![](3D"file3433_archivos/image013.gif")
<=
![endif]>Análi=
sis
de necesidades: caso de estudio, para la innovación curricular en un
curso ESP
Needs Analys=
is:
Case Study for Curricular Innovation in an ESP Course
=
David Antonio Ureña Lara. [1], Diana Carolina Campaña Días. [2] & Maria Yadira Cardenas Moyano. <=
/span>[3]
Recibido: 11-12-2019 / Revisado: 02-01-=
2020
/Aceptado: 16-01-2020/ Publicado: 07-02-2020=
Abstract. &nb=
sp; =
&nb=
sp; =
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33262/con=
cienciadigital.v3i1.1.1135
=
The present scientific article explored the studen=
ts'
perceptions of an English for Specific Purposes (ESP) English course in the
Medicine career at Escuela Superior Politécnica=
de Chimborazo. Besides, this research had as its main objective to perform =
a Needs
Analysis for students of the Medicine career in order to identify their nee=
ds,
wants and lacks in concordance with their English learning for their future
professional lives. To this end, questionnaires were administered to sevent=
y six
students of the Medicine career in order to obtain relevant information abo=
ut
the student´s perceptions about ESP to identify and propose a solution
for the needs, wants (performance) and lacks (causes) of their English cour=
se.
Thus, the Needs Analysis was conducted with the perceptions obtained from t=
he
participants which responses were related to the implementation of the ESP
approach in their course. The main findings of this research are related to=
the
basic principles of ESP, which are the future needs of the English language,
ESP content, ESP language skills and the use of ESP for student’s fut=
ure
professional lives. The analysis of student perceptions through the Needs
Analysis application is the main reference point for the implementation of =
an
ESP course for future syllabus implementation and innovations of the career
curriculum.
Resumen.
=
El
presente artículo científico exploró las percepciones =
de
los estudiantes de un curso de inglés con fines específicos (=
ESP)
en la carrera de medicina en la Escuela Superior Politécnica de
Chimborazo. Además, esta investigación tuvo como objetivo
principal realizar un análisis de necesidades para estudiantes de la
carrera de Medicina con el fin de identificar sus necesidades y carencias en
concordancia con su aprendizaje de inglés para sus futuras vidas
profesionales. Con este fin, se administraron cuestionarios a setenta y seis
estudiantes de la carrera de Medicina con el fin de obtener informaci&oacut=
e;n
relevante sobre las percepciones de los estudiantes sobre ESP para identifi=
car
y proponer una solución para las necesidades, deseos (rendimiento) y
carencias (causas) de su curso de inglés. Por lo tanto, el
análisis de necesidades se realizó con las percepciones obten=
idas
de los participantes cuyas respuestas estaban relacionadas con la
implementación del enfoque ESP en su curso. Los principales hallazgo=
s de
esta investigación están relacionados con los principios
básicos de ESP, que son las necesidades futuras del idioma
inglés, el contenido ESP, las habilidades lingüísticas E=
SP y
el uso de ESP para la vida profesional futura de los estudiantes. El
análisis de las percepciones de los estudiantes a través de la
implementación del análisis de necesidades es el principal pu=
nto
de referencia para la aplicación de un curso ESP y la
implementación de un sílabo e innovar el plan de estudios de
carrera.
Palabras claves: Metodolog&iac=
ute;a
ESP, Análisis de necesidades.
Introduction
English for Specific Purposes, abbreviated by scho=
lars
as ESP, refers to the teaching of English for a utilitarian purpose (Mackay,
1978). Specifically, an ESP approach to teaching English is used to develop
specific language skills using real situations, which allows students to use
English in their future profession and comprehend the language concerning t=
heir
future professional fields. Broad-ly, students =
start
their English instruction “not because they are keen on learning Engl=
ish
Language or even English culture, but because of their need for study or wo=
rk
purposes.” (Robinson, 1980: 6). For the principles of ESP to be
fulfilled, each aspect of ESP is interwoven into the medium of instruction =
for
specific purposes, although the comprehension of the language, in this case,
English, is emphasized over other skills.
