International Journal of Pedagogics
105
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijp
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue02 2025
PAGE NO.
105-108
10.37547/ijp/Volume05Issue02-28
Importance of needs analysis in ESP classroom
Khazratova Zukhra Mamaraimovna
Senior Teacher, Uzbek State World Languages University, Uzbekistan
Received:
11 December 2024;
Accepted:
13 January 2025;
Published:
15 February 2025
Abstract:
The significance of needs assessment in ESP is examined in this paper. Since this is the initial stage of
education, it is cru
cial to use the right techniques and resources to assess students’ requirements. The analysis’s
findings will help teachers develop lesson plans and learning objectives that are suited to their students’
requirements, desires, and weaknesses. Needs analysis should therefore be given greater space because the rest
will always be highly challenged if we do not employ the first principle to develop and produce exceptional
materials. All new teachers should begin their year by using needs analysis on a small scale before determining
what is best for both themselves and their students.
Keywords:
ESP, needs analysis, target learner.
Introduction:
English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is
teaching and learning English as a second or foreign
language in a certain field.
Over the past three decades, English for Specific
Purposes (ESP) has grown to be a successful field.
(Ramirez, 2015). Its primary goal as a learner-centred
approach has been to meet the target learners' unique
requirements
to
meet
their
aspirations
for
employment or other professional opportunities. The
differences between ESP and “general English” ESP and
general English courses, and ESP and general English
assessments have long been discussed. Although there
has historically been a separation between the two,
this distinction has blurred in light of recent
publications (Bachman and Palmer, 1996). Regarding
validity and impact, most language evaluation experts
currently concur on the same measurement concepts
(Douglas, 2010). Therefore, “English for specific
purposes is a term that refers to teaching or studying
English for a particular career (like law, medicine,
journalism or business) in general”. (International
Teacher Training Organization, 2005). The fact that
“learners know specifically why they are learning a
language” (Hut
chinson and Waters, 1992) is a great
advantage on both sides of the process.
In addition, ESP has a few variable features, including
the following:
➢
ESP is specifically related to or designed for a
particular discipline;
➢
ESP may be used in a particular teaching context or
even in a different methodology from general
English;
➢
ESP is probably intended for adult learners, either
in a professional work setting or at a postsecondary
educational institution;
➢
On the other hand, students in high school can be
taught it. High school kids may also be the target
audience for ESP in some situations;
➢
ESP is typically intended for intermediate or
advanced students;
Most ESP courses presume a certain level of language
system expertise, but novices can also use them.
The most crucial factor to consider is that ESP seems
more challenging for teachers than General English.
This typically occurs when a teacher must learn and
study the jargon of a certain profession that he is either
ignorant of or may comprehend in general but not
sufficiently to instruct. The instructor must thoroughly
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
prepare and perform research for the ESP course to be
ready for any difficulty that may arise in class. However,
since he is an authority in the subject, the teacher does
not need to study before instructing a general English
class. This contrasts with the usual class preparation.
Needs Analysis in ESP Context
These days, more and more English language programs
are being developed, whether at the tertiary level or in
private institutions. Consequently, they implemented
the ESP technique in their existing courses (See Figure
1). The goal of these training programs is to give
students English language skills that will benefit them
in the classroom and at work. As a result, many
students' poor English language skills provide a
challenge to job seekers. To help students from many
academic disciplines complete ESP programs that will
enable them to succeed in their future careers,
numerous institutions have adopted a methodical
approach. In considering this, educators and ESP
practitioners are searching for ways to apply the ESP
method in a variety of English language programs that
have been created for distinct fields. Teachers create
and develop resources from commercial texts for
teaching English for special purposes along with
materials that are intended for teaching English for
general use, or they compile a variety of materials into
handouts to create ESP programs for English language
courses. Consequently, a significant disparity exists
between the language that the pupils learn and the
language that they need. Project work is capable of
filling this gap (Fried-Booth, 1986). Each activity should
provide ESP students with chances to practice and
improve their language skills. The language-learning
task appears more achievable with the help of a helpful
program.
Figure 1. The experience-based classification of ESP
According to Hutchinson and Waters (1987), there are
two different kinds of needs. The first is target needs,
which are the tasks that students must perform in the
intended scenario. Three classes can be used to further
categorize target demands. The first lesson discusses
needs, or what pupils must know in order to function in
the intended scenario. The gap between what pupils
already know and what is required in the target
circumstance is referred to as the “lacks” class. Lastly,
wants are utilized to describe what pupils believe they
need. Learning needs are the second category of needs
put out by Hutchinson and Waters.
When evaluating the unique needs of the students, we
encounter the phrase “needs analysis” which has
evolved throughout the years. Needs analysis was used
to evaluate the learners’ communic
ative needs and the
methods for accomplishing particular learning goals
during the early years of ESP (the 1960s and early
1970s). These days, requirements analysis jobs are
much more complicated, to gather data about the
students and establish the ideal setting and
circumstance for ESP research. According to Duddley-
Evans and St. John (2009), the modern idea of
requirements analysis consists of eight elements that
are categorized into five major domains, such as:
✓
analyzing the target setting and the goal demands
(such as the tasks and activities that students will
engage in using English);
✓
analyzing language, discourse, and genre—that is,
understanding how language and abilities are
employed in the intended contexts;
International Journal of Pedagogics
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
✓
subjective needs analysis, which looks at the goals,
resources, and subjective needs of students—
things that influence how they learn, like
expectations, prior learning experiences, and the
reasons they are taking the course;
✓
present scenario analysis to determine the present
language
and
skill
levels
of
learners;
meaning analysis, which includes details regarding
the setting in which the course will be conducted.
