DICKENSIAN JOURNAL
DEVELOPING ENGLISH COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR
NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKING ENGINEERS: A
CHALLENGE AND A PROPOSED APPROACH
R.Ragalatha
Asst.Professor MallaReddy Engineering College Secunderabad-500100 India
Abstract: Undergraduate engineering students in India and
probably anywhere else where English is not the first language or
mother tongue have a hard time communicating effectively in the
English language. In most states of India, English is the official
language. Most educational institutions use it as a medium of
instruction. Students' capacity to write down what they've learned
is a primary goal of English language teaching techniques and
test goals, respectively. Schools and universities don't place a lot
of emphasis on oral communication and the development of
English as a language for exchanging and expressing innovative
ideas. Employers worldwide have acknowledged that the typical
engineering curriculum that focuses on conveying technical
knowledge has proven to be insufficient in preparing engineers
with the necessary employability skills. For the benefit of aspiring
engineers, this article lays forth a structure for creating a course
on effective communication and professional interaction.
Appendices include a pedagogical framework that has been
addressed and shown. Instead of stressing the inclusion of a
course on communication skills in engineering education,
guidelines for enhancing communication skills have been
developed with the understanding that communication should be
made an inherent element of the curriculum.
Keywords: Pedagogy, interpersonal communication,
communication barriers, Intercultural differences; Group
discussion; Interviews; Blog writing; Panel discussions.
I. INTRODUCTION
English language fluency is a crucial factor in the selection
process for most firms, particularly in Asian nations
(Ayokanmbi, 2011; Pratoomrat & Rajprasit, 2014; Marina
& Rajprasit, 2014). Concerning Indian engineers' capacity
to find work, Mehra and Virgandham (2013) emphasise the
importance of communication skills, such as confidence and
competence in speaking, writing, interpersonal interaction,
and listening. Only 17.91 percent of engineers are
employable in the software services industry, 3.67 percent
in the software products sector, and 40.57 percent in the
software services sector, according to Aspiring minds'
(2016) employability report.
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ISSN NO : 0012-2440
a non-essential position, such as outsourcing business
processes. English Communication is listed as the first and
most essential criteria used to determine employability in
the AMCAT (Aspiring Minds Computer Adaptive Test).
Robert Hall International conducted a similar poll of 1,000
American companies, finding that 96% of the executives
surveyed said they needed better communication skills to
advance in their careers (Fisher, 1998). More than half of
engineers are rejected by recruiters because they lack soft
skills that may be learned in a short amount of time, and
within two years of employment, the applicant will be
required to engage with foreign clients. Blom and Saeki
(2010) found that soft skills are more essential to employers
than professional ones. Leaders and communicators are in
high demand, according to the Wall Street Journal, which
cites them as two of the most essential qualities for success
(Perry, 2002). Engineers are unable to accept positions that
don't meet their educational requirements because of their
low English communication abilities (Puranik, 2015). The
English language is often considered to be the primary
means of disseminating technical information (Ayokanmbi,
2011; Raina & Pande, 2012; Gimenez, 2014; Thakur, Kaur,
Thakur, & Nanda, 2013; The Japan Times, 2009). Scientists
and engineers need to demonstrate their technical abilities
to colleagues, clients, and supervisors, regardless of their
technical brilliance and creativeness (Huckin & Oslen,
1991). Only through being able to effectively communicate
and persuade can this be accomplished. To succeed and
survive in the real world, communication skills are essential
(Blom & Saeki, 2011).
The use of English in daily dealings in India is quite restricted.
Vernacular with a scattering of English or "Hinglish," a blend
of Hindi and English that is acceptable in dining room talks,
but dilutes the professional effect of both languages, is used by
students in most higher education institutions. Even though
English has been a component of the Indian educational
system for more than a century, many young people are still
unable to speak it. Even if a person has the extensive technical
expertise and a wealth of professional experience, poor
communication skills can lead to misunderstandings and
dissatisfaction at any given communicative event.
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In 2011 and 2013, Laohachaiboon and Joungtrakul published
their findings. The development of additional abilities such as
taking notes, summarizing, synthesising, critical thinking, and
paraphrasing is impacted by a lack of basic language skills.
Takahashi (2010) and Tanaka (2002) have cited this study in
their research.
An engineering graduate should be proficient in the following
areas, according to accreditation requirements issued by the
NBA in 2017: As an individual and as a member or leader of
diverse teams, and across multiple disciplines, you must be
able to: (a) work well on your own; (b) communicate
effectively with the engineering community and with the
general public about complex engineering activities, such as
being able to read, write and present clear reports and design
documentation; (c) give and receive clear instructions. An
engineering student should also be able to work in a
multidisciplinary team, grasp professional and ethical
responsibilities, and be able to communicate effectively,
according to the ABET accreditation standards.