Nowadays, ESP has gained attention among other
approaches and methodologies for English instruction. This trend has witnes=
sed
a substantial upwelling in popularity across different geographical context=
s.
In addition, it has been increasingly considered by Ministries of Education=
as
an innovative approach to teaching modern languages and as a motivational
approach used to teach for the language used in professional contexts.
For this reason, as for any ESP course, the first =
step
to this scientific article was to carry out a Needs Analysis; this was done=
in
order to know the students’ perceptions about the ESP methodology and=
to
identify the students’ interest in an ESP course, the students’
deficiencies as well as their strengths in the specific area of language
skills. It is only after this analysis has been conducted that we can deter=
mine
course elements, such as the objectives of the syllabus and the selection of
content that meets the students’ needs. Thus, this Needs Analysis wil=
l be
the foundation to develop Units of Study as well as Syllabus according to t=
he
research findings.
Despite the overwhelming of new and innovative met=
hods
for English teaching most of the institutions in Ecuador are not familiariz=
ed
with the current tendencies for their application. This research focused on=
the
application of Needs Analysis for an ESP course gathering students´
perceptions about the ESP methodology application.
Thus, the findings will allow for the improvement =
of
the current syllabus and the development of units of study. In this way, ma=
ny
other institutions may use the same model to introduce the ESP method in th=
eir
English syllabus. Many different types of research with the same purpose ha=
ve
been conducted world wide which have found valu=
able
pieces of evidence, students do not think there is a real need for learners=
to
study English. According to a research conducted in the University of TELMEC
(2016), students identify English as an obstacle as well as a bridge for th=
eir
future professional needs. The use of English for communication is their mo=
st
significant concern. Students also manifested that they needed English for
specific professional purposes, but they focused most of their efforts on t=
he
mastery of language skills.
The research also sheds light on the fact that
learners need ESP courses to learn how to communicate effectively in Englis=
h.
Hence, as it can be deducted, there is still a major concern with regards to
what needs to be done before designing an ESP course, considering what lear=
ners
need for their future professional lives. In this sense, there is a gap in
literature concerning how Needs Analyses can be implemented in all areas of
study in order to improve the quality of ESP courses conducted in Ecuador a=
nd
other countries. This investigation has been conducted in the Ecuadoran
context, thus, it serves as a basis for the implementation of a Needs Analy=
sis
approach to ESP courses in this country and in other places.
This scientific article shows the benefits of
performing a Needs Analysis, according to the model presented by Barkeley (2017), gathering students´ perceptions
about ESP methodologies used at university level. To do so, the characteris=
tics
of the ESP course were identified with regards to the future language needs,
the content, the language skills, and its usage on which the investigation
focused to perform the Needs Analysis. There have been many projects in the
field focusing on the same characteristics, some of them being more detailed
than others. Most projects related to this have identified core principles =
of
ESP courses as well as learners’ performance and needs. Furthermore, =
it
has been stated that students’ main concern it is related to the lang=
uage
skills usage. Hence, the final aim of this investigation is to contribute a=
s a
cornerstone of curriculum innovation following the process of performing a
Needs Analysis according to the students’ perceptions about the
principles of the ESP methodology. Thus, it can be used for new English
teaching language methods like CLIL (Content and Language Implemented
Learning). Mackay (1978) strenuously defends that a curriculum cannot be
implemented without performing a Needs Analysis as a first step because the
students have to know and clarify their learning needs before starting the
learning instruction. Hence, the investigation considers this statement as =
its
core in which lies its importance and relevance.
Having stated the final purpose of this research, =
the
general objective of this investigation is to explore wants, needs and lacks
regarding learning English for university students of English at Medicine c=
areer
at Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimb=
orazo
through a needs analysis approach to ESP.
