Lecture 4

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Lecture 4

Needs Analysis

-The WHO- WHY- WHERE –WHEN: Needs Analysis

-Views on the Needs

-Target Needs

- Gathering Information about Target Needs

-Learning Needs

-Analysing Learning Needs

Dr. Hameed Al-ZubeiryESP

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Three Main factors for ESP course


WHAT?

Languagedescriptions

WHO? WHY?WHERE? WHEN?

Needs Analysis

HOW?

Learning Theories

ESPCOURSE

Nature of particular target and learning situation

syllabusMethodology

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Dr. Hameed Al-Zubeiry

The WHO- WHY- WHERE –WHEN:

Needs Analysis

ESP

-Need: Wants, desires, demands, expectation, motivations,

lacks, gaps, necessities, constraints, and requirements

-Needs Analysis: Procedures for collecting information about

learners’ needs;

-………..is the irreducible minimum ESP approach to course

design;

- …….. is the awareness of a target situation-definable need

to communicate in English- that distinguishes the ESP learner

from the EGP one.

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Views on the Needs

-According to the Language-Centred Approach:

………is the ability to comprehend and/or produce the

linguistic features of the target situation.

- Target Needs: what the learner needs to do in the target

situation

- Learning Needs: what the learner needs to do in order to learn.

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1) Target Needs: What the learner needs to do

in the target situation

Necessities Lacks Wants etc,...

Umbrella like term hiding important distinctions

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Target Needs… continued ..

a) Necessities: according to the demands of the target

situation, this is what the learner has to know in order to

function effectively in that situation. (Munby, 1978) CNP

(Communication Needs Processor )

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b) Lacks: according to what the learner already knows, we

decide what necessities are missing. There is a gap between

the existing proficiency and the target proficiency.

c) Wants: according to what we have considered from an

objective point of view, we have to say that ‘a need does not

exist independent of a person. It is people who build their

images of their needs on the basis of data relating to

themselves and their environment.

Target Needs… continued ..

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Need concepts Objective (as perceived by course

designers)

Subjective ( as perceived by students)

Necessities The English needed for success in Agriculture/ veterinary studies.

To reluctantly cope with a ‘second-best’ situation.

Lacks (presumably) areas of English needed for Agriculture/veterinary studies.

Means of doing medical studies

Wants To succeed in Agriculture/veterinary studies.

To undertake Medical Studies

NOTE: objective and subjective views of needs can conflict

motivation. The ESP course designer or teacher has to be aware of

such differences and take account of them in materials and

methodology. Important decisions are to be made.

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2) Gathering Information about Target Needs

Ways of gathering information about needs :

Questionnaires

Interviews

Observation

Data collection

Informal consultations

NOTE: the choice will depend on the time and resources available.

And, needs analysis is not a once-for-all activity. It should be a

continuing process.

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NOTE: Interpretations of needs can vary according to the point of

view of the particular respondent. A negotiation is necessary to

arrive at satisfactory compromise

A Target Situation Analysis Framework

Why is the language needed? – for study, work, training, etc,..

How will the language be used? – medium (SLWR), channel,…

What will the content areas be? – subjects, levels

Who will the learners use the language with? – NS/non-NS.

Where will the language be used? - Physical setting, etc.

When will the language be used? – concurrently with the

ESP/subsequently ,

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3) Learning Needs

A warming- up analogous situation :

1.ESP = journey 2. Lacks = starting point

3. necessities = destination 4. wants = where the destination

should be. - We have finished the what/where in the journey: the target situation;

-The remaining stage is 5. the route (How): the Learning Needs.

* An example of situation: long & dull reading Text

Make it more interesting or humorous

Generate the motivation needed

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In Short: The target situation alone is not a reliable indicator of

what is needed in the ESP course. It can determine the destination,

BUT we must also choose our route:

the conditions of the learning situation

the learner’s knowledge, skills and strategies

the learner’s motivation

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4) Analysing Learning Needs

Learning Needs Analysis Framework

Why are the learners taking the course? – Compulsory/optional,

How do the learners learn? –Learning Background

What resources are available? – number and competence of Ts.

Who are the learners?– age/sex/nationality

Where will the ESP course take place? –surroundings

conditions

When will the ESP course take place? – Time of day,

everyday/months, etc,…

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Dr. Hameed Al-Zubeiry

- Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes:

a learning-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University

Press.

-Munby, J. (1978). Communicative syllabus design.

Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Reading materials:

ESP

Lecture 4

Education

Transcript of Lecture 4