The Role Of Needs Analysis In Designing Lessons Dovetailing With Workplace Demands
Keywords:
ESP, lesson design, needs analysis, workplaceAbstract
As workforces increasingly grow, and as the demand for English language skills is changing and expanding in many professional domains, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has been established as an integral sector of language learning. In this paper, the essential role of both needs analysis and practical lesson preparation are discussed. Indeed, as part of our startup project, LinguaMee, a needs analysis questionnaire has been administered to a sample of 45 employees in different sectors (SOMIPHOS, SOMIFER, MOBILIS ATM, and SONALGAZ, hospitals, and CFPA). Results revealed that the sample needed English for several purposes, including information access, data analysis and decision making, customer service, report writing and documentation, and negotiations and international collaborations. Participants also report the challenges they face in communication, time management, and learning opportunities. These data form solid ground to tailor lessons that cater to the target learners’ needs. Thus, the integrated approach (language, skill, and learners) is used to design lessons that accommodate workplace language requirements. However, as this is an ongoing project, sample lessons in medicine and business are presented.
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