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ELT202_needs Analysis 2

The document outlines the concept of needs analysis in the context of ESL curriculum planning, emphasizing the importance of identifying both objective and subjective language needs of learners. It details the target population for conducting needs analysis, sources of information, and procedures for data collection, including questionnaires and interviews. Additionally, it discusses the evaluation of needs analysis and its role in ensuring that language courses are relevant and meet learners' needs.

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3 views

ELT202_needs Analysis 2

The document outlines the concept of needs analysis in the context of ESL curriculum planning, emphasizing the importance of identifying both objective and subjective language needs of learners. It details the target population for conducting needs analysis, sources of information, and procedures for data collection, including questionnaires and interviews. Additionally, it discusses the evaluation of needs analysis and its role in ensuring that language courses are relevant and meet learners' needs.

Uploaded by

Sıla Kuşça
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Needs Analysis

Definition of the concept


Needs are often described in terms of
language needs, that is, as the language skills
needed to survive in an English-dominant
society.
Planning an ESL curriculum in this case not
only involves identifying students' language
needs, but seeks "to enable them to critically
examine [the existing order] and become
active in shaping their own roles in it"
(Auerbach 1995,15).
Another way to look at needs is to
make a major division between present
knowledge and required knowledge,
and objective needs and subjective
needs.
Lacks fit into present knowledge,
Necessities fit into required
knowledge, and
Wants fit into subjective needs.
In conducting a needs analysis to determine the focus of an English program in
public secondary schools in an EFL context, the target population might include:

policymakers
ministry of education officials
teachers
students
academics
employers
vocational training specialists
parents
influential individuals and pressure groups
academic specialists
community agencies
Information could be obtained from the following sources:

samples of student writing


test data on student performance
reports by teachers on typical problems students face
opinions of experts .
information from students via interviews and
questionnaires
analysis of textbooks teaching academic writing
survey or related literature
examples of writing programs from other institutions
examples of writing assignments given to first-year
university students
Procedures for collecting information during a needs analysis
can be selected from among the following:

Questionnaires
Self-ratings
Interviews
Meetings
Observations
Collecting learner language samples
Task analysis
Case studies
Information about objective needs can be
gathered b questionnaires, personal interviews,
data collection (for example, gathering exam
papers or text books and analysing them),
observation (for example, following a learner
through a typical day), informal consulatation
with teachers and learners and tests.
Subjective needs are discovered through
learner self-assessment using lists and scales,
and questionnaires and interviews.
In smaller-scale needs analysis such as that of a teacher or group of teachers
assessing the needs of new groups of students in a language program, needs
analysis procedures may consist of:

initial questionnaire
follow-up individual and group interviews
meetings with students
meetings with other teachers
ongoing classroom observation
tests
Discovering needs & Needs Analysis Tools (p.26-27)
The results of a needs analysis will generally consist of information taken from
several different sources and summarized in the form of ranked lists of different
kinds. For example, it might result in lists of the following kind:

 situations in which English is frequently used


 situations in which difficulties are encountered
 comments most often made by people on learners' performance
 frequencies with which different transactions are carried out
 perceived difficulties with different aspects of language use -
 preferences for different kinds of activities in teaching
 frequencies of errors made in different types of situations or
activities
 common communication problems in different situations
 suggestions and opinions about different aspects of learners'
problems
 frequencies of linguistic items or units in different texts or
situations
Evaluating Needs Analysis
Needs analysis is a kind of assessment and thus
can be evaluated by considering its reliability,
validity and practicality.
Reliable needs analysis involves using well-
thought-out, standardised tools that are applied
systematically.
Rather than just observing people performing
tasks that learners will have to do after the
course, it is better to systematise the
observation by using a checklist, or by recording
and apply standardised analysis procedures.
Issues in Needs Analysis
Common core and specialised language
(What are the content selection stages that a special
purposes language course should follow?)

Narrow focus – wide focus (Detailed systems of


needs analysis have been set up to determine precisely
what language a particular language learner with clear
needs should learn (Munby, 1978).)

 Critical needs analysis (it is worth considering a


wide range of possible viewpoints when deciding on the
focus of needs analysis, and seeking others’ views on
where change could be made.)
Needs analysis thus produces information that can be used in
different ways. For example:
It may provide the basis for the evaluation of an
existing program or a component of the program.
It may provide the basis for planning goals and
objectives for a future program.
It may assist with, developing tests and other
assessment procedures.
It can help with the selection of appropriate teaching
methods in a program.
It may provide the basis for developing a syllabus
and teaching materials for a course.
It may provide information that can be used as a part
of the program.
Needs analysis makes sure that a course will
be relevant and satisfying to the learners.
Needs analysis makes sure the course meets
the learners’ needs.
 Environment analysis looks at the way the
course needs to fit the situation in which
it occurs.
Looking at principles makes sure that the
course fits with what we know about
teaching and learning.
Revision
(Task 2 Evaluating a needs analysis scheme)
You recently came across the following
scheme (Table 3.6) which is designed to help
learners do needs analysis on themselves to
guide their own learning.
You want to find out if this is a good scheme
or not. Note that this is a needs analysis tool
that the learners answer themselves.
Check the MAFIA focuses and questions
against the needs analysis subdivisions of
lacks, wants and necessities.

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