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Presenters
Dora Chostelidou
EFL Teacher, Phd Candidate -
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Eleni Griva
Lecturer - University of Western Macedonia
Greece

Title
English language skills development in Greek Vocational Education: An account of students’ needs 

Abstract
The impact of the status of English as an International language, a‘ lingua franca’  has placed it in a dominant position in the context of Greek Vocational Education as the only foreign language introduced in all four semesters of training. The present study was initiated with the aim to provide an account of the students’ perceived needs and attitudes concerning ESP/EOP courses and to propose a framework for a language skills-based programme. The basic objectives were:

-to identify students’ needs regarding language skills;

-to record the problems experienced and the language difficulties encountered;

-to reflect their expectations of the content of a language syllabus;

-to elicit their preferences about the course materials and teaching methods;

-to record their attitudes to mobility programmes.

  The participants involved in the study were 990 ESP students who study in State Vocational Training Institutes in Northen Greece. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to collect information: a) a questionnaire with closed and open questions; b) Semi-structured interviews in order to gain more insights into the situation.

The results of the study showed that the majority of the participants declared dissatisfaction regarding the ESP/EOP courses they attend. A flexible approach to syllabus design was favoured where negotiation among all stakeholders involved in the process allows for local based syllabi to be designed. Both receptive and productive language skills are of crucial importance for language development, Moreover, English language development is considered to be a basic prerequisite for students’mobility programme participation