The Role of Needs Analysis in ESL Program Design - Ali Fatihi
The Role of Needs Analysis in ESL Program Design - Ali Fatihi
The Role of Needs Analysis in ESL Program Design - Ali Fatihi
1. Introduction
In recent years, there has been a healthy trend in course design with
the focus shifting from teacher-centered to learner-centered
activities and in this connection, a lot of credibility is being given to
need based courses in ESL program. Needs analysis is a device to
know the learners necessities, needs, and lacks in order to develop
courses that have a reasonable content for exploitation in the
classroom. Needs Analysis is therefore a process for identification
and defining valid curriculum and instructional and management
objectives in order to facilitate learning in an environment that is
closely related to the real life situations of the student. It brings into
sharp focus the settings and roles that learner is likely to face after
he finishes his formal education. Actually, the switch of attention
communication highlighted the role of the learner and his needs in
modern educational system.
Language plays a role in a broader theory of communication. In
fact, the contributions of Hymes, Labov, Halliday and Hasan, and
Widdowson are considered the basis of enhancing the
Communicative Syllabus Design. Hymes in Communicative
Competence speaks of rules of use without which the rules of
grammar would be useless. Labov (1970) said the same as the
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rules we need will show how things are done with words and how
one interprets these utterances as actions.
Halliday and Hasan (1976) published Cohesion in English,
which became a standard work of reference on the linguistic aspects
of text construction for writers of teaching materials for advanced
learners and for university level students of English. Halliday and
Hasan defined cohesion by saying where the interpretation of any
item in the discourse requires making reference to some other item
in the discourse, there is cohesion. Cohesion is one dimension of
the general Hallidayan aim of devising principal methods of
relating elements of grammatical structure to their use in discourse.
Widdowson (1978) in his book `Teaching Language as
Communication proposed a different type of teaching syllabus
built around a graded selection of rhetorical (or communicational)
acts which the learner would have to perform in using English for
his
particular purpose. The scientist, for example, would
necessarily make extensive use of such acts as definition,
classification, deduction, and so on. Other learners would need to
communicate in more ordinary everyday situation where greetings,
making social arrangement, and exchanging information would be
more important.
Any teaching curriculum is designed in answer to three
questions: What is to be learned? How is the learning to be
undertaken and achieved? To what extent are the former
appropriate and the latter effective? A communicative curriculum
will place language teaching with the framework of this
relationship between some specified purposes, the methodology
which will be the means towards the achievement of those
purposes, and the evaluation of the methodology. Breen and
Candlin (2001:9) proposed some purpose in language teaching
which must be considered such as
1. communication as a general purpose,
2. the underlying demands on the learner that such a purpose
may imply,
3. the initial contributions which learners may bring to the
curriculum,
4. the process of teaching and learning,
5. the roles of teacher and learners,
2. Theoretical Issues
The Need Analysis in modern language teaching was first made by
the Council of Europe Modern Language Projects group. This
group intend to promote language learning in Europe and offer
guidance and support to the many partners for learning whose cooperation is necessary to the creation of a coherent and transparent
structure of provision for effective learning, relevant to the needs of
the learners as well as of society (J.A. van Ek and J.L.M. Trim
2001).
In 1971 the Council recognized the importance of dividing the
task of learning a language into smaller units, each of which could
be credited separately, and also the necessity of basing curricula on
learners needs rather than on language structures, as had previously
been common practice. One of the major outcomes of this
educational policy is the Threshold Level, specification (van Ek,
1975) which proposed a model for the description of language
ability based on the principle that language teaching should provide
learners with the means of meeting their personal communicative
needs. A lower specification was also produced, under the name
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Exponents
Skill
Function
Vocabulary
Speaking
Listening
Asking
for
directions
Bank
harbour
museum
Structure
Can you tell
me
Where X is?
Where is X?
These concepts and meaning are known as notion such as: Time,
Space, Argument, Judgments and Evaluation etc.
The ideas of the Council, incorporated in these courses, meant
for adults learning a second language, soon filtered down to the
school level. The courses were revised and redefined, and course
books using the notional- functional syllabus soon became and
accepted part of the English syllabus in schools.
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Profile of needs
Language
skills
Meaning Processor
Linguistic
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Communicative approaches
1. Focus on learning:
Focus is on the language as a
Focus is on communication
structured system of grammatical
patterns
2. How language items are selected:
On linguistic criteria alone.
4. Degree of Coverage:
The aim is to cover the Whole
Picture of language structure by
Systematic linear
5. View of language:
A language is seen as a unified
entity with fixed grammatical
patterns and a core of basic words.
