阿曼毕业生的英语沟通技巧:雇主的视角

IF 1.4 Q2 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Thuraya Al Riyami
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They are not capable of using the language for high-order thinking such as summarising, synthesising and evaluating. Also, the study reveals that Omani graduates encounter many difficulties when using the language to support their arguments and conduct research. The study concludes with the presentation of a recommendation to develop students’ English communication skills related to changing the curriculum, establishing an appropriate infrastructure, improving teaching practices and establishing policies that ensure graduates’ capabilities to use English in the workplace.\n\n\nDesign/methodology/approach\nThe study has been carried out using a mixed-methods approach which involves “a mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches” (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007, p. 5), to get a better understanding of the job market’s perspectives of graduates’ English communication skills. In the first phase of the study, a questionnaire was distributed to 50 employers in different government and private sectors. The questionnaire was comprising three parts. The first part included general questions on background, such as the type of organisation, qualifications required in the organisation and a general view of the English communication skills of graduates. The second part included a rating scale in which participants responded using a five-point Likert scale (from “totally agree” to “totally disagree”) to 17 statements that focussed on the linguistic skills of graduates. The third part also consisted of 23 items with a five-point Likert scale for responses ranging from “totally agree” to “totally disagree”. The 23 items focussed on the professional communication skills of Omani graduates. The items of the questionnaire were inspired by the pertinent literature and the questions of the study. In the second phase of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 employers to get clarification on some of the issues that were raised in the questionnaire and get the employers’ opinions about how to improve the communication skills of Omani graduates and what initiatives HEIs can take to achieve that. These 15 participants worked in different public and private sectors, such as an oil and gas company, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Manpower, banks, an electricity company, a telecommunication company, an insurance company and a construction company.\n\n\nFindings\nThe findings of this study reveal that Omani graduates generally lack English communication skills. These findings overlap other research conducted in Oman (Al-Issa & Al-Blushi, 2011; Al-Mahrooqi, 2012; Tanveer, 2013). This study also shows that Omani graduates are capable of using the language to fulfil lower-order thinking, but they lack the ability to use the language for high-order thinking such as summarising, synthesising and solving problems. The study also reveals that Omani graduates are not capable of writing reports or research proposals. Regarding the employers? perceptions of graduates? English professional skills, the findings reveal that Omani graduates are not capable of interpreting clients? needs. They also lack writing skills and verbal negotiation communication skills. They are also unable to resolve conflicts or disagreements. The findings reveal that Omani graduates encounter many challenges in the workplace, including low proficiency in English, lack of research skills and persuasive skills and inappropriate use of language during meetings and events.\n\n\nResearch limitations/implications\nThe research has limited participants.\n\n\nPractical implications\nBased on the results of this study, the following recommendations are drawn: HEIs should foster a relationship with the job market through continuous meetings to seek their feedback on English courses so that they can improve them to cater to specific job requirements. HEIs should offer a special course on communication skills, in which learning becomes meaningful and contextualised. The curriculum must include sample workplace scenarios that enable students to use the appropriate language for different situations. HEIs should enhance English for Specific Purposes (ESP) support courses to equip students with the necessary language for their specialisations. HEIs must activate the role of a Career and Employment Centre to prepare students for their future jobs by offering special courses on how to react in interviews, construct a CV and behave in the workplace. HEIs should get rid of the „one size fits all? Approach and attempt to cater to students? Needs in their future careers.\n\n\nOriginality/value\nIn recent decades, the higher education system in Oman has achieved substantial growth in terms of quantity, including the number of institutions, enrolled students, hired teachers and specialisation diversities. This expanding growth of HEIs corresponds to the necessity of qualifying Omani citizens who are capable of participating in ongoing development in Oman. Every year, hundreds of Omani students join HEIs to continue their first degrees, where English is used as a medium of instruction. 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引用次数: 1

