An Investigation Into English For "E-commerce" In China's Vocational Colleges: An ESP Perspective

With China's accession to the WTO and the country's increasingly active involvement in the process of economic globalization, there is an ever-increasing demand for qualified international trade professionals who are proficient in electronic-commerce (e-Commerce). However, it is generally found that, although Vocational Colleges in China have produced a great number of graduates who major in e-Commerce, the teaching quality of subject specialist English courses leaves much to be desired. Given the status of English as an international language of commerce and technology, it is urgent that attention be paid to the improvement of English teaching in subject specialist fields in Vocational Colleges.With the guidance of the modern ESP theories, this thesis attempts to develop a more effective and efficient English course for e-Commerce in China's Vocational Colleges. An in-depth investigation using multi-method approach that includes questionnaire, interview and case studies is conducted to collect data on the existing course concerning the pre-learning stage (present situation analysis: PSA), the while-learning stage (means analysis: MA), and the in-service stage (target analysis: TSA). The focus of the study has been on the MA, or the means and process of learning and teaching. The results of the investigation are then analyzed and discussed intensively to provide a basis and a rationale for the design of a new e-Commerce English course. A general framework is proposed regarding the course syllabus and relevant methodological recommendations.