Language Change, New Millennium, and the Watershed in the Use of English

We all agree that language, like any living being, undergoes constant change and evolution to adapt to the needs of its users. Therefore, the English Language being a Lingua Franca is not an exception, and it keeps pace more than other languages in the world with cutting edge developments in all areas of human life with its primary function of effective communication in professional as well as ordinary real-life situations. The development of English as an International Language has become more noticeable since the beginning of globalization. Furthermore, it leads to the definition of Global English(es) and is even more vivid after digitalization in which its significant role and existential function are now unquestionable. Moreover, it is the best communication tool for global citizens, individuals equipped with 21st century skills uniting under one common goal of making the world a better place to live via sharing and exchanging knowledge and expertise, as well as collaborating and cooperating more than ever before, using this powerful weapon connecting us all - English. With this thematic literature review, based on synchronic and diachronic linguistics, the two authors reconstruct and highlight expeditious changes and turning points undergone by the English Language, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the conclusion, a summary of the key findings taken from the literature were given, and their significance were emphasised, as many changes in vocabulary are in order (abbreviations, simultaneous conversations, new uses, new structures, popularised health communication), especially in how they reflect a new language need to express the dynamism of current global challenges

Virtual Collaborative Learining as One of the Effective Strategies for Raising Cross-Cultural Awareness in Business English Classroom

Recently, Business English (BE) has become an integral part of teaching English due to its growing demand in the employment market and its power to facilitate cross-cultural communication and dialogue between speakers of all languages. Since BE serves as a Lingua Franca globally, a good mastery of the so-called Business English as Lingua Franca (BELF) is getting more and more attention among practitioners and researchers of Business English, who attempt to update their curriculum in accordance with cutting-edge developments for better occupational purposes. With this in mind, the presented paper will attempt to showcase the merits of Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) as one of the effective strategic tools for raising cross-cultural communication in the Business English classroom which indeed fosters the development of a culturally intelligent generation through support and guidance. The combined questionnaire was designed to study the experiences of BE learners–specifically, the experiences of former beneficiaries of Virtual Exchange in a shared Business English course between Grigol Robakidze University (Tbilisi and Batumi Campuses) and Azerbaijan Pedagogical University held during the Spring term of 2021. Since the representatives of different cultures were learning Business English via Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL), they were automatically exposed to various intercultural contexts which aimed at raising their cross-cultural communication awareness through the use of BELF. The results of the questionnaire were applied to evaluate the effectiveness of Virtual Collaborative Learning to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge as a result of which VCL was/will be added as an integral part of the existing BE curriculum

Virtual Collaborative Learining as One of the Effective Strategies for Raising Cross-Cultural Awareness in Business English Classroom

Recently, Business English (BE) has become an integral part of teaching English due to its growing demand in the employment market and its power to facilitate cross-cultural communication and dialogue between speakers of all languages. Since BE serves as a Lingua Franca globally, a good mastery of the so-called Business English as Lingua Franca (BELF) is getting more and more attention among practitioners and researchers of Business English, who attempt to update their curriculum in accordance with cutting-edge developments for better occupational purposes. With this in mind, the presented paper will attempt to showcase the merits of Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) as one of the effective strategic tools for raising cross-cultural communication in the Business English classroom which indeed fosters the development of a culturally intelligent generation through support and guidance. The combined questionnaire was designed to study the experiences of BE learners–specifically, the experiences of former beneficiaries of Virtual Exchange in a shared Business English course between Grigol Robakidze University (Tbilisi and Batumi Campuses) and Azerbaijan Pedagogical University held during the Spring term of 2021. Since the representatives of different cultures were learning Business English via Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL), they were automatically exposed to various intercultural contexts which aimed at raising their cross-cultural communication awareness through the use of BELF. The results of the questionnaire were applied to evaluate the effectiveness of Virtual Collaborative Learning to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge as a result of which VCL was/will be added as an integral part of the existing BE curriculum

Virtual Collaborative Learning as One of the Effective Strategies for Raising Cross-Cultural Awareness in Business English Classroom

Recently, Business English (BE) has become an integral part of teaching English due to its growing demand in the employment market and its power to facilitate cross-cultural communication and dialogue between speakers of all languages. Since BE serves as a Lingua Franca globally, a good mastery of the so-called Business English as Lingua Franca (BELF) is getting more and more attention among practitioners and researchers of Business English, who attempt to update their curriculum by cutting-edge developments for better occupational purposes. With this in mind, the presented paper will attempt to showcase the merits of Virtual Collaborative Learning (VCL) as one of the effective strategic tools for raising cross-cultural communication in the Business English classroom which indeed fosters the development of a culturally intelligent generation through support and guidance. To assess effectiveness, a survey was conducted among students enrolled in the Business English course offered through virtual learning at Grigol Robakidze University and Azerbaijan Pedagogical University during the Spring 2021 semester. The survey included seven closed prompts using the Likert scale, ranging from "Strongly Agree" to "Strongly Disagree" and "Always" to "Never," and one open-ended question requiring a written response based on personal opinions. The responses verified the positive influence of VCL activities in promoting interaction among students from different cultures and heightened awareness of cultural understanding. The discovered insights will be integrated into the current curriculum at Grigol Robakidze University, which is scheduled for the upcoming academic year

The Role of Needs Analysis in English for Academic Purposes in Higher Education

Despite the established importance of English worldwide, and notwithstanding the fact that in expanding circle countries (defined as expanding or extending circle countries those countries where English is used as a foreign language), English for Academic Purposes plays an increasingly important role. Studies on the linguistic needs of university students are still lacking their perspective, at least in Italy, where students studying English language in Higher Education institutions are expected to gain access to the discourses of the academia via language competence. For this reason, the present paper reviews the theoretical and practical bases of English for Academic Purposes in order to provide further thought-provoking ideas based on a study carried out in the Italian university context. As far as method is concerned, due to the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, the study was conducted through Google Forms. The results of the authors’ questionnaire model are presented and analysed for the purpose of this research. Findings demonstrate both the complex network of elements that play a significant role in determining the needs of EAP students in Italy, and the unavoidable necessity to set priorities. It is a fact that needs in a learner-centred system are not static. In addition, learning EAP is bound to mean learning to be an independent learner