NEEDS ANALYSIS

Needs Assessment Finding out so that the course can bridge the gap what the learners know and can do what they need to learn and do so that the course can bridge the gap

Have you ever taken a course that has made you wonder why you are there? Think about a situation in which you were taught English. What were some of the needs that were not met? How do you think students can help their teachers to understand what their needs are?

Objective & Subjective Needs Objective needs: Different kinds of FACTUAL information about learners, their use of language in real-life communication situations, their current language proficiency, and language difficulties Subjective needs: COGNITIVE and AFFECTIVE needs of the learner in the learning situation (personality, confidence, attitudes, learners’ wants and expectations regarding the learning of English and their individual cognitive style and learning strategies) If subjective information is not taken into consideration, objective information might not mean anything. E.g. if your students prefer working individually, there is no use in asking them to work in groups.

Now work in groups. Interview a few of your classmates. Take notes. And find out the needs of your friends in this program (ELT program). You can use the diagram!

What are my needs as an ELT student? My objective needs (factual info) (cognitive & affective info) My subjective needs

Role of Needs Assessment in the Development of a Course Needs assessment is a systematic and ongoing process of gathering information about students’ needs and preferences interpreting the information making course decisions based on the interpretation The underlying belief in needs assessment : learning is a process in which learners can and should participate; it shouldn’t be just learners absorbing pre- selected knowledge the teacher gives them.

Using needs assessment as an ongoing part of teaching helps the learners to reflect on their learning identify their needs gain a sense of ownership control their learning Thus, the teacher is not the only person who has views about the roles and power dynamic in the classroom.

The Process of Needs Assessment 1. Deciding what information to gather and why 2. Deciding the best way to gather it: when, how and from whom 3. Gathering the information 4. Interpreting the information 5. Acting on the information 6. Evaluating the effect and effectiveness of the action 7. (back to 1) Deciding on further or new information to gather

What areas of learning does needs assessment address? It is possible to gather various information about the learners about their PRESENT SITUATION and their FUTURE EXPECTATIONS. Needs assessment can be done at the beginning of a course but it might also be repeated during the course and necessary modifications might be done.

Gathering information for the PRESENT SITUATION Who the learners are: Their age, gender, educational background, profession, nationality, etc. This information provides background for the rest of the assessment as, for example, interpretation of info will change if they are children or adults. The learners’ level of language proficiency: Students’ level of proficiency in each language skill: speaking, listening, reading, writing. Their knowledge of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, functional skills This information helps us choose the kids of texts, skills to develop, grammar elements to focus on, etc.

Learners’ level of intercultural competence: Their experience in the target culture; their understanding of socio-cultural and socio-linguistic aspects of the target language. This info helps us choose the kinds of materials to use Their interests Topics/issues they are interested in; their personal or professional experiences This info helps us design the lessons according to learners’ experience and interests

Their learning preferences: The ways they want to be taught; individual, pair or group work; teacher’s and learners’ roles This information helps us organize activities that make them comfortable Their attitudes: Their attitudes to themselves as learners and the target language and culture This information helps us know how they feel when using the target language

Gathering information for their FUTURE EXPECTATIONS Learners’ goals and expectations: Reasons they are taking the course; their goals, expectations This information helps us shape goals and gives info to the learners about what is realistic in this course The target contexts: situations, roles, topics, and content: How will they use English beyond the classroom, and with whom? What topics and contents will they need?

Types of communicative skills they need and tasks they will perform: For what purpose will they use the language? Do they need to understand and give directions? Do they need to talk on the phone? Will they listen to lectures?... Language modalities they will use: Will they speak, read, listen and/or write in the target language?

TYPOLOGY OF NEEDS ANALYSIS (COGNITIVE & AFFECTIVE NEEDS PRESENT SITUATION FUTURE EXPECTATIONS OBJECTIVE NEEDS (FACTUAL INFO) -age, gender, educational background, nationality, etc. -level of language proficiency (Reading, Writing, Listening, Speaking, Vocab. etc) -level of intercultural competence (experience in target culture, understanding of socio-cultural, socio-linguistic aspects of target language, etc) -target context (How will they use the language outside the classroom?, What topics will they need?, etc) -types of communicative skills they need (Will they talk on the phone?, Will they listen to lectures?, etc) -language modalities (Will they speak, read, write or listen?) SUBJECTIVE NEEDS (COGNITIVE & AFFECTIVE NEEDS -interests (personal & professional) -learning preferences (the way they want to be taught: individual, pair-work, group-work, etc) -attitudes (to themselves and the target language/culture) -their goals and expectations (why are they taking the course)

Factors that might guide your choices Purpose of the course: Info you gather should be relevant to the purpose of your course. If your students’ purpose is to improve their oral skills, then assessing writing is no use. Your beliefs: if you don’t believe what you are doing, then you might not be successful. Information you already have about the students: If you already have information about your students competences, interests, etc then don’t reinvent the wheel. Information you can use: Don’t try to get information which you will not use.

Look at p. 107 for a sample needs assessment plan

Scenario You are asked to teach a group of adult learners who want to improve their speaking skills in English. The group involves people from various occupations: doctors, engineers, businessmen, etc. What types of information would you like to gather for this group? Why? Make a needs assessment plan.

When should one do needs assessment? Pre-course Needs Assessment: before the course Info about content, goals and objectives, activities, choice of materials. For placement purposes To place students at the right level Diagnostic Strengths and weaknesses to be addressed Target needs Content, language items and skills, materials and texts Learning needs Type of activities to be used

Initial Needs Assessment: during the initial stage of the course: first few sessions, first few weeks depending on the duration of the course The kind of info collected as pre-course can also be collected for initial needs assessment

Ongoing Needs Assessment: throughout the course Shared experiences so can change the course as it progresses Helps us learn whether what is being taught, how it is being taught, and how it is being evaluated are effective for students. Using the results, the content, the materials, and/or the objectives can be adjusted. How is it done? Students can be asked to reflect on something they have done

Advantages of initial and ongoing needs assessment: Direct needs assessment: focus of the activity is on gathering specific information Indirect needs assessment: a “regular” teaching activity is given a needs analysis focus Informal needs assessment: carefully observing the students