TEACHING AND LEARNING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE OF STUDENTS OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARIAT OF THE UFV: CONTEXTS AND NEEDS (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Abstract: Although the English language is essential for Executive Secretariat professionals in the business environment, its teaching in undergraduate courses has a deficiency in the focus on the secretarial context, that is, in aspects that have applicability in the career, such as management, entrepreneurship, advisory and consulting. Thus, this study aimed to raise the context of English language teaching within the Business English subjects of the Trilingual Executive Secretariat course at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV) and the language learning needs, from the approach of English for Purposes. Specific Purposes (ESP), developed by Hutchinson and Waters (1987). In methodological terms, it was a descriptive and quantitative study, whose data collection took place through a questionnaire applied to the students of the course in question. It is concluded that students are somewhat dissatisfied with the current teaching of the English language, seeing that most of them prefer a more dynamic teaching method, unlike what they were used to in Business English classes, which must include aspects of the secretarial profession, such as using e-mails and telephone. This way, it is expected that English language teachers for the Secretariat will be able to build on this study and adapt the content and objectives of their subjects according to the specific needs of students.