Exploring the Integration of Philosophy-Based Language Teaching Approach on Student Engagement in English for Specific Purposes

This study explored the possibility of improving student engagement in English for Specific Purposes courses using a philosophy-based approach to language teaching. Twenty-four English major students participated in the study using a qualitative classroom action research design. The results demonstrated an improvement in student engagement, particularly in the behavioral and emotional engagement domains, as indicated by the use of mean and Cohen’s d. However, cognitive involvement did not show a discernible improvement. The study’s findings showed that the mean score for student involvement before PBLT inclusion was 3.76. The integration improved student engagement, as seen by the overall mean score of 4.07. The effect size was found to be medium (Cohen’s d = 0.69), and a statistically significant difference was observed (p < 0.025). There was a substantial difference in the overall degree of student engagement between the pre-and post-integration phases of PBLT, as evidenced by the rejection of the null hypothesis. Furthermore, the thematic analysis demonstrated that students’ perceived benefits included learning enhancement and academic engagement. In contrast, their recognized limitations included academic challenges and management as well as practical application and integration. Supplementary investigation is required to tackle the constraints, which encompass potential student opposition, difficulties with evaluation, specialized instruction and materials requirements, and the adaptability and transferability of results across various settings and populations.