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Procedia Manufacturing 46 (2020) 337–343

13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in Engineering (INTER-ENG 2019)

13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in Engineering (INTER-ENG 2019)
Creative Methodologies in Teaching English for Engineering
Creative Methodologies inStudents
Teaching English for Engineering
Students
Dana Rusa, * 0F

a
Dana Rusa, *
University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, Gh. Marinescu 38 Targu Mures, 540139, Romania
0F

a
University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Sciences and Technology, Gh. Marinescu 38 Targu Mures, 540139, Romania

Abstract

Abstract
The present paper is an argument in favor of a consistent application of creative educational methods in the process of teaching
English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The theoretical part explores the role and function of creativity in the context of the
The present
changing paper isregarding
paradigm an argument in favorscope
the overall of a consistent application
of the educational of creative
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to part explores
creative the role and
methodologies function
in ESP. This of creativity
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particular, highlighting a series of factors pertaining to creative methodologies in ESP. This changing
professionals who will be acting in the Industry 4.0 context. The study addresses problems faced by language instructors in paradigm is triggered by
the application
achieving of Industry
success 4.0 principles
in the acquisition not only
of foreign in the industrial
language skills andsector, but also by
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in teaching ESPin
achieving success
and to illustrate theinconditions
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which determine andchoice
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researchofhighlights
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creative and innovative
importance methodsinstructor's
of the language in teaching ESP
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of to illustrate the conditions
strategies, materials andandfactors which in
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achieving theoverall
best choice of methodologies,
language materials and
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to increased highlights the
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teaching ESP is one of the factors contributing to increased student motivation, which is one of the essential preconditions of the
successful
© 2019 The practice of language
Authors. skillsby
Published in aElsevier
professional
B.V..language
This iscontext.
an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
© 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.
© 2019 Theunder
Peer-review Authors. Published by the
responsibility Elsevier B.V..committee
This is anof open access article under the CC Interdisciplinarity
BY-NC-ND license
This is an open access article under of scientific
the CC BY-NC-ND the 13th International Conference
license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) in
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Engineering
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in Engineering.
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in
Engineering
Keywords: English for specific purposes; creative teaching; teaching methods; specialized language teaching.

Keywords: English for specific purposes; creative teaching; teaching methods; specialized language teaching.

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +0-000-000-0000

E-mail address: dana.rus@umfst.ro
* Corresponding author. Tel.: +0-000-000-0000
E-mail address:
2351-9789 dana.rus@umfst.ro
© 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review
2351-9789 ©under
2019responsibility
The Authors. of the scientific
Published committee
by Elsevier B.V..ofThis
the is
13th
an International Conference
open access article under Interdisciplinarity
the CC BY-NC-ND in license
Engineering
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in Engineering

2351-9789 © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of the 13th International Conference Interdisciplinarity in Engineering.
10.1016/j.promfg.2020.03.049
338 Dana Rus / Procedia Manufacturing 46 (2020) 337–343
2 Dana Rus / Procedia Manufacturing 00 (2019) 000–000

