ESP at ATMA: A Preliminary Study

Jowati binti Juhary

Akademi Tentera Malaysia – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

[presented at the National Seminar on Language Teaching, Renaissance Hotel Putrajaya, Jan 2004; organised by UKM]

Abstract

Akademi Tentera Malaysia (hence ATMA) is an academy that awards professional degree as well as military recognition. Thus, to ensure a balanced growth of students, ATMA requires a different set of learning materials for English because students here are not only majoring in professional field but also military skills. This paper attempts to report and discuss the pre-teaching modules selected and compiled for ATMA students. The method used was survey – observation and questionnaires. The duration of this study was one semester where students learnt English using the materials selected and compiled by the researcher. It is found that students of ATMA respond positively to non-linear materials and texts. Also, they tend to rely more on drawings and patterns to understand the English lessons. As such, the implications of this preliminary study are twofold: firstly the materials for the students must include more non-linear texts and drawings and secondly teaching modules for ATMA students must combine their English needs for professional field as well as their communication needs for military skills. As this is the first part of an on-going research on the teaching modules, more observations and empirical data need to be collected so effective teaching modules of English can be prepared for the benefits of ATMA students.