Learner Needs Analysis in an ESP Class

Abstract

Foreign language teachers, like all teachers, design their courses by first investigating and paying attention to their learners’ special needs. In this paper, a needs analysis survey is presented. This took place in a class of adult graduates from Greek Merchant Marine Academies. Learners are all naval engineers who participate in a postgraduate course with the purpose to upgrade their professional diploma. The course subject includes both general English and English for Specific Purposes—English related to vessel engine operation, service and maintenance. The learner needs analysis is done with the help of a questionnaire. The questionnaire consists of six parts. These examine the learner beliefs concerning the reasons for learning the English language, their language proficiency in English as well as reasons that they might have dropped out of language learning courses in the past. The questions asked are closed questions, checklists, rating scales and open questions. Results show that learners prefer learning English, because they view it as useful in their work. In fact, they need to be able to read and comprehend engine operation manuals and compose written forms required by them. Concerning teaching methods, learners are found to prefer group work activities. They also find the textbooks series studies in the Marine Academy as useful. Still, they propose teaching material modification which includes more group activities and technical vocabulary practice tasks.