1. Introduction

Considered as an integral part of EFL (English as a Foreign Language) or ESL (English as a Second Language)
teaching, the topic of teaching English for Specific Purposes deserves special consideration. From a methodological
perspective, but also in terms of its purposefulness, the field of ESP is situated at the border between academic
subjects, at the intersection of specialized scientific knowledge and linguistic competence. Hutchinson and Waters
[1] argue that the beginning of ESP can be traced back to the end of the second world war, when due to the rising of
commerce, the importance of speaking languages had risen in importance. What was different compared to the
already existent and established patterns of language teaching was the purposefulness of the teaching process. It was
for the first time in the history of language teaching when the ultimate goal did not have to do with high culture,
with achieving social status or to the ability to read classic literature. This time, the goal was rooted in a much more
practical soil: the language teaching process was meant to equip learners with linguistic competences which would
make them function adequately on the labor market and in a specific work environment.
Ever since, language instructors teaching ESP are thus confronted with a series of professional challenges
surpassing the regular requirements of a general language teacher. They range from the lack of precisely tailor-made
resources - explained by the huge complexity and the high degree of specialization that academic subjects have
acquired in the last decades, which makes is practically impossible to find a standardized ESP textbook which
should fit perfectly the linguistic needs of a specific group of students -to the complexities of designing proper
activities to practise all language skills.
On the other hand, all educational factors, ESP instructors included, are confronted with a different reality: that of
the general shift of focus undergone by the educational process in its entirety. From the traditional informative
purposes which are becoming more and more outdated due to the fast digital connectivity of the nowadays world
and the availability of information, the ultimate role of education has moved towards a more skill-based and
attitude-based approach, so as to fit the contemporary realities.
This context can and should make ESP instructors reconsider their position and the specifics of their activity in
the classroom. By resorting to creative methodologies, they may create and successfully implement activites which
compensate for the lack of standard resources while providing a motivating learning environment. At the same time,
a creative approach of the ESP class creates the conditions which allow students to develop their personal and
professional skills, to create and consolidate attitudes and beliefs and to manifest them openly. ESP teachers’
creativity may be the best solution to overcome the complexity of teaching a specialized form of linguistic discourse
and that of creating the conditions fostering student communication skills and atittude formation. Creativity as a
motivating factor can be manifested in the selection of the curriculum, the design of materials, the implementation
of activities, the choice of teaching methods, the assessment techniques.
The present paper is an attempt to tackle the problem of creativity in an educational context, more specifically in
the field of ESP, seen as a possible key towards achieving students’academic success.

2. Problem Statement

2.1. Context

The context of teaching English language for Specific Purposes is currently undergoing significant changes and
challenges due to a complexity of factors.
One of the factors, with profound effects in relation with its outcomes on linguistic acquisition is the traditional
approach which many teachers still embrace when teaching ESP. It is true that, for a long time, the characteristics of
the ESP teaching process did not significantly exceed the classic approach to language learning based on the
development of the language skills. Besides a more systematic approach to technical, specialized vocabulary, the
learning process still followed to a great extent the pattern of general language learning. It was Dudley Evans [2]
who admitted that teaching ESP requires a specific approach, different from the general language teaching. In his
definition of ESP, he included three differentiating factors: ESP must be connected to a specific discipline / field of
study, teachers should use different methodology than the one usually used in teaching languages and the level of
the students should start from intermediate adult learners.
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A traditional approach to teaching ESP, one which disregards the necessity of different methodology, is not likely
to be sufficient in order to serve the linguistic and, broadly speaking, educational needs of ESP students. The
problem identified as the background for the present study refers to the disadvantages presupposed by the
predominant use of traditional teaching methods when teaching ESP.
The context of the fourth industrial revolution brought about significant changes in the way all education must be
perceived, and teaching ESP is no exception. Rather than focusing on informative purposes, which are very easily
achieved by millenials who are one click away from any type of information they require, in order to create
linguistically functional actors on the labor market, ESP instructors must resort to a more holistic approach. In order
to provide the expected results for students, to help them develop their communicative abilities in a working
environment which led communication to the highest level, ESP instructors must make profound changes in the way
they see language instruction, the purpose of linguistic education and the role of communicative strategies.
To do this, they must find and apply creative, innovative ideas in their teaching routine, with a double benefit. On
the one hand, creative teaching strategies foster motivation, which is a catalyst of learning. The use of innovative
teaching strategies has been a hot topic since the last decade. Many studies consider creativity as a personal trait and
intellectual ability of different individuals, associating creativity with genius and intelligence [3] or with knowledge
[4].
On the other hand, creativity and innovation are becoming increasingly important for the development of the 21st
century knowledge society. They contribute to economic prosperity as well as to social and individual wellbeing and
are essential factors for a more competitive and dynamic Europe [5]. Tomorrow’s professionals are required to be
flexible, critical and creative thinkers rather than patterned ones. In this perspective, the concept of teaching is
pivotal to the enabling of creativity and innovation. It all starts inside the educational units around the world and
educators embark on a deliberate strategy to raise the quality of teaching and learning understanding the need to
change practices and to embrace new ideas and technologies.
The ESP domain is no exception to this newly established trend. Moreover, it is a privileged domain, because
teaching future professionals how to communicate in a foreign language in a specialized working environment is
deeply related to the interconnected society of the 21st century. The goal of an ESP teaching project would therefore
be that of helping people adapt to creative endeavors, social interaction, imaginative solutions and critical thinking.

