LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 13:12 December 2013
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
         C. Subburaman, Ph.D. (Economics)
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Bangladeshi Graduates’ Required Language Skills and Acquired
Proficiency in English: Professional Ability and Skill Attributes

M S Arifeen, M.A. and Abu Sufiyan Yunus, BBA

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the proficiency in English of Bangladeshi graduates. A questionnaire was developed and administered to 171 students. This survey, through the use of a self-report questionnaire, provided an important opportunity to capture crucial data from students regarding their English language skills. Findings of this study revealed that the students’ frequency or ability of using the English language was low, irrespective of the type of workplace or level of study. Analyses of skill deficiencies revealed wide learning gaps between the acquired and required English skill attributes. Analysis of the survey data had also identified a list of important skill attributes in the workplace, and the four most highly valued English skill attributes were a combination of academic and specific job-related tasks: understanding technical documents, correct grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure, writing test/investigation report and questioning for clarification.

Keywords: Bangladeshi Graduates, Proficiency in English, Professional ability and Skill attributes

Introduction

It is a well-known fact among linguists that non-native speakers of English have come to outnumber native speakers of English, as has, for example, been pointed out by Crystal (2003). Equally well-known is the fact that English may well be called the language of international business these days, and that English skills have become a basic requirement for almost any professional wishing to engage in our ever more globalized business world. However, not everyone involved in international business is a native speaker of English.

Graddol (2006) emphasizes this function of English in his report to the British Council, English Next, when he stresses the increasingly important role that English is now playing in economic processes, in providing access to the kind of global knowledge available in English and the jobs which involve contact with customers and colleagues for whom English is the only shared language [italics added]. (p. 38)

It is, therefore, not surprising that English as a lingua franca (henceforth ELF) is currently the most common use of English world-wide. As the Web site of the Vienna-Oxford International Corpus of English (VOICE) project states: Millions of speakers from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds use ELF on a daily basis, routinely and successfully, in their professional, academic and personal lives. (VOICE Web site, n.d., FAQ). This widespread use of English as a lingua franca also has implications for research in the field of professional communication. Charles (2007), for instance, observes that "arguably, more international business is actually done in English between NNSs than between NSs" (p. 262). Nevertheless, empirical research on how English is used as a lingua franca in workplace settings is still scarce.

This trend contributes to a talent gap in this global workforce, particularly as it relates to speaking the lingua franca of business. Companies around the world are trying to recruit and retain younger employees to replace older workers who will be retiring over the next several years. But, according to the McKinsey Global Institute, “Only 13% of university graduates from emerging or low-wage countries are suitable for employment in multinational companies, and the primary reason cited is lack of English skills.”

Thus, professional communication in English has been identified as essential workplace tools for success in profession and has been correlated with career success and increased in financial rewards. English learners urgently need to be sensitized to communicative strategies for establishing relationships and maintaining rapport in the workplace (Kassim & Ali, 2010; Forey & Nunan, 2002). Notwithstanding, there is a global concern regarding the widening gap between the communication skills in English of entry-level job applicants and the English language competency required for entry-level employment.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

M S Arifeen, M.A.
ms.arifeenbau@gmail.com

Abu Sufiyan Yunus, BBA
sufiyan_cbst@yahoo.com

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