Internal stakeholders’ voices for overcoming the challenges presented by studying engineering through the medium of English in Oman

Abstract

This current study based on a PhD study conducted by the researcher in 2018. The findings reported in this study were obtained from the analysis of interviews. The suggestions of engineering students and their English for Academic Purposes (EAP) and engineering teachers to overcome the challenges presented by studying through the medium of English will be presented and analysed. Data was analysed using thematic analysis. The research methodology employed in this study is qualitative by using methods such as semi-structured interviews. Several issues and suggestions were identified from the data set, and several themes emerged from the analysis, namely: the need to reform the school system; the need to review and restructure foundation and post-foundation programmes; the need for more strongly emphasised oral communication courses; the importance of hiring engineering teachers with high language proficiency levels; and the need to establish cooperation mechanisms between language teachers and engineering tutors, as well as to embed critical-thinking skills in English language syllabi. Both teachers and students thought the EMI issues should be considered during the foundation and post-foundation stages where students were expected to be well prepared for their speciality in terms of language proficiency and other skills.

Keywords

• challenges
• engineering
• internal stakeholders; medium of English in Oman

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