Abstract
The English language's dominant role in a number of domains around the world, including business, education, international communications, and technology, is readily witnessed across the societies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The centrality of English to the education systems and private enterprises of the Arab Gulf is associated with a situation in which proficiency and communicative competence in the language is one of the key determiners of an individual's employability. However, despite the importance of English as lingua franca and/or unofficial second language across much of the region, evidence suggests that many Arab Gulf graduates lack the kind of proficiency in the language that allows them to join the workforce as effective and valued members. This paper, therefore, acknowledges the central role English plays in the nations of the region, before examining the necessity of developing learners' communicative competence in English in order to improve their chances of gaining employment upon graduation. Important challenges to improving English language proficiency in particular and employability in general are identified, before a number of steps to help address these issues are offered.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Bridging the Gap between Education and Employment: English Language Instruction in EFL Contexts |
| Publisher | Peter Lang AG |
| Pages | 389-409 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Volume | 198 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9783035108422, 9783034316811 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 18 2015 |
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Keywords
- communicative skills
- employability
- English
- Oman
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Arts and Humanities(all)
- Social Sciences(all)
Cite this
Employability, English proficiency and communicative ability in the Arabian Gulf. / Al-Mahrooqi, Rahma; Denman, Christopher.
Bridging the Gap between Education and Employment: English Language Instruction in EFL Contexts. Vol. 198 Peter Lang AG, 2015. p. 389-409.Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter
}
TY - CHAP
T1 - Employability, English proficiency and communicative ability in the Arabian Gulf
AU - Al-Mahrooqi, Rahma
AU - Denman, Christopher
PY - 2015/12/18
Y1 - 2015/12/18
N2 - The English language's dominant role in a number of domains around the world, including business, education, international communications, and technology, is readily witnessed across the societies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The centrality of English to the education systems and private enterprises of the Arab Gulf is associated with a situation in which proficiency and communicative competence in the language is one of the key determiners of an individual's employability. However, despite the importance of English as lingua franca and/or unofficial second language across much of the region, evidence suggests that many Arab Gulf graduates lack the kind of proficiency in the language that allows them to join the workforce as effective and valued members. This paper, therefore, acknowledges the central role English plays in the nations of the region, before examining the necessity of developing learners' communicative competence in English in order to improve their chances of gaining employment upon graduation. Important challenges to improving English language proficiency in particular and employability in general are identified, before a number of steps to help address these issues are offered.
AB - The English language's dominant role in a number of domains around the world, including business, education, international communications, and technology, is readily witnessed across the societies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The centrality of English to the education systems and private enterprises of the Arab Gulf is associated with a situation in which proficiency and communicative competence in the language is one of the key determiners of an individual's employability. However, despite the importance of English as lingua franca and/or unofficial second language across much of the region, evidence suggests that many Arab Gulf graduates lack the kind of proficiency in the language that allows them to join the workforce as effective and valued members. This paper, therefore, acknowledges the central role English plays in the nations of the region, before examining the necessity of developing learners' communicative competence in English in order to improve their chances of gaining employment upon graduation. Important challenges to improving English language proficiency in particular and employability in general are identified, before a number of steps to help address these issues are offered.
KW - communicative skills
KW - employability
KW - English
KW - Oman
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84966773930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84966773930&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3726/978-3-0351-0842-2
DO - 10.3726/978-3-0351-0842-2
M3 - Chapter
SN - 9783035108422
SN - 9783034316811
VL - 198
SP - 389
EP - 409
BT - Bridging the Gap between Education and Employment: English Language Instruction in EFL Contexts
PB - Peter Lang AG
ER -