Development of a Competency-based English Oral Communication Course for Undergraduate Public Relations Students

Fasawang Pattanapichet

Associate Professor Sumalee Chinokul, PhD

Chulalongkorn University

Contact address

109 Soi Udomsook 51, Udomsook Road, Bangjark  Prakanong District

Bangkok Thailand 10260     Fax: 662-746-5906     E-mail: fasawangp@yahoo.com

Abstract

The issue of discrepancies between university English language curriculum and English requirements at the workplace has resulted in incompetent English language graduates. This has influenced a trend toward the promotion of occupational/professional education in higher education such as Academic-for-occupational purposes English (EA/OP) in ESP world. The study proposes the use of a competency-based approach and presents a detailed process for developing such a course step-by-step, with a focus on equipping undergraduate PR students with the needed competencies in English oral communication in the PR job market.

The study consists of two phases: course development and course implementation/evaluation. To develop the course, a needs analysis was conducted based on the modified DACUM technique and also a questionnaire survey. Next, the results of the needs analysis were used to design the course. The course was implemented with 35 PR students at Bangkok University for one semester. To examine the course effectiveness, three phases of course evaluation were conducted: before, during and after the course implementation. The course was evaluated against seven criteria. The findings from both quantitative and qualitative data indicated that all of the seven criteria were achieved testifying the effectiveness of the course. Finally, some major points in each process of the study were discussed to justify the effectiveness of the course.

Key words: competency-based, English oral communication, English for Specific

Purposes, Academic English for Occupational Purposes, Thai undergraduate public relations students

Abbreviations: ESP – English for Specific Purposes, EA/OP- Academic English for Occupational Purposes, PR – Public Relations