. However, the process of including employability skills in higher education is not always straightforward and often entails complex decisions regarding the skills to be included and the mode of inclusion. The selection of skills to be included and the models and ways (Bridgstock, 2009; Knight & Yorke, 2003) of including employability skills are presented. The paper also presents the views and the perspectives of students in ESP classes regarding the necessity of employability skills, compared to the views of potential employers. In addition, the paper suggests modes of including employability skills in the context of language teaching and learning.
Key words: employability skills, language teaching, language learning, English for Specific Purposes.
Full Text:
PDFReferences
REFERENCES
Bridgstock, R. “The graduate attributes we've overlooked: enhancing graduate employability through career management skills.” Higher Education Research & Development, Vol. 51 No 1(2009): 31-44.
Accessed on April 7th,2017 from
https://undergrad.ucf.edu/whatsnext/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/The-Graduate-Attributes-Weve-Overlooked.pdf
Hillage, J. & Pollard, E. 1998. Employability: developing a framework for policy analysis, London: Department for Education and Employment.
Accessed on April 7th,2017 from
http://www.employment-studies.co.uk/report-summaries/report-summary-employability-developing-framework-policy-analysis
Knight, P and Yorke, M.. “Employability and Good Learning in Higher Education” Teaching in Higher Education, Vol. 8, No. 1 (2003):3-16.
McFarlane, K. Learning about employability. In Enhancing Teaching in Higher Education: New Approaches to Improving Student Learning, edited by Hartley Peter, Woods ,Amanda and Pill, Martin, 133-145. New York: Routledge. 2005. ISBN 0-415-34136-1
Robles, M. M. “Executive perceptions of the top 10 soft skills needed in today’s workplace.” Business Communication Quarterly, Vol. 75 No.4( 2012): 453-465.
doi: 10.1177/1080569912460400
Dacre, Pool,L and Sewell, P. “The key to employability: developing a practical model of graduate employability.” Journal of Education & Training, Vol.49 No 4, (2007): 277-289.
Yorke, M. “ Employability in Higher Education: What it is – What it is not.” Higher Education Academy. (2006):1-20.Accessed on April 8th, 2017
http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/documents/Staff/HEA-Employability_in_HE(Is,IsNot).pdf
Refbacks
- There are currently no refbacks.
ISSN 2334-9182 (Print)
ISSN 2334-9212 (Online)