Goal-setting and Self-reflection to Enhance Learners' Interaction in an ESP Context

This qualitative action research study explored the interactions of young-adult learners carrying out self-reflection on their learning processes in an ESP (English for special purposes) course at an airline training-center in Bogota, Colombia. Needs analysis revealed that learners had poor knowledge of technical English, and lacked strong communicative and interactional competences, as well as self-reflection and goal-setting strategies. Accordingly, the pedagogical intervention focused on the use communicative tasks appropriate to their professional context (English for cabin crews) and the development of self-reflection strategies (practiced before and after each communicative task). Data collected through three stages using four instruments was analyzed with the grounded theory approach. Findings suggest that self-set goals and reflection helped learners focus on the specific language functions and vocabulary necessary to complete communicative tasks (role-plays) successfully, and that this led to increased learner awareness, confidence, and positive self-concept. In addition, learners showed progress in development of specific (ESP) language functions and technical vocabulary.