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Needs of English as a Foreign Language in Bangladesh: Learners Perception

In a linguistic context, different authors define the term “needs” diversely, and thus different meanings are implied. If needs are ‘understood as specific requirements for the foreign language, then the vast majority of learners do not have any. They are deemed to require what the syllabus offers them, and the syllabus is likely to be closely related to the examination, which is a highly realistic “need” for the majority of learners’ (Dickinson 1991:88).

Needs analysis has figured notably in the literature of language teaching for long years, and focused on learners’ communicative needs. On the whole, needs analysis is a complex process which is usually followed by syllabus design, selection of course materials, teaching / learning a course, and evaluation.

Learners often find it difficult to define what language needs they have and cannot distinguish between needs, wants and lacks. Although these three concepts are interrelated, it is important for teachers to be aware of their impetus for successful learning. Another stimulus for successful learning is adjusting the course to changing learners’ needs. This implies the significance of ongoing needs analysis.

For justifying the findings of the present study on the needs analysis some investigations of the same line are studied. Dudley-Evans & Jo St John (1998 point out that needs are driven by the motivation and motivation is the cause of achieving something .Learners needs are guided by the external and internal motivations.

The main data collection methods for needs analysis are questionnaires, discussions, interviews, observations, assessment (Dudley-Evans & Jo St John, 1998:132). In other words, the main sources for needs analysis are the learners themselves. However, in the ESP research fields relevant documentation and information received from colleagues are also important.

Questionnaires are thought to be the least consuming ways of collecting information, and this is why learners’ needs are usually specified through questionnaires which enable researchers to determine long-term aims and short-term objectives. Questionnaire can generally be used for quantitative presentation of collected data. Small amount of data may be easily analyzed by a simple tally system, while large scale needs analysis requires statistical approach and use of computer software.

An important aspect of needs analysis is concerned with learning styles and strategies. A learner-centered approach is considered to be a cornerstone for successful learning. A current trend in teaching is to take into account learners wants: they might want or need to carry out a variety of communicative tasks in the target language. For this reason, information on the ways in which learners prefer to learn must be obtained through the needs analysis.

Initially obtained data on needs analysis allow researcher to set course objectives and determine scientific approach to teaching. Ongoing needs analysis allows revising objectives and modifies teaching techniques and materials. In ongoing needs analysis the conclusions drawn in the initial analysis have to be constantly checked and re-assessed (Dudley-Evans & Jo St John 1998).Finally, a final evaluation allows placing future activities. At this stage, learners must be given feedback. ‘Feedback is good PR (Public Relations), good for quantity and quality of future cooperation (Dudley-Evans & Jo St John 1998).

The study aims at investigating the students’ perception of needs of English as a foreign. A total of 125 Higher Secondary are interviewed through questionnaire. The 8 choices are tested through a questionnaire. The study is to investigate the Alim students’ views on the importance of English in their practical life. It will present an approximate picture about the perception of needs of English as a foreign language.

The data for the study is collected through questionnaire. The questionnaire is constructed following the model of kenning (2001). The models of Gardner (1985), Tang (2002), Brindely (1984), Nunan and Lamb (1996) are also studied for framing the questionnaire. Needs analysis was administered with the aim of investigating learners’ needs and wants and respondents were interviewed through questionnaire. The basic results of this investigation were gathered from the students’ self-reported data. We believe that collected information can be viewed as impartial because learners answer the question spontaneously.

The responses of the subjects need to be generalisable to the entire population of Alim students who are studying English and it was necessary to identify attributes of a population from a small group of individuals .The detailed analysis of the data , findings, and interpretation are presented in the following pages.

Question: Why do you need English?

Student’s attitude towards English and their realisation of why they need English, in many respects, determines how they will learn English. In response to the question “Why do you need English?” students responses are as follow:

As the study reveals, most of the students (80.5%) think that they need English to pass the examinations. Large numbers of the students (73.6%) need English to communicate with others. A good number of students (54.3%) think of their practical needs to get good jobs. 45% students need English for writing letters ; 43.5 % students say that they need English to read books and English newspapers ; 22.1 % students say that they need English to understand teacher’s lecture. This implies that teachers at least sometimes use English in the class. 37% students need English for watching television programmes. The above statistics shows that most of the students study English because it is a curricular subject, and they have to read it to pass the examinations. However, the number of students who realise the actual needs of English in practical life is not small.

This study strongly supports the investigation of Galina Kavaliauskiene (2005) she carried out a study on the undergraduate students of Law University of Lithuania. Her study reveals that students study English for the various needs. Her question ( What do you need English for?)is followed by the results and their discussion for each aspect of research

Her question consisted of the above options which are significantly similar with the present study.

Students study English to meet their practical ends. They correctly feel that English as a foreign language is highly necessary for their practical life. The thorough analysis of learners’ needs and wants allows teachers to adjust English course syllabus to students’ changing demands by providing meaningful experience with language and placing emphasis on tasks and activities that will benefit learning. Needs analysis is influenced by the institutional constraints and the students’ perceptions of what is being expected from them. The recognition that learners have their own, internal needs (e.g. to use a language in a specific situation) in addition to external demands imposed by teaching institutions (e.g. students must study language for a limited period and pass exams) complicates the issue of interrelated needs, wants and lacks. Teachers are not authorized to prolong or shorten the scheduled courses, but they can foster students’ language skills by employing more effective (for an individual student) techniques and encouraging learners to plan their learning by setting realistic aims.

•Dickinson, L. Self-Instruction in Language Learning. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1991

•Dudley-Evans, T. & Jo St John, Developments in English for Specific Purposes. . Cambridge : Cambridge University Press ,1998

•Floyd, P. & P.L. Carroll. Effects on ESL Reading of Teaching Cultural Content Schemata. London: London University Press, 1987.

•Galina ,K. Ongoing Needs Analysis as a Factor to Successful Language Learning . Vilnius: Law University of Lithuania,2005.

•Hutchinson, T. & Waters. English for Specific Purposes. Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 1996.

•Kramsch, C. Context and Culture in Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993.

About the Author

Bio Data
M.Enamul Hoque has been an English language teacher for over 15 years in different Government institutes of Bangladesh. He is an Instructor of ELT in the Education and Training Wing, Ministry of Environment and Forest. He has MA in English from Dhaka University, and M.Phil in Applied Linguistics and ELT from the Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. He has published widely on a variety of topics and is particularly interested in English language teaching and applied linguistics.

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