The Outline

1-Introduction
2- Historical account
3- Definition
4- Approaches to Needs Analysis
5- Pros and Cons of Needs Analysis

1-Introduction :
ESP courses set out to teach the language and
communication skills that specific groups of language learners
need or will need to function effectively in their disciplines of
study, professions or workplaces. Because ESP focuses on
teaching specific language and communication skills, ESP
course design usually includes a stage in which the course
developers identify what specific language and skills the group
of language learners will need. The identification of language
and skills is used in determining and refining the content for the
ESP course. It can also be used to assess learners and learning
at the end of the course. This process is termed needs analysis
(Basturkmen; 2010, p.17).

2-History of Needs Analysis:

- Needs analysis procedure in the field of language teaching
was first used by Michael West in a survey report published in
1926 (White, 1988).
- In the following decades, however, little if any attention was
given to needs analysis.
This can be explained largely by the influence that the
traditional structural view of the language continued to exert
on the field of English language teaching (ELT).
- The term Need Analysis re-emerged during the 1970s as
a result of intensive studies conducted by the Council of
Europe team.
Research and studies conducted by the Council of Europe
team resulted in the emergence of the communicative
approach to language learning which replaced the situational
approach dominant in language teaching and learning at that
time.
- The Council of Europe team felt that successful language
learning resulted not from mastering linguistic elements, but
from determining exactly what the learner needed to do with
the target language.

The team recognized that there will be areas of interest

common to all students, whatever their particular situation
and specialization (Johnson, K 1982:42).
Needs analysis has been neglected in the general English
classroom and emphasized in ESP as Hutchinson and Waters
(1987) suggested.

3-Definition:

Need Analysis is the process of identifying and evaluating

needs (see sample definitions below) in a community or other
defined population of people. The identification of needs is a
process of describing problems of a target population and
possible solutions to these problems. A need has been
described as:
A gap between what is and what should be. (Witkin
et al., 1995)
A gap between real and ideal that is both acknowledged
by community values and potentially amenable to
change. (Reviere, 1996, p. 5)
May be different from such related concepts as wants
(something people are willing to pay for) or demands
(something people are willing to march for). (McKillip,
1987).
- Need analysis focuses on the future, or what should be done,
rather than on what was done as is the focus of most
program evaluations. Some people use the elated term
needs assessment

4-Approaches to Needs Analysis:

4-1- A Sociolinguistic Model:
Munby (1978) proposed his Model to needs analysis .This
model can be used to specify valid target situations (Jordan,
1997; West, 1994) that is, target communicative competence.
Target-situation analysis proceeds by first identifying the target
situation and then carrying out a rigorous analysis of the target
tasks, linguistic features and knowledge requirement of that
situation (Robinson, 1989). The best-known framework for

target-situation analysis is devised by Munby. The core of this

framework is the Communication Need Processor in which
account is taken of the variables that affect communication
needs and the dynamic interplay between them. After operating
with this framework, we can obtain a profile of students
language needs and convert them into a communicative
competence specification from which a syllabus is drawn up
(Jordan, 1997).

A profile of communication needs which Munby presented

comprise of communicative events (e.g. discussing everyday
tasks and duties), purposive domain (e.g. educational), medium
(e.g. spoken), mode (e.g. dialogue), channel of communication
(e.g.
face-to-face),
setting
of
communication,
main
communicator/s, person/s with whom the communicator/s
communicate, dialect, attitudinal tone (e.g. informal), subject
content and level of English ability required for the
communication.
West (1994: 9-10) mentions the shortcomings of the Munbys
model in terms of four headings:
1. Complexity: Munbys attempt to be systematic and
comprehensive inevitably made his instrument inflexible,
complex, and time-consuming.
2. Learner-centeredness: Munby claims that his CNP is
learner-centered.
The starting point may be the learner but the model collects
data about the learner rather than from the learner.
3. Constraints: Munbys idea is that constraints should be
considered after the needs analysis procedure, while many
researchers feel that these practical constraints should be
considered at the start of the needs analysis process.
4. Language: Munby fails to provide a procedure for
converting the learner profile into a language syllabus.

4-2- A Systemic Approach:

The Systemic approach fills the gaps in the sociolinguistic
model in terms of flexibility and shows a distinct concern for
learners. Richterich and Chancerel (1977) proposed this
approach for identifying the needs of adults learning a foreign
language. Unlike the sociolinguistic approach, the systemic
approach has a distinct concern for learners: the learners are
the centre of attention, and their present situations are
thoroughly investigated. In the words of Jordan (1997) Learner
needs are approached by examining information before a
course starts as well as during the course by the learners
themselves and by teaching establishments such as their
place of work and sponsoring bodies.

Although this approach has not received much criticism, two

concerns should be raised:
Lack of attention to learners real-world needs.
Over-reliance on learners perceptions: becomes an issue
because many learners are not clear about what they want
(Long, 2005a).
4-3- A Learning-Centered Approach:
It was no longer simply assumed that describing and
exemplifying what people do with language would enable
someone to learn it. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) argue that
other approaches give too much attention to language needs,
whereas more attention should be given to how learners learn.
They suggest that a learning needs approach is the best route
to convey learners from the starting point to the target
situation. Learner needs are approached from two directions;
target needs and learning needs. Target needs are defined as
what the learner needs to do in the target situation
(Hutchinson & Waters, 1987:54). They are broken down into
three categories: necessities, lacks and wants. The second

focus in this approach is on learning needs, referring to

numerous factors, including who the learners are, their sociocultural background, learning background, age, gender,
background knowledge of specialized contents, background
knowledge of English, attitudes towards English, attitudes
towards cultures of the English speaking world and studying
English.
4-4- Learner-Centered Approach:
Berwick (1989) and Brindley (1989) are leaders in contributing
learner-centered approaches to needs analysis. Three ways to
look at learner needs are offered: perceived vs. felt needs;
product vs. process oriented interpretations; and objective vs.
subjective needs.

Perceived vs. felt needs :

Perceived needs are from the perspective of experts while felt
needs are from the perspective of learners (Berwick, 1989).
Product vs. process oriented interpretations :
In the product-oriented interpretation, learner needs are
viewed as the language that learners require in target
situations. In the process-oriented interpretation, the focus is on
how individuals respond to their learning situation, involving
affective and cognitive variables which affect learning (Brindley,
1989).
Objective vs. subjective needs :
Objective needs are explored prior to a course, whereas
subjective needs are addressed while the course is underway.

4-5- A Task Based Approach:

Long (2005a) recommends taking a task-based approach to
needs analysis as well as with teaching and learning based on
the argument that structures or other linguistic elements
(notions, functions, lexical items, etc.) should not be a focal
point of teaching and learning. Learners are far more active
and cognitive-independent participants in the acquisition
process than is assumed by the erroneous belief that what you
teach is what they learn, and when you teach it is when they
learn it (p. 3).

5-Pros and Cons of Needs Analysis :

Pros +
May Motivate learners

Values Learner Contribution

Cons Learners reactions to conducting

needs analysis

May raise false expectations in

learners
May help in setting more Conflicts between expectations of
realistic objectives
learners,
course
designers,
sponsors and teachers

Very
useful where many Needs
analysis
is
basically
resources
subjective
influenced
by
available
perceptions of person conducting
it
Greater
awareness
+ More problematic with lower
motivation may lead to proficiency/ younger learners
develop greater competence
May help pupils to assess Time Consuming
own needs
better
Learner perceptions
may be unrealistic

of

needs