Poster Session 2

Academic ESP for Engineering Students through an Easy Collaborative Project

James D. Dunn

This poster presents an Engineering ESP writing and vocabulary activity that supports student creativity, real world vocabulary usage, and scientific abstract writing skills. The presenter will share the set-up, main activity, and extension of this in-class collaborative project. By utilizing inexpensive, easy to find materials the teacher can create a team-building environment where students can use the vocabulary introduced prior to the in-class project to flex their creative muscles and create something functional and educational.

A Research-Based Approach to Utilizing Business Case Studies in ELT

Rebekka Eckhaus

Many Business English classrooms utilize business case studies, but rarely have instructors read the research informing best practices for ELT. This poster will map the progression of research on the use of business cases in ESP from the 1980s when it started to gain popularity. Furthermore, main lessons gleaned from the research will be highlighted for teachers and practitioners interested in learning how to use or how to refine their use of cases with NNESs.

English Language Learning Materials for Creative-Tourism Workshops

Mark Hammond

Hands-on workshops, as a component of creative-tourism, have taken on increased significance in local, national, and global initiatives. The presentation outlines a project to develop pedagogically valid English language learning materials to support workshops given by professional practitioners and Japanese university students majoring in traditional craftwork (dento kogei). Discussion includes using discourse analysis tools to unpack procedural discourse collected in authentic contexts.

Easing Science Students into Poster Presentations

Glen Hill

This poster will demonstrate a series of lessons for graduate students in scientific fields who have to make poster presentations on their research. This is challenging because of the technical language they have to explain verbally, the conciseness of a poster vs. a journal article, and the conversational exchange with interested visitors. Familiar non-scientific topics introduce them to small-group public speaking. Critiquing real scientific posters then provides a basis for creating one on their own.

Active English for Police – Course Design & Survey Results

Michael Holsworth

This poster presents how the principles of ESP were applied to a unique university course called “Active English for Police”. The course is designed to teach students core English required by the Kyoto police. Participants were both active police officers, and students who are looking to pursue a career in law enforcement. The poster presents the course design, how ESP principles were applied, the course content, and a participant survey and its results.

The Effect of Explicit VLS Instruction on the Vocabulary Learning Behaviors of Japanese Biology Majors

Andrea Little and Kaoru Kobayashi

This study examines how explicit vocabulary learning strategies instruction on deeper memory strategies affects Japanese biology majors’ vocabulary learning behaviors and strategy preferences in accordance with their vocabulary sizes. A Likert-scale survey was administered before and after the instruction. Statistical analyses including split-plot design ANOVA revealed that regardless of their vocabulary size, VLS instruction was effective in enhancing the students’ use of metacognitive strategies, especially for self-management, but not their deeper-strategy use.

Report on an Intervention to Enhance Formulaic Sequence Use in Academic Writing

Lewis Murray

Formulaic language is prevalent in academic writing, yet problematic for L2 learners. This presentation reports on a study investigating the acquisition value of editing exercises on learners’ subsequent use of target formulaic sequences. A comparison of pre- and post-test data drawn from a treatment group and control group reveals greater frequency of use from the former. Results from a qualitative analysis seeking to determine whether greater frequency equates to enhanced academic writing are also given.

Shaping Up a New English for Medical Purposes Course with a Routine Student Feedback

Chieri Noda

To assess how an English for Medical Purposes course was being received by two groups of approximately 50 Japanese medical students, a multiple-use feedback sheet was created. Student comments facilitated course adjustments as well as rapport building. Additionally, the sheet provided some students with a means for making subject-specific commentary. Subsequently, elements of the feedback sheet were incorporated into a hand-in worksheet for not only collecting feedback but encouraging more active student participation and reflection.

Enhancing Professional Communication Skills in the Lower Mekong: An ESP Approach

Apiwan Nuangpolmak

This poster presentation describes the development and design of the Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) English support project, titled Professional Communication Skills for Leaders (PCSL). Adopting an ESP approach in syllabus design, the PCSL training was able to focus specifically on the situated needs for language use among researchers, policy makers and government officials of Cambodia, Loa PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam to participate effectively in international meetings and projects.

Assertiveness and Sensitivity Training through BELF Discursive Leadership Material Development

Alan Simpson

Japanese industrial researcher’s overseas communicative needs were assessed and compared to current BELF research needs of accommodation and adaptability strategies. Then ‘21st century’ project based learning tasks were developed to teach discourse leadership skills aiming to improve assertiveness and sensitivity in an ELF context. To create a link between this pedagogical approach and the research, the teaching methodology and discourse features will be evaluated using a holistic ESP model.

Developing Information Literacy of LSP Translators – Experimental Classes

Joana Sycz-Opoń

The poster reports on the experimental classes aimed at the development of LSP translators’ information skills. The scenario of the course was based on the results of the observation study into students’ information behaviour (Sycz-Opoń 2015), which revealed, among others, the problems encountered at different stages of the information-seeking process, effective and ineffective search strategies applied by the students, and commonly made mistakes. The effectiveness of the course was measured by means of a survey and observation of the students’ information behaviour during the end-of the-year translation test. The poster presents detailed account of the course (what was taught and how) and the results of the survey.

The Present Status and Future Prospects of English for Business Purposes in the Japanese Industrial Context

Kazushige Tsuji

This poster highlights two grant-supported research projects*, completed between 2011 and 2017, examining the status of ESP in the realm of Japanese industry. The poster additionally includes data obtained from interaction with ESP researchers and practitioners, exploring the development of pragmatic EBP-related courses and materials for Japanese English learners.
*JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP23520779, JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number JP26370647