Not only must students be able to speak fluently, but they
should also be able to evaluate concepts and apply what
they've learned to new situations. Students will be taught to
think critically about their communication and professional
skills training. Graduates of engineering programmes are also
expected to be well-versed in the intricacies of working across
cultures. According to studies by Craig (2008), engineers are
expected to have a variety of non-technical skills, including the
ability to work well in teams, communicate effectively both
orally and in writing, be able to make presentations and sell
their services, have a basic understanding of economics, and
have business and travel etiquette down pat. A successful
engineering job necessitates a wide range of professional and
interpersonal communication abilities.
II. CURRENT TEACHING FRAMEWORK AND
CHALLENGES
Professional communication classes for engineering students
are often judged on the quality of their written reports or power
point presentations, which are frequently reproduced by the
students themselves. The components for evaluating spoken
communication, however present, are not sufficient. Indian
pupils, unlike their English-speaking counterparts, find it
difficult to speak and pronounce even grammatically accurate
English.
Students from the Thapar Institute of Engineering and
Technology in Patiala, Punjab, India, which is ranked 23rd in
India and enrols 2000 students each year, were asked to
provide examples of how they teach communication skills and
professional communication in the current Indian educational
system. All engineering students are required to take a one-
semester course in Professional Communication that covers a
wide range of oral and written tasks. Lectures and Tutorials are
used to teach the course.
In most institutions, it is believed that it is the task of the
language/ professional communication skills teacher only
VOLUME 22, ISSUE 6, 2022
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to focus on the written/oral use of language by a student.
Professional communication classes for engineering
students are often judged on the quality of their written
reports or power point presentations, which are frequently
reproduced by the students themselves. The components for
evaluating spoken communication, however present, are not
sufficient. Indian pupils, unlike their English-speaking
counterparts, find it difficult to speak and pronounce even
grammatically accurate English.
Students from the Thapar Institute of Engineering and
Technology in Patiala, Punjab, India, which is ranked 23rd
in India and enrolls 2000 students each year, were asked to
provide examples of how they teach communication skills
and professional communication in the current Indian
educational system. All engineering students are required to
take a one-semester course in Professional Communication
that covers a wide range of oral and written tasks. Lectures
and Tutorials are used to teach the course.
Lectures
The course begins with an emphasis on the meaning and
fundamental principles of interpersonal communication, the
hurdles involved, the feedback process and the theories of
communications. In the following section, we'll talk about
body language and nonverbal communication. All of these
topics are covered in the course's technical writing component,
which teaches the fundamentals of writing in various formats
as well as abstraction and summary, as well as the creation of
reports and proposals. The lecture sessions also teach students
how to do things like public speaking exercises, panel
discussions, and PowerPoint presentations. During lectures,
students practise public speaking and panel discussions (both
of which last 2 to 3 minutes each) in front of the entire class to
combat stage fright. A semester's worth of classes is about
equal to 32 hours of instruction.
Tutorials
During the first class, students participate in Group
Discussions, which consist of three practice sessions and
one assessment session. The second part of the course
involves teaching students how to create and give
PowerPoint presentations, as well as how to control their
body language and deal with stage anxiety. Making a report
is the next step in the process, in which students work with
their teachers to compile information for a document based
on the results of a survey they completed.
Students are given extensive instructions and help from
their lecturers, but their confidence, comprehension of the
material, and ability to persuade cannot be fully acquired in
a semester. Despite their apprehension and fear of the
language, most students have been seen working hard
during practice sessions to overcome these feelings. There
has also been observed reluctance in many students to
participate in oral communication
activities which is the direct
result
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DICKENSIAN JOURNAL
of low confidence and insufficient language skills. Most of
the pupils are unable to analyse the topic of discussion and
grasp the procedures involved. Although this course covers
most of the fundamental skills required for engineering
students in lectures and tutorials, it only lasts four months.
Due to a lack of time, pupils are unable to fully comprehend
the instructions, apply them to their conduct, and
demonstrate their understanding during assessments.
Students receive a lot of criticism during their performances,
but they don't have enough opportunities to put that input
into practice and perform again. These limitations force
pupils to rely on rote memorization, memorization of packed
knowledge, and plagiarism.
III. PROPOSED APPROACH
Students of Indian descent or any other non-native English
speakers should consider this method. To ensure that
students are well-rounded, the course will incorporate a wide
range of skills and knowledge across all three terms,
however, the first semester should be devoted to honing
students' oral communication abilities before moving on to
writing and critical thinking in the second (See appendices
attached).
Students in India have a hard time communicating orally,
thus the course should begin with an emphasis on increasing
oral abilities. According to Britton, kids utilise three distinct
types of language in their expressions: expressive language,
language that is close to the speaker's self, and informational
language. The language used to communicate with
customers or clients falls under the category of transactional.
This language is used in newspapers, courtrooms, and
technical reports because it is the best way to transmit
information to the reader or listener. [Freisinger, 1982] It's
also the language of schools. Transactional language skills,
rather than expressive language, are used to evaluate
students' learning at engineering colleges, rather than
expressive language. When students recognise early on in
the course that their grades will be based on their ability to
recreate what they learn in class on paper in an exam,
conceptual understanding and learning suffer. Classrooms
should not use language as a reporting device, but rather as a
tool for inquiry and education [Freisinger, 1982]. A variety
of exercises aimed at improving interpersonal oral
communication skills, including role-playing and telephone
conversations/etiquette as well as imaginative fairy tales and
rumours, can be implemented at the beginning of the course.
