Second Language Needs Analysis

No language teaching program should be designed without a thorough analysis of the students' needs. The studies in this volume explore Needs Analysis in the public, vocational and academic sectors, in contexts ranging from service encounters in coffee shops to foreign language needs assessment in the U.S. military. In each chapter, the authors explicitly discuss the methodoldogy they employed, and in some cases also offer research findings on that methodology. Several studies are task-based, making the collection of special interest to those involved in task-based language teaching. Contributions include work on English and other languages in both second and foreign language settings, as well as a comprehensive overview of methodological issues in Needs Analysis by the editor.

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.

Issues of language curriculum development underlied the planning and implementation of language teaching programmes. These papers argue for the process to be made explicit and deal with curriculum planning, specification of ends and means, programme implementation and classroom implementation.

An essential toolkit for language teachers who need to design language courses for working professionals, vocational schools, undergraduate and graduate students. Needs Analysis for Language Course Design is a handbook for those who prepare and teach courses in ESP. The book shows the reader how needs analysis can be used to create a detailed profile of the professional learner and how this profile can then be used to tailor make a course in language and communication for working professionals and for those studying towards a professional or vocational qualification.

This book offers an in-depth explanation of Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) and the methods necessary to implement it in the language classroom successfully. Combines a survey of theory and research in instructed second language acquisition (ISLA) with insights from language teaching and the philosophy of education Details best practice for TBLT programs, including discussion of learner needs and means analysis; syllabus design; materials writing; choice of methodological principles and pedagogic procedures; criterion-referenced, task-based performance assessment; and program evaluation Written by an esteemed scholar of second language acquisition with over 30 years of research and classroom experience Considers diffusion of innovation in education and the potential impact of TBLT on foreign and second language learning

Issues in Materials Development provides readers with theoretical foundations and practical aspects of designing materials for EFL/ESL contexts. It starts with discussing some basic and preliminary principles of materials design followed by scrutinizing critical issues in materials development in an objective and systematic way. This ranges from considering learners’ needs, adopting, adapting, selection, and gradation of materials to the specific focus of the book on developing various types of materials for the four language skills, pronunciation, ESP vocabulary, and computer assisted language learning materials. Authenticity of materials to be designed and the inclusion of affective factors to develop motivating materials to engage language learners, in addition to features of materials design at a universal level are other areas to read about. This book finally tries to open new horizons and possible futuristic approaches to improve today’s ELT materials.

Bringing together an international and interdisciplinary team of contributors, this Handbook is a wide-ranging and invaluable reference guide to language teaching. A comprehensive reference work on language teaching, which combines the latest research findings, coverage of core topics, and examples of teaching experience from a variety of languages and settings Provides a unique breadth of coverage, including: the psycholinguistic underpinnings of language learning; social, political, and educational contexts; program design; materials writing and course design; teaching and testing; teacher education; and assessment and evaluation Offers a balanced evaluation of the major positions and approaches, including examining the increasingly important social and political context of language teaching Written by an international and interdisciplinary group of authors from a dozen different countries; English is only one of the many languages used as examples throughout the volume

A new edition of a successful title, which has been fully revised and updated to reflect contemporary issues in curriculum. The paperback edition provides a systematic introduction to the issues involved in developing, managing, and evaluating effective second and foreign language programs and teaching materials. Key stages in the curriculum development process are examined, including situation analysis, needs analysis, goal setting, syllabus design, materials development and adaptation, teaching and teacher support, and evaluation. Discussion activities throughout the book enable it to be used as a reference text for teachers and administrators.