An Empirical Study of IELTS Speaking Course for Advanced Nursing Majors in Chinese Nursing Vocational College

Abstract

In order to enhance international communication and cooperation, cultivate students with inter-cultural and international nursing awareness, improve foreign-concerned nursing ability, intensify English language learning, IELTS courses were adapted to teaching advanced nursing majors in a Chinese Nursing Vocational college. This article specifically focused on the effect of IELTS Speaking course which aimed to improve English spoken and communicative competence. Research methods including both quantitative questionnaire survey and qualitative interview were applied to 98 subjects who registered in this course. The results showed that students’ learning motivation and interest were fully triggered, and their spoken ability was more or less improved and learning needs were satisfied in general after this short-time experiment. As a consequence, this course should be carried out for long term to better equip students with internationally “double-qualified” certification, i.e. English competence plus professional expertise.