Using Production-Oriented Approach in Business English Courses: Perceptions of China’s English-Major and Non-English-Major Undergraduates

Abstract

In light of pedagogical innovation, this study reports a two-stage survey with 172 participants from English-major and non-English-major programs on their needs of production-oriented approach and perceptions of effective implementation strategies in business English courses at a Chinese university. The results of the study suggest that while the two student groups used different learning methods, both valued communication with native speakers. While the two groups had different needs in business English reading, writing, and speaking activities, they also preferred listening to business news broadcasts. The two groups liked learning in case studies and case-based methodology. Based on the needs, a production-oriented teaching procedure is designed. For teaching activities, the students preferred simulation and role-play. As to their favorite teaching and learning materials, English-majors mentioned English news reading and videos, whereas non-English-majors liked theme-based reading materials. For curriculum adaptation and post-course practice, they suggested using communicative activities and more recent cases. The majority of the groups considered the teaching activities, materials, and activities as effective. Based on the different needs and perceptions, effective and tailored implementation strategies for a production-oriented approach in business English courses for the two student groups at this Chinese university context are suggested. Informed by production-oriented pedagogical theories, the results of the study may have significant implications for business English teaching reform and theoretical development in Chinese universities as well as other cultural and education settings in further innovating and refining the teaching and learning process.

Empowering English as a Foreign Language Education With the Production-Oriented Approach: A Systematic Review

“…English writing (Yin, 2019;Du, 2022;Liu, et.al., 2020 (Balázs, 2020;Li et al, 2022;Qiu, 2020;Sun, 2020;Xie, 2021;Yang, 2022) "Autonomous learning" (J. Shu, 2022) "Students' motivation" (Li et al, 2022;Ren & Wang, 2018) "Enthusiasm for English learning" (X.Wang, 2022) "Critical thinking skills" (Lei & Mokhtar, 2023;X. Liu, 2021) A majority of studies targeted micro English skills such as reading, writing, speaking, translation, interpreting, and grammar.…”

“…The other studies targeted English translation (Qi, 2022), interpreting (Guo, 2020), and grammar (Zhang & Choe, 2020) in a general view without a specific description of each skill. Five studies (Balázs, 2020;Li et al, 2022;Qiu, 2020;Sun, 2020;Xie, 2021;Yang, 2022) targeted students' global English proficiency by designing POA modules. Most of them examined the effect of pre-post tests on students' English level and generally reported a positive effect of POA on students' EFL academic level.…”

“…Shu, 2022). , Xie (2021), and Zhao and Li (2021) then claimed a promotion of "autonomous learning or self-regulation" through POA teaching. While Qiu (2020), Ren and Wang (2018), and Liu and Zhang (2019) stated POA's effect by a general saying of driving learners' "positive attitude" and "positive emotional experience".…”

College English Reading Teaching Integrating Production Oriented Approach from the Perspective of Artificial Intelligence

“…e research results indicated that the application of POA theory was of great significance for the reform and theoretical development of business English teaching in Chinese universities and for further innovation and improvement of the teaching process in other cultural and educational contexts [8].…”

Optimization Design of Business English Teaching Course for International Business Majors

“…"It is the driving force and support for accelerating China's progress from a big educational country to an educational power [2]. Professional orientation curriculum is arbitrary and lacks planning and systematicness, while scientific and pragmatic business English curriculum is very necessary and positive [3]. In the exploration and practice of business English education and teaching, some problems that need to be solved urgently and are difficult to solve have been exposed.…”