Aligning specialist English language curriculum in higher education with development imperatives and workplace communication needs in Vietnam : a case study of the Vietnamese petroleum industry

The research investigated the alignment between English language communication in multinational joint ventures in the petroleum industry in Vietnam and a university-based English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course for petroleum engineering students. The study identified the types of knowledge necessary for professional workplace communication and the extent to which these knowledge types are currently taught in the university course. The study found levels of misalignment between the two especially in the contextual knowledge needed by petroleum engineers to communicate competently and appropriately in the workplace. Contextually-appropriate communication requires knowledge of participants, the organisation and social norms of interaction. The findings will improve recognition of the features of successful workplace communication and contribute to innovations in ESP course design and teaching.