2.2. Creativity and ESP

If one of the problems hindering language acquisition success in teaching ESP is the over-reliance on traditional
methodologies focusing on the development of skills in isolation or of isolated language parts – vocabulary or
grammar more often than not – then a possible solution would be the resort to creativity. While a technical learning
enviroment may seem limited in terms of fostering creativity during English language classes, due to its specific
profile, this provides a multitude of possibilities to the language teacher. The language instructors can start from a
syllabus design structured on language functions and skills rather than language items and technical content, they
can have modern and imaginative approaches of texts, implement a whole range of situational debates, devise
entertaining activities practising integrated skills, assign project-based tasks for student assessment, use an
enormous variety of online resources, implement a wide range of interaction types to ensure student cooperation and
active involvement.
To solve the problems of ESP teaching and to ensure educational goals are met, creativity is not merely a choice;
given the circumstances of the society we live in, it becomes an obligation. As Csikszentmihalyi [6] put it, “in the
Renaissance creativity might have been a luxury for the few, but by now it is a necessity for all”. Creativity is now
defined as a basic capacity for survival and for future success, especially in the context of training professionals who
are now preparing for a future which, given the speed of technological change and of societal forms of
communication, is extremely difficult to predict.
When considering creativity in ESP, but also in the entire educational field, it is worth mentioning the distinction
between creative learning and innovative teaching. The former can be defined as any learning which involves
understanding and new awareness, which allows the learner to go beyond notional acquisition, and focuses on
thinking skills [5]. It is based on learner empowerment and centeredness. Innovative teaching is the process leading
340 Dana Rus / Procedia Manufacturing 46 (2020) 337–343
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to creative learning, the implementation of new methods, tools and contents which could benefit learners and their
creative potential.
If one were to sum up the main ingredients of creative ESP teaching, perhaps M. Michalko would give a possible
answer. According to him, creative teachers look at “what possibilities there are” and “what can be done with the
present resources” instead of “what is not possible”. “Instead of excluding possibilities, creators include all
possibilities, both real and imagined” [7]. Also, a creative teaching process is characterized by imaginative,
dynamic, and innovative approaches [8].
Applied to the specific case of ESP, the features above would include the following methodological possibilities:
• Syllabus construction following needs analysis and benchmark analysis;
• Cohesive, consistent, integrated-skill lessons centered around language functions;
• A predominance of communicative activities;
• The consistent use of technologies in all phases of the teaching process;
• Technical vocabulary should only be taught in a communicative context;
• Grammar should only serve as a means to a communicative end; inductive approaches;
• Use of varied patterns of interaction with a focus on collaborative tasks (group work, pair work)
• Interesting, alternative, project-based types of assessment;
• Intensive use of authentic materials from the students’ field of study;
• The extrapolation of specialized texts / topics to general communication subjects;
• Constant attention paid to personal development skills (e.g. oral presentation skills);
• Constant contact with representatives from relevant industry to make students familiar with real job-related topics
(invited speakers, roundtables, workshops, visits, video conferences etc);
• The use of direct test items to make assessment as similar as possible with real-life situations in professional
backgrounds ( e.g. interviews, presentations, writing technical reports, following oral directions to complete a
task, labelling diagrams / charts, writing technical documentation, writing blog entries, filming videos etc).

3. Research questions

The research questions of the present paper are the same questions which have guided the author’s career as an
ESP instructor for the last 18 years. They are driven by the desire of continuously improving the results of my
teaching process by alligning my teaching strategies, principles and philosophy with the current trends in
contemporary education. These trends ask for a holistic transformation of educational systems so that they should be
more flexible, welcome ideas, empowering, tolerate risk, celebrate success, and encourage fun – which are all
derivatives of creative approaches to teaching. The questions of my research are therefore meant to provide answers
related to:
• the role of creative methodologies in teaching ESP;
• the impact that the application of creative methods and approaches has on language acquisition;
• factors preventing the application of creative methods in ESP;
• possible practical solutions to boost students’ motivation in participating in ESP classes.

4. Purpose of the study

The study aims to demonstrate the advantages of applying creative and innovative methods in teaching ESP and
to illustrate the conditions and factors that determine the best choice of methodologies, materials and activities
involved in teaching English in technical academic environments.

