THE PEDAGOGICAL VALUE OF STUDENT CONFERENCES: A STUDY ON DESCRIPTIVE TEXT INSTRUCTION IN CULINARY ART EDUCATION

Teaching English within the culinary arts is challenging for many instructors.
The field of culinary arts has its specialized terminology and distinct context,
which sets it apart from general English teaching. In light of this,the English
for Specific Purposes (ESP) program was introduced. ESP is designed to align
English instruction with the specific needs of students in culinary studies,
ensuring they are prepared academically and for their future roles in the
industry. This research examines the effectiveness of student conferences in
teaching descriptive texts, an essential aspect of culinary studies. Data
collection involved interviews, classroom observations, and document
reviews. The results were encouraging: student conferences emerged as a
potent tool, leading to significant improvements in students' writing and
comprehension abilities. When combined with the ESP approach, there was a
notable increase in student motivation and engagement. These findings offer
educators enhanced strategies for specialized English teaching in the culinary
arts. Moreover, this study serves as a stepping stone for further research,
aiming to refine English instruction in specialized domains.