Needs Analysis

Needs Analysis

1. also called needs assessment

2. Activities involved in gathering information

   • Basis for development of curriculum
     • Meet learners needs
   • Language related needs
     • stated in terms of goals and objectives
       • basis for developing: tests, materials, teaching activities

3. integral part of systematic curriculum planning

4. Step 1: Making basic decisions about the needs analysis

   • Who will be involved in the needs analysis
     • target group
     • Audience
     • needs analyst
     • resource group
   • What types of information should be gathered
     • Four philosophies
       • discrepancy
       • democratic
       • analytic
       • diagnostic
   • Which point of view should be presented
     • three basic dichotomies
       • Situation needs vs Language needs
         • physical, social, psychological context
         • target linguistic behaviors
       • Objective needs vs Subjective needs
         • wants, desires, expectations
         • clear-cut, observable data; situation, learners, language
       • Linguistic content vs Learning process
         • linguistic terms; content
         • situation needs; methodology
   • How point of view and program philosophy interact
     • Decisions depend on the personalities and institutions affecting the program
     • early decisions can save backtracking, waste energy and frustration

5. Step 2: Gathering Information

   • seek information on:
     • Situations in which the language will be used
     • objective and purposes in which the language is needed
     • types of communication that will be used
     • Level of proficiency required
   • Types of questions to identify:
     • solutions
     • Problems
     • priorities
     • abilities
     • attitudes
   • Type of Instruments
     • facilitator
       • Interviews
       • Meetings
       • Questionaries
     • Outsider looking in
       • Existing information
       • Observation
       • Tests

6. Step 3: Using the information

   • Selecting and creating procedures
     • Characteristics of procedures
       • reliability
       • validity
       • usability