5. Research Methods

The method used for the purposes of the present research is the survey. They were meant to verify the hypothesis
of the work and to provide relevant data regarding the most adequate choice of methodology to be applied in the
process of foreign language teaching to ESP university students. In order to gather the necessary data, I applied an
 Dana Rus / Procedia Manufacturing 46 (2020) 337–343 341
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online survey which was answered by fourteen ESP teachers from various countries (Romania, France, Hungary,
Poland, Egypt). The survey consists of eight questions.
• Question 1: How long have you been teaching ESP?
The question was answered by 14 teachers working in ESP in various universities and vocational schools in
Romania and other countries. One teacher has five years’ experience (7.1%), five teachers have been teaching for 11
-14 years ( 35.6%), seven teachers for 16 – 20 years (49.9%) and one of them has been an ESP teacher for 22 years.
• Question 2: How important is it for you to apply creative methods in teaching ESP versus traditional language
teaching methods?
Question number 2 was a closed one, with three possible choices: a) "very important", b) "unimportant" or c) "it
is a positive aspect, but not always necessary". Eight (57,14%) of the respondents chose “a”, while six (42,85%)
chose “c”. Nobody dismissed creativity in ESP teaching as “unimportant”, which shows awareness and interest
regarding the improvement of teaching strategies. The age and experience was not a differentiating factor, with
approximately equal percenteges favoring creative methodologies.
• Question 3: What type of creative approaches to ESP do you mostly use?
This was an open question and the answers given by respondents varied. Some respondents named English
teaching methods: the task-based approach, suggestopaedia, community language learning, immersion. Two
answers mentioned Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) in relation with students’ specialization.
Other answers simply named techniques, activities and / or procedures used in ESP: project-based tasks, mock job
interviews, public presentations, class debates, activities using smartphones, online applications or websites. The
variety of the answers demonstrates teachers’ interest and knowledge regarding the application of creative
approaches to teaching ESP and it also constitutes a valuable database for future use.
• Question 4: To what extent do you believe that succesful language acquisition depends on the teacher’s choice of
methodology?
This closed question had the following answers: a) “to a great extent”, b) “moderately”, c) not so much. The
answers were as follows: 10 respondents (71,42%) considered that the choice of methodology is highly important in
language acquisition success, 2 respondents (14,28%) had a more moderate view, while only one participant
(7,14%) considered that linguistic success is not connected to the choice of methodology. This proves that teachers
generally value and appreciate the importance of an adequate teaching method as a factor impacting a successful
language learning experience in the ESP class.
• Question 5: What motivates you to implement creative teaching?
The possible choices for this questions were: a): to help students learn effectively; b) to create a pleasant
atmosphere; c) I find not so much motivation in doing so. There was also a d) choice, where teachers were asked to
fill in other possible answers. 57,14% of the respondents (8) chose “a”, 42,85% (6 respondents) chose “b”, while “c”
was not chosen by any of the respondents. Among the other answers given to this question we note: “a sense of
personal fulfillment”, “to see students’ progress”, “to boost students’ self confidence”, “to create opportunities for
team work for students”, “to experiment with a wide range of teaching strategies”.
• Question 6: Which are the main factors which stop you from applying creative approaches to a greater extent in
your work?
The purpose of this question was to identify a list of impediments against applying higher levels of creative
strategies / activities / methods / techniques in the ESP class. The answers can be grouped in three possible
categories: psychological factors (“students were not willing to participate”, “Students are reluctant to speaking”,
“Adult learners are self-conscious and not so easily involved”), institutional factors (“I need to follow the curricula”;
“there is not enough time alloted to ESP classes to permit greater creativity”; “I don’t always have the necessary
aids to allow me to implement all sorts of creative activities”) and professional factors, related to teachers’ own
views on the nature of learning and teaching (“My belief is that teaching should be firstly rigorous, only then
creative”; “creativity is not always the right approach”; “I sometimes wonder if a creative method has a better result
than a traditional one”; “assessment is not so easily quantifiable”). The conclusion which can be drawn from the
interpretation of this question is that, besides the objective reasons related to academic curricula and exam
requirements there is also a certain level of reluctancy on the part of teachers when it comes to applying creative
methodology.
• Question 7: Which aids do you use in teaching ESP?
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6 Dana Rus / Procedia Manufacturing 00 (2019) 000–000