Methodol=
ogy
This study
explores the English linguistic and nonlinguistic needs for an ESP program =
for
undergraduate students in the car=
eer
medicine at Escuela Superior Politécnica=
de
Chimborazo. The study considers the perspectives of students from the acade=
mic
contexts involved in this study.
A Quantitat=
ive paradigm for this investigation was selected, whi=
ch
corresponds to the model of Needs Analysis used for this investigation.
According to Creswell (1994), there are some core principles which can be
identified for any quantitative investigation. First of all, the categories=
or
units of analysis for this kind of research are pre-conceived or predevelop=
ed
for participants’ responses; this way, the researcher can clearly
identify an objective.
Second, this
investigations collect information or data based on facts and students
perceptions; however, in doing so, the number of responses can be limited, =
as
the investigation is usually time limited because the needs of the students=
can
vary according their level of instruction. In third place, these investigat=
ions
can be useful to identify data patterns or common needs or problems; thus,
there is a distinction and discrimination of the needs presented by learner=
s.
Finally, it is considered that the primary goal of the quantification of the
data is to allow generalizations of results from a sample to an entire
population of interest and the measurement of various views and opinions. F=
or
these reasons outlined, this investigation was framed under a quantitative
paradigm, following a descriptive and exploratory design.
This study =
also
adopted a case stu=
dy
approach to capture the complex reallife dimens=
ions
in the Medicine career. The case study approach provides a broad description
and analysis of a limited system or multiple bounded systems (Hood, 2009;
Merriam, 1998; Stake, 1995). This approach focuses on “understanding
complex phenomena while allowing the investigation to retain the holistic a=
nd
meaningful characteristics of the reallife
context.” (Yin, 2003: 13). Berg (2009) has described case studies as =
an
approach capable of examining simple circumstances, with units of analysis;
this in turn entails using a variety of lines of actions in its data gather=
ing
segments and can make use of and contribute to the application of theory (B=
erg,
2009). Within the educational and second language teaching research areas,
Chapelle and Duff (2003) have defined case studies by teacher-researchers as
the study of a person, either a teacher or a student. In the present study,=
a
case study refers to the ESP course implemented in the Medicine career at
Escuela Superior Politécnica de Chimbora=
zo.
The trend towards using case studies in the second language teaching area is
growing because it provides a framework for the close and extended analysis=
of
a particular case (Hood, 2009). The findings from a case study enable a rich
description of a personal and pedagogical nature which cannot be captured by
other methods (Miller, 1997). The significant advantages of the case study
approach are that it can present extensive data in an accessible form. It c=
an
also provide flexibility in the use of various data collection methods and =
it
can be used in practically any kind of social setting (Singh et al., 2015).=
The research
paradigm that remarks the importance of this study, and then the research
framework is illustrated. The description of the
research participants is followed by the data collection procedures and data
analysis.
Needs
Analysis is a systematic process that it is set to present the current stat=
e of
a situation and demonstrate that there are many solutions to achieve the
desired state. The “Need” is the gap between what “should
be” and “what is” determine if there is a gap in performa=
nce,
the gap, possible solutions. (Berkeley Lab Training; 2017) &=
nbsp;
Phase 1:
describing the desired performance
The initial
step in the Needs Analysis Process is to describe the desired performance a=
nd
the optimal route to achieve it. To sum up, this relates to determining the
skills, behaviors, and knowledge to perform an activity adequately. The steps to follow in
this case are: (a) step 1: describing the group of students; (b) step 2:
describing the desired status; (c) step 3: describing the need; (d) step 4:
describing expectations for performance.
Phase 2:
determining the current performance
The next st=
ep
is to determine what performance is (in the classroom). The analysis of the
situation can be achieved by applying data colle=
ctor
instruments.
