ESP blended learning based on the use of smart coursebook

Abstract

ESP teaching in the blended learning environment has become quite widespread in language classes worldwide. The purpose of this present study is to outline an effectiveness of ESP blended learning based on the use of the smart coursebook. A total of 48 EFL undergraduate students of a non-linguistic university participated in the study. The experimental group studied the target course through blended learning strategies, and their performance was evaluated through comparing the results got from a pretest and post-test, respectively, to check the effectiveness of ESP blended learning based on the use of the smart coursebook. Questionnaires were also conducted to identify students' evaluation of the ESP blended learning. It was observed that the participants of the study perceived BL to be useful and helpful for the improvement of their English proficiency. The findings show that the participants in the experimental group received higher scores for their post-test at the end of the study. Key words: blended learning, ESP teaching, smart coursebook, technology-related skills, autonomous learning IntroductionThe era of global computerization requires qualitatively new characteristics from the participants of the world's scientific and educational environment. Today, to be an effective, competitive international specialist, an economist or scientist must possess a wide range of competencies. The most important ones are lifelong learning and proficiency in a foreign language (mainly English because of its lingua franca status in scientific and economic discourse) at a level not lower than Upper-Intermediate according to Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. There is a high demand for a specialist who is able to solve professional problems together with foreign partners, taking into account the peculiarities of intercultural communication and capable of interacting with colleagues in any multicultural space, moving to the heights of professionalism through communication. Moreover, future specialist should have the ability to perceive and make statements in accordance with the communicative context, be fluent in a foreign language as a means of professional communication, have the ability/readiness to understand and perform speech acts appropriate to the specific situation of communication. This situation leads to the implementation of new requirements for the future specialist's professional training of in the financial and economic sphere. Therefore, the discipline «English for specific purposes» is more often included in the curricula of economic and financial universities. In our opinion, the main task of the authors of the curriculum for ESP teaching is the compliance with the requirements of smart education, which implies the development of students' self-study skills and the extensive use of the Internet resources that provide the opportunity to acquire professional competencies based on systematic study of disciplines, taking into account their multidimensionality and on-line database. The...

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