Introducing Needs Analysis and English for Specific Purposes

Introducing Needs Analysis and English for Specific Purposes is a clear and accessible guide to the theoretical background and practical tools needed for this early stage of curriculum development in ESP. Beginning with definitions of needs analysis and ESP, this book takes a jargon-free approach which leads the reader step-by-step through the process of performing a needs analysis in ESP, including: how to focus a needs analysis according to the course and student level; the selection and sequencing of a wide variety of data collection procedures; analysis and interpretation of needs analysis data in order to write reports and determine Student Learning Outcomes; personal reflection exercises and examples of real-world applications of needs analysis in ESP. Introducing Needs Analysis and English for Specific Purposes is essential reading for pre-service and in-service teachers, and students studying English for Specific Purposes, Applied Linguistics, TESOL and Education.

Section One - Getting ready to do an ESP Needs Analysis1. Defining needs analysis in English for specific purposes (ESP)2. Focusing the ESP needs analysis3. Selecting and sequencing ESP needs analysis data collection procedures Section Two – Doing the ESP Needs Analysis4. Collecting ESP needs analysis data5. Analyzing and Interpreting ESP needs analysis data Section Three - Using the Needs Analysis results6. Using the NA results in the rest of the ESP curriculum7. Reporting on the ESP needs analysis project

James Dean Brown is Professor in the Department of Second Language Studies at the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. He has spoken and taught courses in places ranging from Brazil to Yugoslavia, and has published numerous articles and books on language testing, curriculum design, program evaluation, and research methods.