摘要

高等教育院校应加强特殊用途英语(ESP)支援课程,让学生掌握专业所需的语言。高等院校必须发挥职业及就业中心的作用,为学生提供特别课程,教他们如何在面试中反应、如何制作简历和如何在工作场所表现,为他们未来的工作做好准备。高等教育机构应该摆脱“一刀切”?接近并尝试迎合学生?未来职业的需求。近几十年来,阿曼的高等教育系统在数量上取得了显著增长,包括机构数量、入学学生数量、聘用教师数量和专业多样性。高等教育机构不断扩大的增长符合有能力参与阿曼正在进行的发展的合格阿曼公民的需要。每年都有数百名阿曼学生进入高等教育机构攻读他们的第一个学位,这些学校使用英语作为教学语言。这些学生的目标是发展他们的英语,获得专业技能和知识,使他们能够胜任市场经济,因为英语被认为是找到工作和获得技术和现代化的守门人(Al-Issa, 2002;Al-Jadidi, 2009;Al-Jardani, 2011)。然而,关于这些高等院校毕业生的素质,包括他们的英语沟通能力,也存在着热烈的讨论(Al-Issa & Al-Bulushi, 2011;Al-Mahrooqi, 2012;Tanveer, 2013)。例如,Al-Mahrooqi和Tuzlukovap(2014)指出,“高等教育的学生继续以非常弱的口头和书面沟通能力毕业,从而使他们不适合在许多类型的工作中就业”(第473页)。
本文章由计算机程序翻译,如有差异,请以英文原文为准。
Omani graduates’ English communication skills: employers’ perspectives
Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore employers’ views on the current English communication skills of higher education institutions (HEIs) graduates and to identify the workplace communication challenges encountered by graduates of these institutions. To achieve this, the study has been conducted using a mixed-method design using quantitative (questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interview) methods to present a holistic picture. The number of the participants was 50 for the questionnaire and 15 for the interview. Descriptive statistics were used for the quantitative data and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. The study revealed that Omani graduates have low English proficiency and are capable of using the language to perform low order thinking. They are not capable of using the language for high-order thinking such as summarising, synthesising and evaluating. Also, the study reveals that Omani graduates encounter many difficulties when using the language to support their arguments and conduct research. The study concludes with the presentation of a recommendation to develop students’ English communication skills related to changing the curriculum, establishing an appropriate infrastructure, improving teaching practices and establishing policies that ensure graduates’ capabilities to use English in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach The study has been carried out using a mixed-methods approach which involves “a mixture of qualitative and quantitative approaches” (Creswell & Plano Clark, 2007, p. 5), to get a better understanding of the job market’s perspectives of graduates’ English communication skills. In the first phase of the study, a questionnaire was distributed to 50 employers in different government and private sectors. The questionnaire was comprising three parts. The first part included general questions on background, such as the type of organisation, qualifications required in the organisation and a general view of the English communication skills of graduates. The second part included a rating scale in which participants responded using a five-point Likert scale (from “totally agree” to “totally disagree”) to 17 statements that focussed on the linguistic skills of graduates. The third part also consisted of 23 items with a five-point Likert scale for responses ranging from “totally agree” to “totally disagree”. The 23 items focussed on the professional communication skills of Omani graduates. The items of the questionnaire were inspired by the pertinent literature and the questions of the study. In the second phase of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 employers to get clarification on some of the issues that were raised in the questionnaire and get the employers’ opinions about how to improve the communication skills of Omani graduates and what initiatives HEIs can take to achieve that. These 15 participants worked in different public and private sectors, such as an oil and gas company, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Manpower, banks, an electricity company, a telecommunication company, an insurance company and a construction company. Findings The findings of this study reveal that Omani graduates generally lack English communication skills. These findings overlap other research conducted in Oman (Al-Issa & Al-Blushi, 2011; Al-Mahrooqi, 2012; Tanveer, 2013). This study also shows that Omani graduates are capable of using the language to fulfil lower-order thinking, but they lack the ability to use the language for high-order thinking such as summarising, synthesising and solving problems. The study also reveals that Omani graduates are not capable of writing reports or research proposals. Regarding the employers? perceptions of graduates? English professional skills, the findings reveal that Omani graduates are not capable of interpreting clients? needs. They also lack writing skills and verbal negotiation communication skills. They are also unable to resolve conflicts or disagreements. The findings reveal that Omani graduates encounter many challenges in the workplace, including low proficiency in English, lack of research skills and persuasive skills and inappropriate use of language during meetings and events. Research limitations/implications The research has limited participants. Practical implications Based on the results of this study, the following recommendations are drawn: HEIs should foster a relationship with the job market through continuous meetings to seek their feedback on English courses so that they can improve them to cater to specific job requirements. HEIs should offer a special course on communication skills, in which learning becomes meaningful and contextualised. The curriculum must include sample workplace scenarios that enable students to use the appropriate language for different situations. HEIs should enhance English for Specific Purposes (ESP) support courses to equip students with the necessary language for their specialisations. HEIs must activate the role of a Career and Employment Centre to prepare students for their future jobs by offering special courses on how to react in interviews, construct a CV and behave in the workplace. HEIs should get rid of the „one size fits all? Approach and attempt to cater to students? Needs in their future careers. Originality/value In recent decades, the higher education system in Oman has achieved substantial growth in terms of quantity, including the number of institutions, enrolled students, hired teachers and specialisation diversities. This expanding growth of HEIs corresponds to the necessity of qualifying Omani citizens who are capable of participating in ongoing development in Oman. Every year, hundreds of Omani students join HEIs to continue their first degrees, where English is used as a medium of instruction. These students aim to develop their English and obtain professional skills and knowledge which will enable them to be competent in a market economy, as English is considered the gatekeeper to finding jobs and accessing technology and modernity (Al-Issa, 2002; Al-Jadidi, 2009; Al-Jardani, 2011). However, there is a lively discussion about the quality of graduates of these HEIs, including their English communication skills (Al-Issa & Al-Bulushi, 2011; Al-Mahrooqi, 2012; Tanveer, 2013). For instance, Al-Mahrooqi and Tuzlukovap (2014) state that “higher education students continue to graduate with very weak oral and written communication skills, thus making them unfit for employment in many types of jobs” (p. 473).
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