Implementing Problem-Based Learning to Enhance Problem Solving Skills and Intercultural Competence in ESP Course: The Case of English for Food Science and Technology
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Published:
Dec 10, 2025
Keywords:
ESP, Problem Based Instruction, PBL, Intercultural Competence, Problem Solving
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Abstract
Higher education institutions are currently deemed as the prime catalysts in developing a set of skills required for producing graduates seeking to realize vocational goals. Problem solving is set among the number one of these skills. The aim of this paper is to implement problem-based instruction in ESP syllabus through the consideration of problem solving and culture as its main principles. The work purports to investigate the effects of PBL in enhancing the students’ problem-solving skills as well as their intercultural competence through the students’ lens. The case study method is adopted to achieve the determined purpose by providing a detailed lesson plan through stating the course objectives, the teaching scenario, assessment and the teachers and students’ roles. In assessing the students’ attitudes towards the effectiveness of PBL in the current ESP course, a survey was conducted with 40 students enrolled in Master studies at the institute of Nutrition Food and Agro-food technologies, Constantine 1 University- Algeria. The results confirm the students’ positive attitude towards PBL in the current ESP course in enhancing their problem-solving skills as well as in boosting their intercultural competence. These results would, hence, recommend the consideration of PBL approach and the integration of culture as an educational goal in ESP instruction.
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ELMECHTA, L. (2025). Implementing Problem-Based Learning to Enhance Problem Solving Skills and Intercultural Competence in ESP Course: The Case of English for Food Science and Technology . ALTRALANG Journal, 7(2), 239-255. https://doi.org/10.52919/altralang.v7i2.581
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LICENSE: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 license
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References
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• Newton, J., Yates, E., Shearn, S., Nowitzki, W. (2009). Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching (iCLT): Implications for Effective Teaching and Learning. Report to Ministry of Education. (in press) Wellington.
• Penz, H. (2001). Cultural awareness and language awareness through dialogic social interaction using the Internet and other media. Cultural Awareness and Language Awareness Based on Dialogic Interaction with Texts in Foreign Language Learning. Anne-Britt Fenner (Ed.). Graz: European Centre for Modern Languages, Council of Europe Publishing, 103-124.
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• Salleh, F. I., Ghazali, J.M., Ismail, W.N., & Raidzuan, S.N. (2018). Problem based learning (pbl) in ESP classroom. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Special Issue, 1-13
• Savery, J. R., & Duffy, T. M. (1995). Problem based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Educational Technology, 35(5), 31-38.
• Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11, 129-158. doi:10.1093/applin/11.2.129
• Seelye, H. N. (1997). Teaching culture. Strategies for Intercultural Communication. Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
• Stern, H. (1992). Issues and Options in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Strevens, P. (1977). New Orientations in the Teaching of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Tuzlukova, V. & Singh, V. (2018). Twenty first century skills through problem based learning: an ESP perspective. The Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 6(3), 413-423
• Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don’t teach survival skills our children need – and what we can do about it. Basic Books.
• Willis, J. (1996): Framework for Task-based Learning. Harlow: Longman.
• Woods, D. R., Hall, F.L., Eyles, C.H. & Hrymak, A.N. (1996). Tutored versus tutorless groups in problem-based learning. American Journalof Pharmaceutical Education, 60, 231-238.
• Basturkmen, H. (2006). Ideas and options in English for specific purposes. Mahwah: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
• Binkley, M., Erstad, O., Herman, J., Raizen, S., Ripley, M. & Rumble, M. (2010). Defining 21st Century skills. Draft white paper. Part of a report to the Learning and Technology World Forum 2010, London.
• Bloom, B. S., Engelhart, M. D., Furst, E. J., Hill, W. H., Krathwohl, D. R. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives: The classification of educational goals. Handbook I: Cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Company.
• Bocanegra-Valle, A. (2015). The intercultural competence in ESP textbooks through the assessment of indicators and mastery levels. Cuadernos de Filología Francesa, 26, 29-43.
• Bower, R. (1992). Memories, metaphors, maxims, and myths: language learning and cultural awareness. ELT Journal, 46(1), 29-38.
• Byram, M. & Morgan, C. (1994). Teaching-and-Learning Language-and-Culture. Clevedon, Philadelphia, Adelaide: Multilingual Matters.
• Byram, M. (2014). Twenty-five years on – from cultural studies to intercultural citizenship. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 27, 209-225.
• Curkovic K. S. (1998). Cultural aspects of the EFL Classroom. British Cultural Studies: Cross-Cultural Challenges. Conference Proceedings. Janja Ciglar Žanic, Damir Kalogjera and Jasna Jemeršic (Eds.). Zagreb: The British Council Croatia, 439-47.
• Deardoff, D. (2009). The SAGE handbook of intercultural competence. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Dellit, J. (2005). Getting Started with the Intercultural Language Learning. A Resource for Schools.
• Dolmans, D.H., De Grave W, Wolfhagen I.H, & van der Vleuten C.P. (2005). Problem-based learning: future challenges for educational practice and research. Medical Education, 39(7), 732-741.
• Ellis, R. (2006). The methodology of task-based teaching. Asian EFL Journal, 8 (3). http://www.asian-efljournal.com/September_06_home.php.
