Investigating Student Engagement in an ESP Sophomore English Course in Taiwan

This study investigates student engagement in an ESP Sophomore English course in Taiwan. It aims to understand students’ ESP learning experiences and how they influence engagement across different English proficiency levels. The research involved 39 engineering undergraduates and employed a mixed-method approach, including a Likert-scale engagement questionnaire, end-of-class feedback, and semi-structured interviews. Descriptive statistics measured engagement across three dimensions: behavioral, emotional, and cognitive. A Kruskal-Wallis H test compared engagement scores across three proficiency levels, and a Mann-Whitney U test analyzed differences between basic and intermediate groups. Content analysis of feedback and interview data identified key themes. The results showed that emotional engagement was the highest (mean = 4.25), suggesting a strong connection to the course. Behavioral engagement scored 3.92, indicating active participation, while cognitive engagement was lower (mean = 3.68), revealing room for improvement in learning strategies. The Kruskal-Wallis H test demonstrated significant engagement differences across proficiency levels (p < 0.05), with intermediate students displaying the highest scores. The Mann-Whitney U test confirmed a significant difference between basic and intermediate groups, highlighting the influence of proficiency on engagement. Students found the ESP course beneficial to improving language skills, particularly in vocabulary and language structure, while enhancing collaboration, communication, and multimedia skills. Challenges like narrowing project topics and overcoming language barriers were addressed through teamwork and technology, improving both project outcomes and language proficiency. The study also discusses the implications of the findings.