Assessing an ESP Course at the Computer Science Department: The Case study of the University of M’Sila, Algeria

Abstract

In the twenty-first Century, the mastery of the English language and skills in computing has become an international imperative in education. In recent years, the status of the English language has shifted from a mere means of communication to a language taught in different fields to fulfill manifold purposes. Even though English for Specific Purposes (ESP) emerged in the 1960s, the last twenty years witnessed a proliferation of literature regarding the topic. This research attempts to evaluate an ESP course at the Computer Science Department of the University of M’Sila. It investigates the difficulties encountered during the teaching process and displays the different changes brought to counteract them. The study sample targets a five-year period covering students from Bachelor to Master’s Degree. The choice of this interval meant to explore the students’ outcome in the English course and shed light on the needed measures to improve the teaching of English in this field. The study also examines the impact of these adjustments and suggests some recommendations for more effective teaching of English for Computer Science students based on the surveys and results during their learning process.