چکیده:
One prominent criterion to achieve efficient learning and instruction in an educational setting is the appropriate material(s) specifically developed for that particular group of learners, particularly in an English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) context. This study aimed at developing new EOP materials for pre-service cabin crew in an aviation school. To do so, initially the researchers performed the evaluation of the current EOP textbook through a checklist and interviews with 20 English teachers who did not express much satisfaction about it. Consequently, having been convinced about the unsatisfactory results, the researchers developed new materials for this group of learners. The new materials was later implemented on 30 learners as the experimental group as opposed to another 30 as the control group being instructed by the current material. The findings demonstrated significant differences in the experimental group achievement of language proficiency at the end of the course compared to their language proficiency at the beginning of the course. Moreover, the results expressed significant differences between the achievement of control and experimental groups at the end of EOP courses, in favor of the experimental group. The newly developed EOP materials for flight attendants could be widely instructed in the airlines and aviation schools based on the obtained findings.
خلاصه ماشینی:
Moreover, as Masuhara (2011) asserted that materials should be driven from the learners’ and teachers’ needs and wants, this research study aimed at developing and implementing materials particularly designed for pre-service flight attendants adopting Text- Driven Approach as the researcher-teacher preferred to introduce the subject of unit by any types of texts entailing affective as well as cognitive engagement followed by a flexible framework to develop several activities relevant to the texts.
Consequently, in order to train competent pre-service cabin crew members, this study evaluated the current material used to instruct this group of learners, then developed new materials targeting their needs, and later implemented them to be compared with the current material to discover its effectiveness.
Participants Two groups of participants were involved in the study, which are as follows: 20 English language teachers teaching EOP course for cabin crew for 5- 25 years in an aviation school in Tehran; 90 young (19-28 years old) pre-service flight attendants as EOP learners, including 35 male and 55 female individuals who were placed at the intermediate level of general English.
Results for Research Question 1 Results Research question number 1 dealt with the teachers’ evaluation based on the current EOP course book for the flight attendant applying Miekley’s (2005) checklist which was comprised of three main categories of: i) Textbook, including Content, Vocabulary and Grammar, Exercises and Activities, and Attractiveness of the Text and Physical Make-up, ii) Teacher’s Manual including General Features, Background Information, Methodological Guidance, and Supplementary Exercises and Materials, and iii) Context including Textbook Appropriateness for Curriculum, Students and Teachers.