Joe McVeigh

TESOL 2007, Seattle Joe McVeigh

March 23, 2007

The basics of needs assessment

• Involve the right people (Brown 1995)
  • Stakeholders
  • Target group
  • Audience
  • Needs analysts
  • Resource group

• Pose the right questions
  • Problem
  • Current level of ability
  • Desired outcome
  • Issues and attitudes
  • Resources and constraints

• Use the right instruments
  • Existing information
  • Tests
  • Interviews & meetings
  • Questionnaires
  • Observations
  • Discourse analysis

• Analyze and interpret the data
  • What does the data mean ?
  • How precise do you need to be?
  • Do you need a formal report?
  • Who makes the decisions?
  • Don’t discount your experience

• Construct the course (Graves 2000)
  • Determine the organizing principle(s)
  • Identify course units based on the organizing principles
  • Determine unit content
  • Organize unit content
  • Sequence the units

Bibliography and recommended reading

Brown, J.D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum: A systematic approach to program development. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

As the title suggests, Brown presents a very structured approach to needs assessment and curriculum design. Brown’s perspective is largely from an administrative or coordinator’s point of view.

Graves, K. (2000). Designing language courses: A guide for teachers. Boston: Heinle & Heinle.

Graves takes a more reflective point of view and brings in many examples from teachers in a variety of situations. Her perspective is more from the average teacher in the classroom.

Hutchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes: a learner-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Classic ESP book with a great chapter on needs analysis.

Munby, J. (1978). Communicative syllabus design. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

An oldie but a goodie. Munby was fundamental in getting course designers to think more about communication and student needs.

Reeves, N. & Wright, C. (1996). Linguistic auditing: A guide to identifying foreign language communication needs in corporations. Clevedon, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Designed for use in full-scale needs analyses of corporations. Very comprehensive, but probably beyond the scope of the way many companies operate today.

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