Needs Analysis Instructor: Dr. Mavis Shang Presenter: Sophia Yar-ling Tsai 27 March 2008 I-Shou University, Taiwan

Introduction What are ‘Needs’? Wants, desires, demands, expectation, motivations, lacks, constraints, and requirements (Brindley 1984) What is ‘Needs Analysis’? Procedures for collecting information about learners’ needs. When did ‘Needs Analysis’ emerge? In the 1960s ESP movement

The purpose of needs analysis 1. To find out what language skills a learner needs 2. To help determine if an existing course adequately addresses the needs of potential students 3. To determine which students are most in need of training in particular language skills

The purpose of needs analysis 4. To identify a change of direction that people in a reference group feel is important 5. To identify a gap between what students are able to do and what they need to be able to do 6. To collect information about a particular problem learners are experiencing

The purpose of needs analysis ‘Needs’ also includes students’ rights ‘It’s school’s responsibility to take into account the cultural, political, and personal characteristics of students …. in order to plan activities and objectives that are realistic and purposeful.’ (Linse, 1993) Needs also includes perceived and present needs, potential and unrecognized needs Needs analysis may take place 1. prior to 2. during 3. after a language program

Examples of needs analyses conducted prior to a language program Method: Staff questionnaire: * background information about the course the lecturer was describing * overview of problems experienced by ESL students * linguistic demands of the course * suggestions to which language skills should be focuses on * modifications made in teaching or in examinations Students questionnaire

The users of needs analysis Big-scale needs analysis curriculum officers in the ministry of education Teachers Learners Writers Testing personnel Staff of tertiary institutions Small-scale needs analysis Teacher Program coordinator

The target population Language learners or potential language learners Policy makers Ministry of education officials Teachers Academics Employers Vocational training specialists Parents Influential individuals and pressure groups Academic specialists Community agencies

The target population Subcategories of respondents students currently enrolled in a foreign language course students previously enrolled but no longer studying a language students who have never studied a foreign language An important issue in determining the target population: Sampling Sampling involves asking a portion of potential population instead of the total population

Administering the needs analysis Who will administer the needs analysis? Who will collect and analyze the results? * academic or research assistant * colleagues in different department * students who piloted the questionnaire * academic staff of the university * secretarial support

Procedures for conducting needs analysis Questionnaires Self-ratings Interviews Meetings Observation Collecting learner language samples Task analysis Case studies Analysis of available information

Design of Questionnaires The following questions need to be considered: Preliminary questions The types of information asked for How the questions are worded The type of items in the questionnaire: open questions, closed questions, checklist, rating scale, ranking, inventory

A disadvantage of Questionnaires The information obtained may be fairly superficial or imprecise. The information will often need follow-up to gain a fuller understanding. * Advice: to familiar with the principles of good questionnaire design.

Self-ratings Self-ratings might be included as part of a questionnaire. Disadvantage: It provides only impressionistic information.

Interviews Advantage: * Allow for a more in-depth exploration of issue * may be useful at the preliminary stage of designing a questionnaire. Disadvantage: * Take longer to administer * Only feasible for smaller groups

Meetings Advantage: * Allows a large amount of information to be collected in a fairly short time. Disadvantage: * Information may be impressionistic and subjective

Observation Take into account: * People often do not perform well when they are observed. * The skill of observer.

Collecting learner language samples Language samples may be collected through: Written or oral tasks Simulations or role plays Achievement tests Performance tests

Task analysis Analysis the tasks the learners will have to carry out in English in a future occupational or educational setting.

Case studies A single student or a selected group of students is followed through a relevant work or educational experience in order to determine the characteristics of that situation.

Analysis of available information Books Journal articles Reports and surveys Records and files

Designing the needs analysis Procedures for bigger-scale Literature survey Analysis of a wide range of survey questionnaires Contact with others Interviews with teachers Identification of participating departments Presentation of project proposal Development of a pilot student and staff questionnaires Review of the questionnaires

Designing the needs analysis Piloting of the questionnaires Selection of staff and student subjects Developing a schedule for collecting data Administration of questionnaires Follow-up interviews Tabulation or responses Analysis of responses Writing up of report and recommendations

Designing the needs analysis Procedures for smaller-scale Initial questionnaire Follow-up individual and group interviews Meetings with students Meetings with other teachers Ongoing classroom observation Tests

Making use of the information obtained Making a list consists of information collected from different source and summarized in ranking More analysis and research ‘…..The primary goal of analysis is to bring meaning to the obtained information …’ (Stufflebeam et al. 1985) Take different views into account: * learners’ view * academics’ view * employers’ view * teachers’ view

Making use of the information obtained The format for reporting the findings: A full written document A short summary document A meeting A group discussion A newsletter

Thank you!