Phrase 3:
describing performance gaps and causes
The following table provides an example for this process:
Table 1. Berkeley Lab Training
(2017: 2)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
List a
performance expectation |
List the =
Need
|
List caus=
es
(which are the lacks that inhibit the process) |
List the
consequence for not performing at desired level |
Rate the
difficulty to correct (optional) |
Phase 4:
Identifying solutions
In this
section, the researcher can determine which needs are the most critical and
which possible solutions are. For this, the following steps are carried out:
(a) step 1: identifying solutions and describing possible solutions bearing in mind the
acceptability and feasibility of the process; (b) step 2: selecting solutio=
ns
according to all the information gathered in the Needs Analysis process; and
(c) step 3: stating recommendations. The following table is an example of h=
ow
to select solutions.
Table 2: Berkeley Lab Training (2017: 3)
|
Cause (Lack) |
|
|
Lack of
knowledge / skill |
Teaching
process, future job performance |
|
Lack of
information / feedback |
What type=
of
feedback and method to provide |
Results
Concerning the data obtained from questionnaires
administered for gathering students’ perceptions about the ESP
methodology. To fulfill this objective, the participants of this investigat=
ion
were asked to answer questions which reflect their perceptions and backgrou=
nd
knowledge of ESP course implemented at Medicine career. This questionnaire =
was
adapted from the model presented by Boroujeni (=
2013).
Students’ answers correspond to 10 categories which were part of the
questionnaire administered. As the participants were asked to state their perceptions through the use of statements
related to the Needs Analysis questionnaire, the categories, and therefore
units of analysis, were preconceived. Thus, ten categories will be addressed
and analyzed in this section:
1. &nbs=
p; ESP
for future English needs
2. &nbs=
p; ESP
methodology comprehension
3. &nbs=
p; Language
skills and content in ESP
4. &nbs=
p; ESP
outside classroom
5. &nbs=
p; ESP
methodology level of difficulty
6. &nbs=
p; ESP
language learning
7. &nbs=
p; ESP
usage for different English situations
8. &nbs=
p; ESP
materials implementation
9. &nbs=
p; ESP
language for specific purposes
10. &nb=
sp; ESP
meets future professional needs
In addition, the following table shows the stateme=
nts
which participants had to rate according to five indicators in order to com=
ply
with the task for this specific objective. The indicators for this
questionnaire and for each of the statements participants had to rate were =
(a)
non satisfactory; (b) little satisfactory; (c) neutral; (d) satisfactory; a=
nd
(e) very satisfactory. These indicators were then summarized into two:
satisfactory and Non-satisfactory. This was done in order to simplify the d=
ata
obtained from the participants’ answers and for the sake of the analy=
sis.
The following table represents the seventy-six
participants’ answers for the ten statements presented. It also shows=
the
5 indicators as for the complete questionnaire. This table presents all the
information as for the participants responses to the categories above
mentioned:
Table
3. Participants&#=
8217;
responses to the Questionnaire
|
Questions |
Non-S. |
Little-S. |
Neutral |
S. |
Very-S. |
Sum |
|
1.=
Esp
is useful for my future english language need=
s |
7 |
11 |
12 |
19 |
27 |
76 |
|
2.=
Esp
approach was easy to comprehend and handle |
18 |
14 |
2 |
23 |
19 |
76 |
|
3.=
Esp
approach maintain a balance between language skills |
9 |
12 |
8 |
26 |
21 |
76 |
|
4.=
The information learned wit=
h esp could be used outside classroom |
5 |
11 |
10 |
28 |
22 |
76 |
|
5.=
Learning english
is an enjoyable challenge with esp |
8 |
9 |
11 |
29 |
19 |
76 |
|
6.=
Content presented in esp class is significant |
11 |
9 |
2 |
22 |
32 |
76 |
|
7.=
Esp
content allows interaction in different contexts |
2 |
15 |
19 |
19 |
21 |
76 |
|
8.=
Materials of esp approch are good en=
ough to comprenhend content |
5 |
3 |
29 |
19 |
20 |
76 |
|
9.=
Esp
approach allows a better comprehension of engl=
ish
language |
1 |
7 |
18 |
19 |
31 |
76 |
|
10.
