Designing an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) Course for International Banking and Foreign Exchange Officers: A Case Study of Parsian Bank

Subject Areas : Journal of Studies in Learning and Teaching English

Abbas Kamalinejad ¹ , Kourosh Akef ² , Mehrdad Rezaee ³

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Received: 2025-06-11 Accepted : 2025-07-13 Published : 2025-09-13

Keywords: Keywords: EFL learners, English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Needs Analysis, International Banking, Foreign Exchange, Course Design, Parsian Bank,

Abstract :

This study aimed to design and evaluate an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) course tailored to the linguistic and professional needs of officers working in the International Banking and Foreign Exchange Departments of Parsian Bank. The central objective was to bridge the gap between existing English proficiency and the specialized communicative requirements of global banking operations. A mixed-methods design was employed in two sequential phases. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews and workplace observations were conducted to identify officers’ perceived needs, wants, and lacks. Thematic content analysis informed a researcher-made questionnaire, piloted with 30 participants and later administered to 100 officers. Construct validity and exploratory factor analysis were tested using SPSS. Additionally, the Oxford Placement Test was administered to assess general proficiency. Based on the results, a seven-unit ESP coursebook was developed, covering key banking topics. Participants were divided into control and experimental groups (n = 50 each). The control group completed a pretest and self-study period, while the experimental group received 14 sessions of instruction using the coursebook. Posttest results indicated significant improvements in the experimental group’s reading, writing, and lexical skills. The findings suggest that a needs-based ESP course can enhance communicative competence in international banking contexts and should be considered for broader implementation across the sector.

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