By conducting surveys and questionnaires, we have aimed at identifying the needs of students enrolled in academic programs within the domain of Natural and Life Sciences who also study English as a Foreign Language, as well as English for Specific Purposes. The analysis also targets students’ perceptions and attitude toward recently developed EFL material and prospected ESP textbook materials targeting “Ecological English”, as well as “English for the Life Sciences”. With this purpose in mind, we wish to make better use of the students’ feedback and be able to adapt our teaching materials to correspond to the learners’ genuine needs and interests. The qualitative analysis of the students’ feedback indicates that they are largely interested in understanding ecological processes and communication at all levels in nature. We also include examples of activities devised for the English language textbook, in the hope of developing optimized educational models and with a view to sharing best practices in foreign language teaching/learning. The major aim of our on-going interdisciplinary project is to promote chances of employability for students in natural science engineering and related areas, where communication remains an important issue. For this purpose, the specific aims which are targeted in the educational and English courses consist in the design of a set of didactic strategies informed by shared practices and the development of communicational learning materials.

ecological education, foreign languages, ESP for the Life Sciences, communication

agronomy

Presentation: oral presentation