Assessing the Impact of English for Specific Purposes Training Course on Professional Language Competence: An Applied Case Study

الملخص

This study investigated the impact of a two-month English for Specific Purposes (ESP) training program on employees’ professional language competence and affective readiness in a corporate environment. Forty employees (ages 23–50; both males and females) from Alnahda Holding Group in Atbara, Sudan, received task-based instruction focusing on business correspondence, report writing, presentations, and workplace interactions. Using a quasi-experimental pre–post design, the study employed a 20-item knowledge test and a 30-item questionnaire measuring language anxiety and task-related barriers. Results demonstrated substantial improvement in competence, with mean test scores rising from 52% to 84% (p < .001, d = 2.09), and a 36% reduction in reported language-related problems. Gains were strongest in structured written genres, while spontaneous oral tasks showed moderate but positive change. Findings suggest that short, targeted ESP modules can produce significant cognitive and affective benefits, supporting their integration into corporate training programs. The study contributes applied evidence from a Sudanese workplace context, emphasizing the value of task-based, context-sensitive ESP design for sustainable language development.