Development and Contextualization of ESP course Material for Bangladeshi Merchandisers: An Exploratory Study

Abstract

This study aims to investigate what are the types of ESP materials that can be developed in order to improve the English language usage skill of the Bangladeshi merchandisers. It also tried to investigate the possible needs and scope of contextualization of the material in order to serve the purpose of the merchandisers in the best possible manner. RMG sector is the most revenue earning sector and it is going from strength to strength by contributing to our economy. English being a lingua franca, the most commonly used language (except the 1st language) in this business sector. However, the lack of good communication skills hampers the growth of this sector and also the career of the merchandisers as individuals. Such scenarios made it important to explore the possibilities of making the merchandisers master the language by the help of best possible material. In order to conduct the research, the researcher applied a mix method approach to collected data. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews whereas the quantitative data were collected using a survey questionnaire. For both types of data collection, merchandisers of different rank and level played the role of the participants. Through this research it was reflected that the merchandisers are in need of ESP courses for their professional growth. The outcome of the study showed many possible task types that can be included in the material to provide superior learning experience for the local merchandisers. It also showed possible scope of contextualizing the developed material according to Bangladeshi learning context.