According to Brown, needs must be expressed in terms
of goals and objectives. These can then be used as the
foundation for creating assessments, resources,
instructional activities, and evaluation techniques (The
components of a language curriculum: A methodical
approach to program building (Brown, J., 1995).
According to Robinson's criteria (Robinson, 1991), ESP
courses are typically taught to adults in uniform
classrooms based on the work or specialized studies
that the students are engaged in, and they are typically
limited by a time frame within which their goals must
be accomplished.
The process of developing a course is referred to as
needs analysis in ESP. During this process, the language
and skills that the students will use in their intended
professional or vocational setting or their academic
fields are identified and taken into account in light of
their current level of knowledge, their perceptions of
their needs, and the practical opportunities and
limitations of the teaching environment. The data
gathered from this procedure is used to decide on and
improve the ESP course’s methodology and content.
In the ESP literature, there are many different
definitions of what needs are. According to Hutchinson
and Waters, needs analysis represents “the capacity to
understand or generate the linguistic characteristics of
the target situation”. They suggest “target needs” and
“learning needs” as the two categories of needs
(Hutchinson and Waters, 1987).
Additional need ideas are put out by Berwick (1989)
and Brindley (1989), including objective versus
subjective needs, product versus process-focused
interpretations, and perceived versus felt needs.
Experts view “perceived needs”, but learners view “felt
needs” (Berwick, 1989). The language that students
need in the intended contexts is considered to be the
learner’s needs in the product
-oriented interpretation.
Vandermeeren (2005) makes a distinction between five
categories of foreign language needs based on
occupational contexts. The following is a suggested list:
1.
A market’s turnover rate is one example of an
objective need indicator.
2.
One piece of empirical evidence supporting
this demand is the frequency of contacts with
international business partners.
3.
The informant’s subjective impressions about
the requirement for a foreign language reflect
subjective needs. A top manager’s ideal for his
employees’ proficiency in a
foreign language serves as
an example.
4.
When subjective and objective needs are
subtracted, unconscious need is revealed. For example,
when a sales manager claims that his department does
not require English, although they have ongoing
communication with foreign business partners.
5.
Perceptions of unmet foreign language needs
by informants imply subjective unmet needs. These are
examples of flaws and challenges encountered when
using a foreign language.
Because it reflects an employer’s goal rather than
the
desires of employee learners, Vandermeeren’s concept
of “subjective needs” does not forcefully mirror the
earlier interpretations of needs just dealt with.
Although his “objective unmet needs” indicate a
discrepancy between objective needs indicators and
the employer’s needs perception, his “subjective
unmet need” is associated with earlier terminology like
lacks or shortcomings. Nevertheless, although the
current study will not fully embrace all of these ideas,
describing them nonetheless demonstrates the wide
range of perspectives on needs that are found in the
literature.
Successful course design can be aided by an
understanding of the needs of the learners. Therefore,
the goals of the needs analysis are as follows:
•
identifying the language skills that a learner
needs;
•
assessing whether an existing course meets the
needs of potential students;
•
identifying which students most need training
in a given language skill;
•
identifying students’ deficiencies;
•
identifying students’ wants and expec
tations;
•
gathering data regarding a specific issue that
learners are facing.
In summary, the findings of the needs analysis assist us
as teachers in evaluating the student’s needs in terms
of language proficiency, their future professional
requirements, and their language skills deficits. We can
International Journal of Pedagogics
108
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International Journal of Pedagogics (ISSN: 2771-2281)
only choose a set of materials that satisfy the demands
of the students after assessing their needs and
establishing the goals of the language course. Thus,
needs analysis serves as the basis for developing
instructional materials, curricular content, and
strategies that might boost students
’ motivation and
achievement.
To use English, students find it very helpful to
investigate the scientific subjects they are studying,
especially ESP. With their exceptional command of the
English language, students can comprehend the
contents of reference books, the internet, scientific
publications, and other information sources that
employ the language. Additionally, as proficiency in
English will be very helpful when applying for jobs,
students should work on their English in preparation for
their future professional careers. Considering the
significance of English for students, it is necessary to
design English courses and research programs that
meet their demands.
CONCLUSION
The term “ESP” describes any English language
instruction given to non-native speakers of the
language for a specific purpose or during professional
or academic pursuits. With the same goal, the expert is
the result of his research to establish such conceptions.
In conclusion, when compared to English for general
purposes, ESP helps students build their understanding
of their future problems, whether they be academic
(when they choose their study career) or professional.
The academic and professional English languages are
thus included in ESP.
REFERENCES
Bachman, L. and A. Palmer (1996). Language testing in
practice, Oxford University Press.
Berwick, R. (1989). “Needs assessment in language
programming: From theory to practice”. In R. Johnson
(Ed.), The second language curriculum, 48
–
62.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Brindley, G. (1989). “The role of needs analysis in adult
ESL programme design”. In Johnson (ed.), The second
language curriculum, 63-78.
Brown, J. (1995) The elements of language curriculum:
A systematic approach to program development, New
York: Heinle &Heinle Publishers.
Douglas, D. (2010). Understanding Language Testing,
Hodder Education: London.
Fried-Booth, D. L. (1986). Project Work. Oxford,
England: Oxford University Press.
Hutchinson, T., Waters, A. (1987). English for specific
purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge,
UK: Cambridge University Press.
Ramirez, C. G. (2015). English for Specific Purposes:
Brief History and Definitions. Revista de Lenguas
Modernas, 23, 379-386.
Robinson, P. (1991). ESP today: A practitioner
’s
guide.Hertfordshire: Prentice Hall International (UK)
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