This open question was intended to measure the diversity of the teaching aids which ESP teachers used in their
activities and the results were impressive. Among the wide range of examples given we mention: handouts, printed
worksheets, all possible realia in the classroom, authentic specialized texts found online, questionnaires for students,
TED talks on technical matters, mobile phones, laptops, smartboards, graphs, technical diagrams, technical manuals,
videos, and even quite unusual objects such as hats, keys, dice or balls. The great variety of answers was
encouraging for the assumptions of the research, because it is a proof of creative approaches and strategies.
• Question 8: What informal ways of training do you use to support your professional growth?
The purpose of this open question was to check the possible connection between the opennenss for the
application of creative methods in teaching ESP and the constant desire for informal types of self-improvement and
personal development. The most popular answers were: reading (13 responses), travelling (10 answers), subscribing
to specialized teacher trainer blogs and other online platforms (7 answers), watching tutorials and demonstrative
lessons (5 answers), self-study (5 answers), discussing with fellow teachers (4 answers).

6. Findings

The research highlights the importance of the language instructor's choice of teaching strategies, materials and
techniques in achieving overall language success. The application of creative methods in teaching ESP is one of the
factors contributing to increased student motivation, which is one of the essential preconditions of the successful
practice of language skills in a professional language context.
The respondents’ contribution confirmed the importance of teaching English creatively in an ESP class, with a
majority of the answers recognizing the advantages implied by alterntive, non-conventional methods of teaching
ESP.
One of the most relevant findings of the survey is related to the connection between the choice of methodology
and language learning success. It is interesting and encouraging to see how teaching professionals make this
necessary parallel and consequently adjust their teaching strategies to the overall objectives of the educational
process.
At the same time, it is equally interesing to note how respondents’ answers regarding obstacles which hinder a
greater application of creative approaches depends on contextual factors. The awareness of such obstacles is already
a step forward, as the identification of the problem is the first phase in the attempt to deal with it. Psychological and
institutional obstacles which prevent more creative methods to be applied are not insurmountable as long as the need
is identified and all factors come together for the same purpose. As for the professional obstacles related to personal
convictions about teaching, they are a proof that teaching methods are so diverse and the possibilities of approaching
ESP – as any other educational field, for that matter – equally include more traditional ways.
The most important outcome of the survey consists of the possibilities of furthering the research subject starting
from the respondents’ contribution. The suggestions received in terms of teaching methods, activities and techniques
are extremely valuable in view of their potential application in any ESP class.

7. Conclusion

This paper provides a brief theoretical grounding and a working definition for creativity in teaching English for
Specific Purposes. It also explores the role and function of creativity in the context of the changing paradigm
regarding the overall scope of the educational system in general and of the specialized language learning in
particular. Finally, it analyses the role and potential of creative methods and active strategies in fostering better
language acquisition during ESP classes. Creative methods mark a next desirable superior level in modernizing the
teaching strategies so that the full potential of a student’s abilities can be activated and the desire for independence
and originality, for competition, for searching novelty and working better in the language classes can be encouraged
and the learners’ best interests are satisfied.
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References

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(1987).
[2] T. Dudley-Evans, English for Specific Purposes, in R. Carter and D. Nunan (eds), Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages,
Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, (2001) 131-136.
[3] R.S. Albert, M.A. Runco, A history of research on creativity, in R.J. Sternberg (ed.), Handbook of creativity, New York, NY, US: Cambridge
University Press, (1999) 16-31.
[4] R.W. Weisberg, Creativity and knowledge: A challenge to theories, in Handbook of creativity, New York, NY, US: Cambridge University
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[5] A. Ferrari, R. Cachia, Y. Punie, Innovation and Creativity in Education and Training in the EU Member States: Fostering Creative Learning
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Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, (2009) p. 3.
[6] M. Csikszentmihalyi, Developing Creativity, in N. Jackson et. al, Developing creativity in higher education. An imaginative curriculum, New
York, NY, US: Routledge, (2006) p. xviii.
[7] M. Michalko, Thinkertoys Second edition, Berkeley: Ten Speed Press, (2006) p. 14.
[8] B. Jeffrey, A. Craft, Teaching creatively and teaching for creativity: distinctions and relationships. Educational Studies, 30 (1), (2004) 77-87.