The English language & communication in the international workplace: an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals
Using effective English language is one of the most desired communication skills for successful international engineering workplace. However, the way in which this language is used in terms of computer engineering has not been much studied, despite being one of the key aspects of international bus...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en |
| Published: |
Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM
2015
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| Online Access: | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/1/9222-27896-1-PB.pdf http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/ http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l |
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| _version_ | 1831356654388510720 |
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| author | Krich Rajprasit, Saengchan Hemchua, |
| author_facet | Krich Rajprasit, Saengchan Hemchua, |
| author_sort | Krich Rajprasit, |
| building | Tun Sri Lanang Library |
| collection | Institutional Repository |
| content_provider | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| content_source | UKM Journal Article Repository |
| continent | Asia |
| country | Malaysia |
| description | Using effective English language is one of the most desired communication skills for successful international
engineering workplace. However, the way in which this language is used in terms of computer engineering has
not been much studied, despite being one of the key aspects of international business. This study aims to explore
the nature of international communicative situations; to identify how Thai engineers self-report their language
proficiency, ability to perform English-related tasks and their opinions regarding language use in an
international workplace. The participants were Thai engineers working in companies located in the Bangkok
metropolitan area. A mixed-methods approach was employed, and the results revealed that English language
proficiency plays a key role in their workplace and in terms of career advancement; their interpersonal
communication mostly took place between colleagues in the same base, or between overseas bases, in terms of
cooperation, teamwork, and meetings; oral communication skills were the most needed; their perceived
language proficiency level was fair, and their perceived reading skills were the best in comparison to their
other skills; and using perfect English was not a priority, yet intelligibility was more important for reaching
their communicative goals. Such findings have led to pedagogical implications such as specifically designing
courses containing realistic knowledge and skills; introducing the concept of BELF to raise awareness among
engineering students regarding comprehensibility of non-native-like English speech; and practicing listening
with both native and non-native accents to be familiar with these accents and more confident communicating in
real-life situations. |
| format | Article |
| id | my-ukm.journal-9072 |
| institution | Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia |
| language | en |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM |
| record_format | eprints |
| spelling | my-ukm.journal-90722016-12-14T06:48:53Z http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/ The English language & communication in the international workplace: an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals Krich Rajprasit, Saengchan Hemchua, Using effective English language is one of the most desired communication skills for successful international engineering workplace. However, the way in which this language is used in terms of computer engineering has not been much studied, despite being one of the key aspects of international business. This study aims to explore the nature of international communicative situations; to identify how Thai engineers self-report their language proficiency, ability to perform English-related tasks and their opinions regarding language use in an international workplace. The participants were Thai engineers working in companies located in the Bangkok metropolitan area. A mixed-methods approach was employed, and the results revealed that English language proficiency plays a key role in their workplace and in terms of career advancement; their interpersonal communication mostly took place between colleagues in the same base, or between overseas bases, in terms of cooperation, teamwork, and meetings; oral communication skills were the most needed; their perceived language proficiency level was fair, and their perceived reading skills were the best in comparison to their other skills; and using perfect English was not a priority, yet intelligibility was more important for reaching their communicative goals. Such findings have led to pedagogical implications such as specifically designing courses containing realistic knowledge and skills; introducing the concept of BELF to raise awareness among engineering students regarding comprehensibility of non-native-like English speech; and practicing listening with both native and non-native accents to be familiar with these accents and more confident communicating in real-life situations. Pusat Pengajian Bahasa dan Linguistik, FSSK, UKM 2015 Article PeerReviewed application/pdf en http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/1/9222-27896-1-PB.pdf Krich Rajprasit, and Saengchan Hemchua, (2015) The English language & communication in the international workplace: an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals. 3L; Language,Linguistics and Literature,The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies., 21 (3). pp. 109-124. ISSN 0128-5157 http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l |
| spellingShingle | Krich Rajprasit, Saengchan Hemchua, The English language & communication in the international workplace: an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title | The English language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title_full | The English language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title_fullStr | The English language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title_full_unstemmed | The English language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title_short | The English language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of Thai computer engineering professionals |
| title_sort | english language & communication in the international workplace:
an examination of thai computer engineering professionals |
| url | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/1/9222-27896-1-PB.pdf http://journalarticle.ukm.my/9072/ http://ejournal.ukm.my/3l |
| url_provider | http://journalarticle.ukm.my/ |