c
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When conducting needs assessment (needs analysis) four key points should be taken into consideration:
1.Y Role of the needs
2.Y The process of needs assessment
3.Y How (ways) needs should be assessed
4.Y When they should be assessed
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eeds analysis is an ongoing and cyclical process which integrates in itself several sub-processes:
collecting data about the learners͛ preferences and needs, interpreting the data and modifying the
curriculum of the course upon those interpretations. This process is very productive in terms of
helpingvery much the learners to feel free in reflecting on whatever they learn, in recognizing their own
needs, and in obtaining a sense of ownership over the whole learning process.
eeds analysis is an important part in ESP, EAP and adult education courses. According to a number of
scholars, needs analysis should be an integrated part of teaching. Moreover, it should not be regarded
as a mere pre-teaching action. If the course developer aims at designing a course which will presumably
meet its final goals and objectives, needs assessment in the course development process should be
considered as something done throughout the whole teaching process. Consequently, students are
supposed to express their expectations and to make partnership with teachers and their parents in the
way of fulfilling their designations. Berwick (1989, p. 55) distinguishes between ͞felt needs͟, as those
that learners already have, and ͞perceived needs͟, those that the learners need to acquire.
As it was mentioned above needs analysis is an ongoing and cyclical process. It͛s a whole complex of
decision making, taking actions, etc. that should always be controlled. The following cycle illustrates the
very process.
THE EEEDS ASSESSMET CYCLE
Decide what
information to
gather and
why
Decide when,
Evaluate the
from whom,
effects of the
and how to
action
gather it
Gather
Act on it
information
Interpret
information
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The first step in needs assessment is to figure out what information is to be collected from the learners.
If a course is developed to meet the learners͛ needs, there is an assumption that there should be a
mismatch between the learners͛ current language knowledge and the one that they shouldobtain at the
end of the course. Consequently, it is important to gather information about both the learners͛ current
knowledge, what they expect to learn at the end of the course and how they want to be taught, i.e.
about their learning preferences.
We can collect data about:
The present:
1.Y Who the learners are
2.Y The learners͛ level of language proficiency
3.Y The learners͛ level of intercultural competence
4.Y Their interests
5.Y Their learning preferences
6.Y Their attitudes
The future:
7.Y The learners͛ (or others involved) goals and expectations
8.Y The target contexts: situations, roles, topics, and content
9.Y Types of communicative skills and tasks they will perform
10.YLanguage modalities they will use
Each of these categories should involve carefully worked out sub-questions which will come to support
the major questions.
Information about the present:
1.Y
their age, gender, educational background, profession, nationality. Are they
a part of multiculture, or they are a representative of a single culture group? The following
information will serve as a keystone for developing the further questions.
2.Y
information about their language proficiency level from
each skill as well as from grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and communicative skills. The
answers to this question may give the course developergood hint in choosing course materials.
3.Y
if the learners recognize sociolinguistic and
sociocultural differences (in case there are any) between their native language and the target one
they study. This information again might be used indeveloping materials, as well as in putting
accenton the learners͛ multi and intercultural cognition.
4.Y mnder this question the course designer may collect information about the topics and
issues that the learners might be interested in, as well as about their personal and professional
experience.
5.Y
