Document Type: Conference Papers
Pages: 121-127
Year published: 1999
City published: Hong Kong
Publisher: Reprographic Unit of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Conference: Conference on Quality in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (1998: Hong Kong)
In a university setting, information-gathering about content courses is essential if English for Specific Purposes (ESP) practitioners are to understand and fully appreciate the communication needs and difficulties of their students. Most importantly, this knowledge can lead to the design and delivery of more appropriate and meaningful academic language courses for non-native speakers The end result is an improvement in the quality of both teaching and learning.
This paper focuses on one phase of a three-year ethnographic study that I have been carrying out at The Chinese University of Hong Kong with the support of an Earmarked Grant (University Grants Commission of Hong Kong). Specifically I have been investigating the use of the case method in business administration classes in order to gain a better understanding of the linguistic and cultural difficulties involved with English-medium, case-based learning in this bilingual (Chinese-English) context, This data has provided direction for the design and implementation of an ESP business communications course at CUHK.
