Needs Analysis

CHAPTER 5: NEEDS ANALYSIS

5.1 Introduction
Analysis of student needs (Stage 3 of the expanded curriculum development model - figure 4) has become increasingly important for language course designers (West 1994:13), since the appearance of Communicative Language Teaching (CLT) (Tudor 1996:7-10) and English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in the 1960's and 1970's. With the incorporation of learner training into EFL course books (e.g. Sinclair & Ellis 1992, Hegelson et al. 1999), learners have been encouraged to identify their own aims and objectives (Dickinson 1987:94). However, Richterich (1980:2) points out that the concept of language needs "has never been clearly defined and remains at best ambiguous" (Lawson [1979:37] sees them as "a matter for agreement and judgement, not discovery"), and West (1994:13) identifies a lack of awareness of the existence of needs analysis as a tool in course design, along with insufficient information on the validity and reliability of instruments used and the results obtained.

Needs analysis was an important part of this study, and a number of instruments were used to monitor student needs and adapt the programme accordingly (cf. research instruments 2, 4 & 5; sections 8.4, 8.6, 8.7; tables 55-61). However, in view of the impracticality of performing immediate pre-course needs analyses (section 5.3.2), along with the formative (process), student-centred nature of the programme, and the ambiguities of needs analysis mentioned in the previous paragraph, a further review of the literature (section 5.2, below) suggested a continuous, cyclic approach, in which ongoing reflective instruments and learning strategies would match programme principles by encouraging students to become aware of and continually reflect on their learning needs (cf. figure B-16, below).

	Evaluation and feedback		Information exchange

Awareness activities					Discussion

	Learning activities			Negotiation

		Objective-setting in consultation

FIGURE 16: ELEMENTS OF A LEARNER-CENTRED SYSTEM (BRINDLEY 1984A:77)

In the gradual realisation of this approach, "objective" needs analyses in the first year of the programme (cf. the "Information Section" in TMM, appendices C-15, 16, 17, 18, 19) grew into a focus on study skills in the second year (cf. Chapter 2, NYT; e.g. appendix C-35), and into more "subjective" analyses in the third year (cf. programme summary of needs analyses, section 5.4.6), by which time learning-awareness, objective-setting, and reflection were an integral part of the learning situation (cf. the needs analyses instruments in TWA – tables 41/2, below; cf. also the evaluation sessions in TWA, appendices C-62, 63).

TABLE 41: TWA: INTRODUCTION SECTION NEEDS ANALYSES

Page #	Item
TWA:13, 97	Introduction schedule (information about lesson content) (appendix C39)
TWA:14,101	"Learning goals" (self-assessed deficiency analysis – cf. TMM:22/23, NYT :20/21) (appendix C40)
TWA:15, 98	"Can I have your number?" (finding phone numbers and email addresses for future cooperative assignments) (cf. TMM:6, NYT:28) (appendix C41)
TWA:16	"How to get the most out of this book" (PSA) (appendix C42)
TWA:17	"Who wants to ...?" (objective needs in the class as a whole) (appendix C43)
TWA:18	"Skills sheet" (classifying language needs) (appendix C44)
TWA:19	"Learning project" (deficiency analysis) (appendix C45)
TWA:20	"Phone call" (introduction to out-of-class [non-monitored] use of English) (appendix C46)
TWA:21,105	"Time management" (learning-goals and study-planning, cf. TMM:24, NYT:27) (appendix C47)
TWA:22	"The marriage contract": (investigating expectations – cf. TWA:29) (appendix C48)
TWA:23,100	"Appointments" (preparing to talk with the teacher about learning needs and plans) (appendix C49)
TWA:24, 102	"Weekly planner"; TWA:24;108: "Semester planner (further preparation for an interview with the teacher)
TWA:26	"Classroom English" (language for self-direction and learner training)
TWA:27-28	"Call my bluff" (vocabulary for study skills; practice in accessing reference information) (appendix C50)
TWA:29	"The learning contract" (investigating student/teacher expectations in class) (appendix C51)
TWA:30-31	"A measure of autonomy and self-direction" (self-assessment) (appendix C52)

TABLE 42: TWA: REFLECTIVE INSTRUMENTS

Page #	Item
TWA Introduction 1, pp. 30-31	"A measure of autonomy and self-direction" (self-assessment) (appendix C52)
TWA project 1, pp. 48-49:	"Student needs" (learning-situation needs - adapted from Hills 1976) (appendix C53)
TWA project 2, pp. 63-64	"Teacher needs" (student expectations of teachers - adapted from Hills 1976) (appendix C54)
TWA project 3, pp. 78-79:	"Language learning beliefs" (BALLI: Beliefs About Language Learning – based on Horwitz 1988) (appendix C55)
TWA project 4, pp. 92-93:	"Student perceptions about language learning" (adapted from Willing 1988) (appendix C56)
TWA Introduction 2, pp. 106-107:	"Self-assessment – functions & exponents" (adapted from Oscarson 1980) (appendix C58)
TWA project 5, p. 123	"Project self-assessment" (appendix C57)
TWA project 6, pp. 135-139	"Strategy inventory for language learning" (SILL), Korean version, based on Oxford 1990 (appendix C59)
TWA project 7, pp. 159-160	"Learning style inventory" (adapted from Martinez 1997) (appendix C60)
TWA project 8, p. 175	"Language learning" (adapted from Hahn 1989) (appendix C61)

Continue reading Chapter 5, Needs Analysis: "Brief Literature Review"

[1] Objective needs analyses also take no account of what the learner can actually do (West, R., personal communication, 2000).

[2] Conceptual and pragmatic knowledge realised in occupational, interactive, and cultural/affective domains (Tudor 1996:94).

[3] There is very little variation in age of students graduating from high school in Korea.

[4] Korean age is one year older than western age.

[5] Another "solar system" (probably in another dimension) is needed in order to represent these.

[6] Greatly increased acceleration and change of direction caused by a certain approach path to a heavenly body.