Needs Analysis and Environment Analysis: Designing an ESP Curriculum for the Students of the Polytechnic University of Tirana

Abstract

Needs analysis is important in terms of students’ involvement in every phase of the educational process. Developing an English for Specific Purposes Curriculum is closely related to learners’ objectives, learning strategies, language attitudes, and expectations from the course and learning habits. Another important factor is the environment where this curriculum will be implemented.The purpose of this paper is to explain how to conduct needs and environment analyses for the engineering students in the Polytechnic University of Tirana and how to include them in the development of an ESP curriculum. We pose the hypothesis that by focusing on students’ needs, objectives, expectations and learning styles as well as by taking into consideration the learning environment is improved the teaching/learning of a language for specific purposes.First, we will set some basic principles for conducting needs and environment analyses and afterwards we will proceed with the practical application of such analyses in the PUT’s context. The results of the surveys, students’ observations and the interviews conducted with ESP teachers indicate the variety of students’ needs. Finally, based on those needs, there are drawn conclusions regarding the development of a more effective curriculum for the students of the engineering sciences.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n7p425