English for Specific Purposes: The Development of Technical Communication in China's Universities

Along with China’s rapid development in science and economy, technical communication between Chinese and Westerners is becoming more and more important. The purpose of this study is to promote the teaching of technical communication in China by introducing it into China’s college English for specific purposes. Postgraduate classes from grades 2001 to 2004 at Capital University of Medical Sciences in Beijing were assigned to study English for Technical Communication, a course that integrated the concepts of technical communication into English for specific purposes. In the survey of Grade 2004, over 96% of the graduates claimed that it was necessary for them to study English for Technical Communication; more than 90% of the students confirmed that the course was practical; and 90% of them claimed that the course had significantly improved their abilities in technical communication. Therefore, introducing technical communication in English for specific purposes would be a feasible way to develop the teaching of technical communication in China.