During oral presentations, it is important to pay attention to
pronunciation, grammar, and body language, as well.
Students should practise public speaking (two-minute
individual presentations) first in front of a small group and
then in front of a larger group to gain confidence speaking in
front of an audience. Second-semester public speaking may
be conducted with mixed groups to expose students to a
more diverse audience. To provide extra assistance to the
weaker students (students who have studied physics,
chemistry and mathematics in
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Laboratory components may be included in courses taught
in Hindi/regional languages up to and including the 10+2
level. To prevent students from feeling inferior, a
consolidated communication package can be supplied in the
laboratories, with packages ranging from beginning to
advanced being available anonymously. All students may be
required to take a similar test after many self-study sessions.
The first semester's written activities might begin with an
introduction to the fundamentals of creating technical
documentation. As a part of a course on writing memos,
reports, and proposals, students might learn to write letters
and résumés. In the second semester, a more in-depth
course in technical report writing with an emphasis on
research could be offered (See Appendices).
There is evidence that abilities learned in specialised
courses are not necessarily transferable to other situations,
as demonstrated by observations. Faculty from other fields
are also reluctant to evaluate communication abilities
because they believe they lack linguistic knowledge or find
the process onerous. Instead of making the professional
communication course a stand-alone course, it may be
integrated with other core disciplines and other departments
may be contacted for coordination. For example, students
may be expected to participate in the weekly maintenance
of their blogs. To maintain the blog, computer science
professors may give support, while professional
communication classes may provide comments on the site's
writing and substance. Students' oral and written
communication abilities will be tested by having them each
give a brief presentation on their blog for a minute or two.
Students may be required to focus on certain areas of
interest in their subjects when preparing their reports.
Writing evaluations of research articles relevant to their
subject, or analysing them in groups where peer criticism is
taken into account, may become a requirement for students.
The placement cell and professors from core courses might
assist in conducting mock interviews. Students may be
required to attend a minimum number of seminars every
semester, depending on their preferences and interests, to
participate in topic-specific seminars. Professional
communication and subject-specific academics can work
together to evaluate these activities. Across all fields, the
value of effective teamwork is well acknowledged. The peer
feedback and assessment systems may assist students to
improve their comprehension and explanation of concepts,
as well as their ability to speak clearly and confidently in
front of groups.
Students should be introduced to topics such as intercultural
communication, entrepreneurship, leadership lessons,
startup success stories in India and abroad, business ethics,
etc. once they have attained oral and writing competency.
These principles aid engineering students in developing
critical thinking and also expose them to topics beyond their
expertise at an early stage. In this course, the focus may
be equally
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divided into the written and spoken parts. Case studies from V. RESULTS
literature, films, TV series, autobiographies, individual Training based on these strategies has been shown to improve
success stories etc., may be used to teach concepts however students' communication skills. It helps pupils comprehend the
the students should be given freedom in choosing the case language's transactional and introspective aspects. It's possible
studies for themselves based on their understanding and that the pupils would be required to do better in various
interests. communication activities. It is possible to alleviate their
anxiety and fear of speaking up by giving them additional
IV. TEACHING AND EVALUATION METHODS opportunities to do so. They get a better understanding of the
evaluation criteria as well as improved oral communication
skills through peer feedback. Student social and interpersonal
In the first semester, oral communication components should abilities have been shown to benefit from peer feedback.
take precedence over written ones (70 oral: 30 written). Next Students' critical thinking skills improve when they engage in
two semesters, there should be an equal number of men and group conversations about current events.
women (50:50). Lectures and tutorials can be used to teach
students about the course curriculum's theoretical principles, VI. CONCLUSION
while practice and discussion about their practical Modern engineers are expected to have strong communication
application can be done in both (See Appendices). and soft skills, and institutions that have already integrated
It is possible to use group activities for tutorial assessments these features will be in the best position to meet the needs of
where students are more actively involved. Role play, panel business and society [Riemer 2002]. Students may not be fully
debates on current themes, and improvisation are examples engaged in the learning process if they are taught or learned
of activities that allow everyone in the group to speak. To about professional communication skills (e.g. writing reports,
minimise the anxiety and lack of self-confidence that might presenting proposals, calling for meetings, documenting
occur when the entire group is focused on a single individual teamwork decisions) outside of their appropriate contexts
during an individual activity, it is recommended that students [Mercer 2006, Yu 2008 and Chun 2010, respectively].
begin by participating in group activities. An individual's Students' interest and overall performance can be increased if
self-esteem might suffer substantially if he or she does not these abilities are contextualised inside engineering projects,
do effectively in an individual activity without adequate such as the selection of a project, developing a proposal,
training and practice. After some time in tutorial courses writing a report, submitting, and presenting a poster.
(smaller groups), students can begin solo tasks such as public
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