Esp
is appropiate for mettin=
g
future english needs |
1 |
12 |
16 |
29 |
18 |
76 |
|
TOTAL |
67 |
103 |
127 |
233 |
230 |
760 |
![](3D"file3433_archivos/image014.gif")
Graph 1: generated
from the table 1
In this gra=
ph,
the answers of the participants had been addressed in order to analyze
students’ responses to each of the ten categories. In brief, the ten
categories show that participants believe that several aspects of the ESP
methodology were partially achieved and a wide range of the students are
satisfied with the implementation of the ESP instruction they have been sub=
jected
to, which were provided to cover their needs in the use of ESP to learn Eng=
lish
language for specific purposes. Besides, the data analysis shows that the
overall results are inclined towards the satisfactory and very satisfactory
variables, which indicates that in agreement with many other studies that h=
ave
been carried out in the same field to execute a Needs Analysis, the student=
s'
perceptions are considering ESP as a useful approach concerning the core
characteristics of its methodology. Moreover, the graphic concerning the
categories results about students´ perceptions look with favor on the=
ESP
methodology, which is a great result and it gives the researcher a guidelin=
e to
understand the current situation in which the English instruction in the in=
stitution
is.
After obtai=
ning
the data from the students, the following Needs Analysis was conducted
according students’ perceptions identified from the first questionnai=
re,
following the indicators mentioned above.
Phase
1: Describing the desired performance
In ESP cour=
ses,
all the classes must be prepared with the purpose of accomplishing the goal=
s of
their corresponding units, and these lessons always have to consider a clear
focus based on students’ needs. For West (1993), “in ESP, any
strategy can be chosen to be used in the classroom according to the context,
students, teaching standards and learning abilities." (West 1993: 10).
However, ESP courses need to integrate the content and the language by
designing a range of activities and tasks; as the materials play a crucial =
role
in the fulfilment of this characteristic, through a good use of materials,
teachers or instructors must prepare the students to carry out- tasks they
would perform in a real professional setting. For this reason, Dudley-Evans=
and
St John (1998) have stated that ESP courses have to have a plan to provide =
the
necessary materials for the appropriate course development as they explain
"it is rarely possible to use a particular textbook without the need f=
or
supplementary material, and sometimes no suitable published material exists=
for
certain of the identified needs.” (Dudley-Evans & St John, 1998: =
14;
as cited in Ureña, 2017: 204).
In addition=
, it
is widely believed that the balance of the four language skills is essentia=
l in
teaching ESP courses, but it almost always depends on students’ needs=
and
interests. Dudley-Evans and St. John (1998) point out that “ESP isola=
tes
the skills associated with study activities such as reading textbooks,
articles, writing essays, listening to lectures.” (p. 41). Moreover, =
ESP
courses, in general, have to introduce essential vocabulary, teach a
variety of strategies for language production and reception, and provide
learners with significant input, like any other general English course.
Additionally, the students have to receive feedback when they make mistakes,
practice important grammar structures and know the principles of mechanics.
From the above, it becomes evident that there is a significant similarity
between the objectives established by Stern (1992) for language education a=
nd
ESP core principles that must be achieved in the course.
Phase 2:
Determining the current performance.
After revie=
wing
the results of the questionnaire that focused on the principles of the ESP
methodology, it has been deduced that, for more than half of the students, =
the
ESP methodology is focused on their future English needs; however, a
considerable part of the students do not comprehend the ESP methodology
implemented in their classes. Moreover, students think that they may use wh=
at
they have learned within the ESP class outside the classroom; however, the
participants have also acknowledged that the program does not represent a g=
reat
challenge for them as to what they learn. For the participants, ESP aids
language learning and the materials are good enough to cover the
students’ specific needs in their area of study. Besides, the content
does include their specific. Also, students agree that the knowledge acquir=
ed
through the ESP courses can be used in different situations and outside the
classroom. Thus, the ESP methodology implemented in the Medicine career has
attempted to meet the requirements and match the principles of an ESP cours=
e,
and the results are favorable to confirm that the courses have been success=
fully
implemented.
