Abstract
Conducting needs analysis is a prevalent phenomenon in designing curriculum in language teaching and learning. This paper explored the English language needs of engineering students at the tertiary level of education in Bangladesh vis-à-vis four basic language skills. Moreover, this paper tried to shed some light on the gaps between learners’ present level of competence and target needs. This study followed the mixed approach (both quantitative approach and qualitative approach) to collect data through questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Under the random stratified sampling method, the study collected data from 99 undergraduate engineering students and 15 EFL teachers from different universities in Bangladesh. The findings of the study revealed that engineering students felt the ardent need for all the four major language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing). The findings also addressed the needs of the subskills regarding each language skill. Additionally, the offered courses were not adequately addressing the language needs of the students. Moreover, the duration and number of English language classes were not sufficient to meet the needs of the engineering students. Based on the findings, this study made some recommendations to minimize the gaps between engineering students’ present and target needs of the English language.
Highlights
Needs analysis is fundamental for planning a sound educational program
The first research question is “What are the English Language needs of the undergraduate engineering students at the tertiary level of education in Bangladesh with respect to reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills?” The study revealed the language needs by identifying the problems they are facing in the four skills which clearly indicates their lack of mastery of the four skills in general and the items in Table-3,4,5 & 6 mentioned under the major skills to be specific
Needs analysis in language teaching and learning is important for manifold reasons
Summary
Needs analysis is fundamental for planning a sound educational program. In 1920s, the term ‘analysis of needs’ (as cited in West, 1994, p. 1) first appeared in India. Davis (1977) and Robinson (1991) took both learner’s target needs and learner’s present level of competence into consideration while conducting needs analysis. Brumfit & Roberts (1987) emphasized on the effectiveness of needs analysis to determine suitable teaching techniques. West (1994) studied different modes of Engineering Students’ EFL Needs at the Tertiary Level of Education in Bangladesh: Expectations and Existence needs analysis, namely Target-situation analysis, Deficiency analysis, Strategy analysis, Means analysis, their effectiveness, and constraints. Among the different modes of needs analysis, this study adopted Deficiency analysis to determine the language needs of undergraduate engineering students at the tertiary level of education in Bangladesh, which consider learners' present needs/wants and the requirements of the target needs. Allwright (1982) and Robinson (1991) titled this process as combined target-situation analysis and present-situation analysis
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