ERIC Number: EJ914043
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Mar
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1046-8781
EISSN: N/A
ESP Needs Washback and the Fine Tuning of Driving Instruction
Freiermuth, Mark R.
Simulation & Gaming, v38 n1 p35-47 Mar 2007
Workplace needs are often difficult for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teachers to assess due to a variety of obstacles that can restrict opportunities to analyze the existing needs. Nevertheless, the workers' needs may be recognized by employing techniques aimed at extracting information from the workers themselves. Japanese university students, working as in-automobile interpreters for American employees stationed in Japan, were asked to interpret Japanese instructions provided to the Americans during practice sessions at a local drivers' training facility. During think-aloud interviews with students, it was determined that the interpreters had not gained sufficient control of specialized vocabulary related to automobiles; moreover, they were unable to adequately interpret the commands that were given by the Japanese instructors during the training sessions. The students pointed to a specialized vocabulary worksheet that was developed, simulated driving lessons, and general discussion as being effective measures to better prepare them for the in-automobile interpretation. (Contains 2 tables.)
Descriptors: Student Attitudes, Protocol Analysis, Foreign Countries, English for Special Purposes, Driver Education, Second Language Instruction, Translation, Motor Vehicles, Interviews, Vocabulary Development, Second Language Learning, Language Skills, Worksheets, Simulation, Job Skills, Work Environment
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Japan
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A