Genuine everyday
emphasized.
language
is
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Aim
is
to
have
students
communicate effectively and in a
manner appropriate to the context
they are working in.
Tends to be teacher-centered.
It is student centered.
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Psychological/
Specific purposes
proficiency
humanistic
orientation
orientation
orientation
View of the
learner
Learner as a
language learner
View of
needs
Objective needs
stressed. Needs
seen as gap
between present
and desired
general language
proficiency
Learner as a
sentient human
being in society
with the capacity
to become selfdirecting.
Subjective needs
stressed. Needs
seen as gap
between current
state of
awareness and
state of
awareness
necessary for
learner to become
self-directing.
Emphasizes
Ease of
administration
where the
learner is at in
terms of
language.
Proficiency in
one or more
skills. Relevance
of language
content to
learners
proficiency level
Language
learners learn
more effectively
in a group
containing
learners of a
Educational
rational
Sensitively to
adults subjective
needs where
learners is at
terms of
awareness.
Relevance of
learning content
and methods to
individual
learning styles.
Adult learn more
effectively if they
are involved in
the learning
proceed through
consultation and
Learner as a
language user.
Objective needs
stressed. Needs seen
as gap between
present language
performance in a
specific area and
language
performance
required in a
particular
communication
situation.
Collection of
detailed data on
objective needs.
Whereas the learner
is going in terms of
language
performance
relevance of
language content to
learners personal
goals and social
roles.
Language users
learn more
effectively if
programmed content
is relevant to their
specific area of need
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Type of
information
similar
proficiency
level. Language
learners learn
more effectively
if programmed
content is geared
to their
proficiency
level.
Biographical
information
Information on
learners
language
proficiency
information on
learners
language
difficulties
Method of
information
collection
Standardized
forms*
Language
proficiency test*
Observation
Time of
information
collection
negotiation. Their
past experience
and present
capacities should
be valued and
taken into
account.
or interest. General
language proficiency
is not as important
as the ability to
operate effectively I
specific areas
relevant to the
learners needs and
interests.
Biographical
information
Information
on learners
attitudes,
motivation and
awareness
information on
learners
personality and
learning style.
Information on
learners desires
and expectations
about learning
English.
Standard forms*
Observation
Counseling/
interview Oral
survey* Group
discussions
Biographical
information on
native speakers use
of language in
learners target
communication
situation
information, where
relevant, on the
needs of other
parties in the
relevant
communication
situation e.g. factory
foremen.
Pre-course
constant in
course
consultation and
Mainly pre-course
Some ongoing in
course consultation
and feedback
Standardized forms*
Intensive language
analysis in target
communication
situation language
proficiency test*
Survey of learners
pattern of language
use* Survey of
needs of particular
bodies of individuals
outsides A.M.E.S.
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How
analysis of
information
is used
Purposes
for
collecting
information
assessment and
feedback,
depending on
teacher.
Decision made
concerning
learners current
ability to use
English Decision
made concerning
language
learning
priorities in light
of present
proficiency and
diagnosed
difficulties.
So that learners
can be placed in
groups of
homogeneous
language
proficiency so
that teachers can
plan language
content relevant
to learners
proficiency level
feedback.
depending on
teacher
Decision
provisionally
made about types
of learning
environment,
methods, and
content which
might be
appropriate for
learner
subjective needs,
taking into
account their
attitudes,
motivation and
awareness
Decisions
constantly
revised and
objectives
modified in the
light of ongoing
negotiation.
So that adults
individual
characteristic as
learners can be
given due
consideration in
providing learn
ring opportunities
so that adult can
be helped to
become self
directing by
being involved in
decision making
about their own
learning.
Decisions made on
appropriate language
content to meet
communication
needs of learners
Reconciliation of
language needs of
learners with those
of other parties (e.g.
management)
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Nevertheless, the main point was clear enough. The children made
better progress in reading with text that did not introduce too many
new words too frequently. This observation met the pupils needs
which was supported by his research and considered to be the seed
idea of needs analysis in Indian educational system.
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4. Conclusion
The two survey reports point to the fact that English language
teaching in India has to undergo serious rethinking not only in the
content of the course, but also the whole process of teaching the
language. The present policy of teacher dominating classroom must
be done away with to allow more freedom to students in selecting
their own task based on their needs.
References
Agnihotri, R.K.and A. Khanna.1995. English Language Teaching in India:
Issues and Innovations. New Delhi Sage Publications.
Brindley,G.1984. Needs Analysis and Objective Setting in the Adult
Migrant Education Programme. Sydney: NSW Adult Migrant
Education service
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