The Role of ICT in Teaching ESP Classes

It is undeniable that ICT has a significant impact on peoples’ life and the way they communicate. New devices such as computers, tablets, mobile phones and Internet have replaced the traditional ways of communication and eased the quick diffusion of information among people. ICT has also become an essential tool in education, as teachers started to give it a pivotal concern in language teaching and learning. Studies (Shaabi 2010, Vaiciūnienė & Užpalienė 2010, Motteram 2013, Jayanthi & Kumar 2016) have revealed that the use of new technological instruments alters students’ attitudes towards languages and motivates them to learn them. The present attitudinal research examines the role of ICT in improving students’ communicative skills in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). Based on an empirical research, the study gives an insight into the various technological tools teachers rely on in teaching ESP and the impact they have on their students’ learning. Conducted in four classes of Economics which were randomly chosen from two faculties, the study shows that ICT provides a good tool to reduce large classrooms into small groups of active students who are able to participate in building their own knowledge. It also reveals that ICT-based courses encourage students to learn and improve their language skills. It demonstrates that the majority of students and teachers react positively to the use of ICT in classroom, as they perceive it as modern and effective in learning English.