Phrase 3:
Describing performance, gaps and causes
ESP future English language needs<=
/i>
In terms of
performance, the data analyzed in table shows that 46 out of the 76
participants believe ESP approach implementation so far has met their futur=
e language
needs. On the other hand, 30 participants believe the course and syllabus
implemented at Medicine career do not help them achieve their future langua=
ge
needs completely. The analysis of the needs of the participants for this
investigation shows that the ESP courses complete and boost the achievement=
of
the students’ language needs for their future development in the
professional field. In addition, regarding the causes in this needs analysi=
s,
it can be stated that the curriculum has been designed to meet institution
needs without considering students’ real language needs or perceptions
about their needs.
ESP Content
The analysi=
s of
data gathered for this investigation also lays emphasis on the ESP content =
in
terms of performance, needs, and causes. In terms of performance, the data
analysis from table 1 shows that for fifty-four students, the ESP content i=
s significant.
Moreover, for thirty-nine students, the materials help them with the learni=
ng
process, as they are rated as appropriate for the ESP courses. In addition,
content must meet students’ specific needs. Thus, students can make a
distinction between ESP and other methodologies. For that to happen, the
teachers must present a wide range of materials selected for the specific a=
rea
of study. Finally, in terms of the causes analyzed for this Needs Analysis
process, the results show that the ESP curriculum was implemented without
considering specific learning needs. As a consequence, the content and
materials selected for this course are not oriented to accomplishing
students’ specific needs.
ESP Language skills
In relation=
to
performance, the results of the Needs Analysis in this investigation show t=
hat
the ESP approach provides opportunities for students to use the four langua=
ge
skills more than other methodologies. However, each unit focuses on a speci=
fic
skill, although learners are not aware of this. In terms of the needs, the
results show that there are different ways to use English Language skills
according a specific purpose; in this sense, the program emphasizes the foc=
us
on a specific skill for each Unit. Finally, in relation to the causes for t=
his
Needs Analysis, activities presented for the students are not designed taki=
ng
into account a specific language skill.
ESP usage
In this
category, the ESP usage was analyzed by means of the Needs Analysis conduct=
ed
for this scientific article. The results show that, for performance, the pa=
rticipants
agree that the knowledge acquired in the ESP courses can be used in differe=
nt
situations, boosting their language usage, but just a little bit more than =
half
of the students are capable of understanding the content presented for this
purpose. In terms of needs, the ESP knowledge must be versatile for being u=
sed
in the specific area of study inside the classroom and also outside for job
performing situations.
Consequence
After
describing the performance gaps and causes regarding the core principles of
ESP, the following hypothetical consequence has been stated: students will
consider the ESP methodology as better than other old-fashioned methodologi=
es
to learn English. But, almost half of the students consider it a difficult =
to
handle and use.
Phase 4: Identifying solutions
The analysis
conducted in terms of phase 4 displays the current situation of the institu=
tion
in terms of the current curriculum implemented. The lack of previous
information about Needs Analysis conducted in ESP curricula in this institu=
tion
limits this case study information, results, and analysis. Moreover, no ESP
curriculum has been applied for Medicine career.
The followi=
ng
table summarizes the causes that have been identified in the previous step =
and
recommends a possible solution for each one of them.
Table 2. Causes and solutions for the ESP courses
|
|
|
|
Current
curriculum does not consider students´ language needs for their fut=
ure
development in the professional field. |
Needs
Analysis must be done in order to identify students´ future
professional needs for their professional field. |
|
Current
curriculum does not consider specific learning needs and it does not prov=
ide
the appropriate materials. |
ESP
curriculum must consider specific learning needs and provide the necessary
materials for students to archive their language needs. |
|
Current
Activities are not designed taking into account a specific language skill=
. |
In ESP the
skills must be segregated considering the students professional need |
|
Lack of
opportunities to use language inside and outside classroom. |
ESP progr=
am
has to consider activities inside and outside the classroom. “Real
Situations” |
Conclusions.
