Teaching Communication Skills through Literature: Encouraging Master’s Level ESP Students to Speak Up and Move
Résumé
“Teaching communication skills through Literature: Encouraging Master’s level ESP students to speak up and
move”, presents a task-based approach which endeavours to go beyond teaching verbal and non-verbal communication
skills to non-specialist English language students of Literature at the Master’s level. The theoretical framework that forms the foundation and
basis for this English for Specific Purposes (ESP) teaching methodology is presented first. The underlying objective of this didactic approach and
action-oriented research is to engage students, while enhancing their motivation and personal investment, to assist them in conquering their fear
of public speaking in order to improve their overall communication skills.
This approach will additionally reinforce their self-confidence and encourage them in developing the professional skills that 21st-century
professionals revere. The enhancement of these skills has shown that this approach not only serves general and discipline-specific pedagogical
functions, but it also provides the opportunity for students to develop their metacognitive skills, which are lifelong transversal skills they will employ
throughout their personal lives and professional careers.