Exploring the Role of Functional English in Enhancing Academic and Professional Communication among Engineering Students: A Qualitative Case Study at Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science & Technology, Shaheed Benazirabad
Keywords:
Functional English, Engineering Education, Academic Communication, Professional Communication, Qualitative Case Study.Abstract
The focus of the proposed qualitative case study was to understand how the Functional English course could enhance the academic and professional communication skills of engineering students at Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Sciences, and Technology, Shaheed Benazirabad. The research examined how students perceived English language teaching and how they acquired language competence upon taking the course.
Ten first-year undergraduate students from the Civil Engineering and Environmental Engineering departments were used as participants. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect data and analyze them thematically.
The results showed that there was an improvement in the perceptions of students concerning the English language. The respondents said that they had better language skills and were more confident in their abilities to communicate in English, both academically and professionally. The paper highlights the efficacy of courses in Functional English, and it also points out the necessity of having practical pedagogical strategies and institutional assistance in improving the communication skills of the students.
