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[wintersweet]

For my MATESOL program, I need to write a needs analysis instrument and have it administered to a real class. Since I'm planning to teach in Japan at some point, I thought I would see if anyone who's there is interested in having their class take it.

It will include basic demographic questions and probably focus on motivation and usage, since those are topics I'm interested in. But I could certainly include questions on areas you're interested in. Your students need to be able to read English, though I will do my best to tailor the language level of the survey to your students' abilities. (If you REALLY want to do it and your students can't read well yet, I may be able to create a Japanese version.) I know it's close to academic year end there (not as ideal as a first-of-the-year NA) but if you are continuing with the same students, maybe it would still be helpful.

Ideally, I'd make the questions into an online survey so we wouldn't need to mail bits of paper back and forth, but if we do it on paper I could reimburse you for the postage (or maybe send you something you miss that I can buy in the US).

It would NOT be published or presented to anyone except my instructor, and I would give you a copy of whatever I wrote about it. I have to have it done by March 7 (blasted quarter system...).

If you can help me out with this, I would really appreciate it. With luck, you'll benefit from it, too. Please PM me as soon as you can so we can discuss the details. If you want more information first, PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send you the official description of the assignment.

Thank you!

[abufletcher]

So far I've taught ESL/EFL in the US, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Mexico, and Japan. People often joke about teaching ENAP in Japan -- English for No Apparent Purpose. But it's all too often the truth.

Japan is also sometimes described as a "quasi-lingual" country where English permiates almost every aspect of the Japanese environment -- yet somehow never really seems to be of any real importance anywhere.

In contrast, in the Arabian Gulf, where up to 85% of the population of some of the countries consists of expatriates, knowing English can be the difference between a good job and a life as a local fisherman. No, I take that back, even the fishermen in Oman often spoke more English (because they NEEDED to speak more English) than many of my university students here in Japan.

I've tried to teach focused ESP courses to groups of archtecture students and engineering students but they just couldn't have been less interested. English is, I think, largely a social language -- or more specifically a language associated with modernity and style. It's fashionable -- not necessarily useful.

So a needs analysis? I suppose that might be interesting if the questions didn't just reinforce myths the Japanese tell themselves about the value of English. Will they need English for travel. Most of my students have never been out of the country. Will they need English for future employment. Unlikely. Will they be needing English to interact with foreigners in Japan. Even less likely. Will they need arcane bits of grammar/translation to pass even more arcane university entrance exams. Probably.

As you state, it's almost the very end of the semester at the university level (this is my last week) and we won't be seeing students again until April.

[abufletcher]

BTW, my intent wasn't to be snide or dismissive of your query or the assignment. I just hoped that this "view from the ground" might help you design an instrument that generates a really interesting and potentially useful picture.

[abufletcher]

Oops!

[wintersweet]

No, I understand! It's OK if I can't find anyone in Japan, too; I have a friend whose local class I could probably borrow.

One of the things I want to do in an NA, even if it's not strictly needs related, is ask about students' interests, to possibly find some "hooks" by which the teacher can get their attention. I'd also like to find out if they ever encounter or use English at all outside of class, even if it's just in a computer game or whatever. (That would be a nice set of questions to ask at the beginning and again at the end of a term.)

What sorts of things do *you* think would be good to find out, particularly in these cases where the students are unmotivated/uninterested?

[Glenski]

You have to be careful if you interview a class in a private high school. There may be students in that school on the "escalator" plan to their sister university, as well as students who are not. Those others may be headed towards junior colleges, other universities, or no university/junior college at all. For university-bound kids, what are their majors?

Also, if it is a high school, you need to know if the students came from a public school or the junior high that is attached to the private SHS (or if one even exists).

Returnees vs. all other kids, and the returnees' length of time spent overseas (and to what countries, since some might not have been to English-speaking countries).

[PAULH]

[Sherri]

Can you consider classes in private language schools or company classes? I think you can get a more interesting group than in a high school or university. Many (not all) students in company classes are studying for a specific reason like for a promotion or to do specific things in English like read and respond to email. Same can apply to private language schools where you may find students who have a very specific reason for studying.

Sherri

[wintersweet]

PAULH, yes, of course, lack of bias is a big issue in any needs analysis.

Sherri, yes, I can consider any kind of class.

[abufletcher]

I can't help feeling that a "needs analysis" s somehow different than a simple list of "why I want to study English." A needs analysis, it seems to me, might be irrespective of student desires, being instead an analysis of the roles played by English in the society the student experiences.

I think the typical use of needs analysis also applies more to groups than single individuals.

[abufletcher]

To continue this line of thinking, a needs analysis should also point the teacher towards possible areas of English competency that would be "beneficial" to to student -- even if the student him or herself might not express an interest in this directions. For example, a needs analysis done for a group of foreign students in an American graduate school might reveal a need for more academic reading strategies or a better command of group discussion skills, neither of which a student would be likely to suggest as a "reason" they want to study "English."

In fact, one could argue that a "needs analysis" questionnaire might be as usefully directed at people in the workplace and/or social environment rather than only to students. In short, we're talking about "needs" not just "desires."

[guest of Japan]

Careful Abu, your PhD is showing.

[abufletcher]

Oops!

[abufletcher]

Oops!