• Elmechta, L. (2020). The language of research: investigating the place of english in algerian scientific research the case of university frères Mentouri, Constantine- Algeria. Human and Social Sciences, 6 (1), 535-545
• Elmechta, L. (2023a). ESP course evaluation and amelioration on the basis of needs analysis: the case of master 1 at the Institute of Nutrition, Food and Agri-food Technologies, University Of Constantine 1, Algeria. Human Sciences Journal, 34 (2), 35-50
• Elmechta, l. (2023b). Needs analysis and ESP course design: a case study of the institute of nutrition, food and agro-food technologies. Milev Journal of Research and Studies, 8 (2), 338-352
• Fantini, A., & Tirmizi, A. (2006). Exploring and assessing intercultural competence. World Learning Publications, 1, 1-74. http://digitalcollections.sit.edu/worldlearning_publications/1
• Fehaima, A. (2022). Translation-based task in an ESP classroom: Tlemcen University as a case study. Contemporary Educational Researches Journal. 12(4), 246-255. https://doi.org/10.18844/cerj.v12i4.8485
• Galbeaza, A. (2020). Intercultural teaching in the ESP Classroom: Case Study Outline. “Ovidius” University Annals, Economic Sciences Series, 20 (1), 306-313
• Gillian, H. R. & Elizabeth, T. (2003). Providing support for problem-based learning: The Manchester experience. European Journal of Dental Education, 7, 3–12.
• Hassan, A., Alzahrani, F.& Naz, N. (2023). Developing an ESP-based language learning environment to help students improve critical thinking skills in written output. Information Sciences Letters, 12 (4), 1131-1140
• Hirose, S. (1992). Critical thinking in Community Collages. ERIC Digest. Retrieved September 10, 2023 from http://www.ericdigest.org/19922/critical.htm.
• Ilic, K. (2014). Attitudinal implications in teaching and learning business English. The Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 2(3), 541-547.
• Kavalir, M. (2013). Culture in ESP syllabus: why and how. Romanian Journal of English Studies, DOI: 10.2478/rjes-2013-0009
• Kramsch, C. (1998). Language and Culture. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Kurmanayeva, D., Tazhitova, G., Zhalelova, G., Ustelimova, N., & Kurmanayeva, G. (2021). Nationbuilding and identity development through ethnocultural content in university English for specific purposes courses in Kazakhstan. Cypriot Journal of Educational Sciences, 16(6), 2887–2900. https://doi.org/10.18844/cjes.v16i6.6452
• Liddicoat, A. (2004). Intercultural language teaching: principles for practice. New Zealand Language Teacher, 30.
• Lytovchenko, I., Ogienko, O., Kriukova, Y., Meleshko, I., Yamshinska, N., Voronina, H. & Kutsenok, N. (2022). Online Problem-Based Learning: Possibilities for Engineering Vocabulary Acquisition in ESP Course at Technical University. International Journal of Information and Education Technology, 12 (9), 905-911
• Masduqi, H. (2011). Critical thinking skills and meaning in English language teaching. TEFLIN Journal, 22 (2), 185-200.
• Newton, J., Yates, E., Shearn, S., Nowitzki, W. (2009). Intercultural Communicative Language Teaching (iCLT): Implications for Effective Teaching and Learning. Report to Ministry of Education. (in press) Wellington.
• Penz, H. (2001). Cultural awareness and language awareness through dialogic social interaction using the Internet and other media. Cultural Awareness and Language Awareness Based on Dialogic Interaction with Texts in Foreign Language Learning. Anne-Britt Fenner (Ed.). Graz: European Centre for Modern Languages, Council of Europe Publishing, 103-124.
• Roberts, C. (1998). Awareness in intercultural communication.” Language Awareness, 7(2-3), 109-127.
• Salleh, F. I., Ghazali, J.M., Ismail, W.N., & Raidzuan, S.N. (2018). Problem based learning (pbl) in ESP classroom. International Journal of Pure and Applied Mathematics, Special Issue, 1-13
• Savery, J. R., & Duffy, T. M. (1995). Problem based learning: An instructional model and its constructivist framework. Educational Technology, 35(5), 31-38.
• Schmidt, R. (1990). The role of consciousness in second language learning. Applied Linguistics, 11, 129-158. doi:10.1093/applin/11.2.129
• Seelye, H. N. (1997). Teaching culture. Strategies for Intercultural Communication. Lincolnwood: National Textbook Company.
• Stern, H. (1992). Issues and Options in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Strevens, P. (1977). New Orientations in the Teaching of English. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Tuzlukova, V. & Singh, V. (2018). Twenty first century skills through problem based learning: an ESP perspective. The Journal of Teaching English for Specific and Academic Purposes, 6(3), 413-423
• Wagner, T. (2008). The global achievement gap: Why even our best schools don’t teach survival skills our children need – and what we can do about it. Basic Books.
• Willis, J. (1996): Framework for Task-based Learning. Harlow: Longman.
• Woods, D. R., Hall, F.L., Eyles, C.H. & Hrymak, A.N. (1996). Tutored versus tutorless groups in problem-based learning. American Journalof Pharmaceutical Education, 60, 231-238.