·
Results of the study indicate tha=
t,
in general, the students have a non-satisfactory perception towards learning
English through instruction based on the ESP methodology which has been app=
lied
in the English course at Medicine career. The data analyzed in this study a=
lso
revealed that the students firmly believe that their English instruction us=
ing
the ESP method is different from other English teaching methodologies.
·
The participants expressed they w=
ere
satisfied with their ESP instruction regarding its principles. For this rea=
son,
the overall result must be used with discretion. These results that were ga=
thered
before the implementation of Needs Analysis in the Medicine career support =
the
theories presented by authors like Hutchinson and Waters (1987) and Dudley-=
Evans
and St. John, (1998), who believe that the Needs Analysis must be the first
step in the implementation of an ESP. Moreover, previous research conducted=
in
the same field show that it is fundamental for teachers and educational
authorities to include "an ongoing system of evaluation, aiming to pro=
vide
information for improving the program itself through the introduction of
changes that are deemed necessary
·
Through the Needs Analysis, the
research was able to identify the primary needs of the students, the causes=
for
which these needs emerged, what the students want to cover these needs and
finally to determine a possible consequence of what would happen if the stu=
dents’
needs were not taken into consideration.
·
As for the limitations of this st=
udy,
the researcher has concluded that time constraints were an important factor=
in
carrying out this investigation. This is largely due to the time allotted to
collect the data. In addition, a pedagogical intervention would lead to pro=
ving
that the Needs Analysis is indeed an essential tool which must be used befo=
re
any ESP course is implemented. This was not possible due to time constraint=
s,
as the ESP course which the participants were part of could not be interven=
ed
in for an intervention; the reason was that the courses implemented have a
tight schedule and syllabus which must be completed before the end of each
semester. Therefore, a limitation of this study concerns a subsequent phase=
in
which the Needs Analysis results could be used to design and implement an E=
SP
course.
·
The overall findings of this
investigation correspond with the literature in that, Hutchinson and Waters
(1987), Brown (2009), and West (1994) and many other authors consider how a
Needs Analysis for an ESP must be performed, the characteristics, variables,
and core principles that have to be considered. From what was analyzed and =
studied
in this research and from my perspective as a researcher, in agreement with
many authors, Needs Analysis should be the first step that must be implemen=
ted
in an ESP syllabus in order to link the present students’ needs with
their needs in the future field of study and most importantly to clearly
identify students’ needs, lack and wants in relation with the course
presented for the students. Moreover, just after analyzing the studentsR=
17;
needs and determining the objectives of the English course, it is possible =
to
select specific materials that relate to the field of study and specific ne=
eds
of the students. Thus, Needs Analysis is the core through which we can deve=
lop
content related to the curriculum needs and appropriate teaching methods; in
addition, we can make a proper selection of materials to increase the
students’ academic success as well as in their future professional fi=
eld.
·
Finally, although the process of
development and implementation of the Needs Analysis takes a long time, this
should be carried out once a year or at least once as soon as the correspon=
ding
syllabus has been designed for the program. Neglecting this process is
something that an educational institution that applies the ESP methodology
cannot allow.
References
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Berkeley lab (2017) Needs analysis for an English =
for
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ng.com
Brown, J. (2002). Training needs assessment: A must
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A
multi-disciplinary approach.
Hood B. (2009). The learner as needs analyst: The =
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Mackay, R. a. (1978). English for Specific Purpose=
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Merriam, S. B. (1998). Merriam S 1998 S1.pdf. In
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Stern, H. (1992). Issues and Options in Language T=
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Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Stake, R. E. (1995). The Unique Case. In The Art of
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West, R. (1993). “Needs Analysis in Language
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Language Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0261444800007527
Yin, R. K. (2003). Applications of case study
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CH.0b013e31822dda9e
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