The main functions of teaching journalism students professional English based oninterdisciplinary connections

Abstract

This article investigates the primary functions of teaching professional English
to journalism students by leveraging interdisciplinary linkages between language
studies, media/communication sciences, ethics, digital technologies, and social sciences.
Unlike deliberate integration methods, this research emphasizes exploiting existing
interdependencies among disciplines to enhance students’ professional language
competence. Employing a mixed-methods approach with surveys, interviews, and
curriculum analysis, the study identifies ten core functions. Findings reveal that
recognizing and utilizing these linkages significantly improves specialized vocabulary
use, cross-cultural reporting, ethical discourse, and digital content production. The
results highlight the value of building English instruction upon inherent disciplinary
connections rather than artificial constructs, better preparing students for the complex
realities of global journalism