An Needs Analysis for Junior Students in Underdeveloped Areas by Using the Framework for Analyzing TargetNeeds

□Jia yu hui

(凯里学院 贵州 凯里 556011)

An Needs Analysis for Junior Students in Underdeveloped Areas by Using the Framework for Analyzing TargetNeeds

□Jia yu hui

(凯里学院 贵州 凯里 556011)

1 Introduction

1.1 the brief introduction of Needs analysis

Needs analysis is also known as needs assessment.Needs analysis was firmly established in the mid-1970s (West,1998).It has a vital role in the process of designing and carrying outany language course,whether it is English for Specific Purpose(ESP),or general English course,and its centralityhas been acknowledged by severalscholars and authors. (Munby,1978;RichterichandChancerel, 1987;Hutchinson and Waters,1987;Berwick,1989; et kind of teaching and learning that take place.

1.2 The Introduction of Target needs

Target needs have two levels of definition.From narrow term,it refers to what the learners need to do in target situation.From the aspect of general term,it is something of an umbrella term,which in practice hides a number of important distinctions. It's more useful to look at the target situation in terms of necessities,lacks and wants(Hutchinson and Waters,1987).Target needs focuses on actual usage of language in specific situation.(Hutchinson and Waters,1987)

2 The Methodology of the Analysis

During the survey,there are five ways to be used for gettingan effectivedata.Thewaysfor collecting data include questionnaires which designed forjuniorstudents,observationsfrom my little bit experience for being a teacher,discussions and consultations with several English teachers who teach English of junior students, and read materials concerned.

3 Target Needs Analysis for Junior Students

3.1 Why is English Needed for Junior Students

English has been learned by junior students for many years.Due to students’ability and language environment as well as the other reasons,situation for learning English for them is different.According to the framework of target situation analysis,in the survey on 63 junior students who are in the ninth Middle School of Miao Long,most of them learn English in order to perform their study better,some for communication,a small number of them for their own interestsand 41% ofthem forexamination purpose,others don’t know why.

3.2 How willEnglish be used for junior students

It is the main work for junior students to learn English that they will get a good mark on English test.Hence the medium of using English is very limited,so the primary ones are speaking,reading, writing and listening and so on.The questionnaires distributed to the 63 junior students reveal that in study situation, reading is the most important competence required,with speaking coming the next, then writing,while listening ranking the bottom due to listening did not occupy a proportion in examination of entrance for university.

To junior students, the object whom they communicate with in English is very limited.Hence, the main channel of speaking and communication for them is face to face,cause objects who talk with them are classmates,teachers and foreigners.And the channel of reading,writing and listening isexercise for everyday by facing to the textbook or something else.In terms of the types of text or discourse for junior students,it will elaborate in the following paragraph.Firstly,the types of reading for them mainly include reading the English textbook, English weekly or newspaper which is ordered for them by school,and others are students’ own English reading materials.Secondly,the typesof listening and speaking are some relative materials from their textbooks,such as conversation,dialogue and so on.At last but not least the types of writing ismostlyconcerned with alittlebitcomposition which related closely with theme that has learned in class.

3.3 With whom will the English learners use the English for junior students

In study situation,English is for junior students mostly used with the other classmates,English teachers,and occasionally used with foreigners.

Among these language use targets, non-native English speakers occupy a larger percentage than native English speakers.

Most of objects from different non-native English speaking communities have their own culture and language.And most of them speak English with accent,so the level of these targets whose students talk with is not very professional and proficient.In addition, the relationships betweenthem included classmate relation,and teacher-students relationship.

3.4 Where willEnglish be used forjunior students

According to the framework of target situation analysis,there are three settings toward“where”.In terms of physical setting,English for junior students in study situation will be used to the greatest extent on classroom.Also sometimes they use English in the dormitory or some places where are outside of classroom.While human context,normally,English is used when students are in class.English is needed among juniorstudentseitherin homework orin chatting to express their ideas. Then the conversations with English teachers happen in the teacher’s office,which might be face-to-face.The last one is linguistic context.In this context,all of these target needs happened in our own country.

4 Conclusions

This study makes full use of the theory of needs analysis for English teaching of middle school. My attempt is to analyze the target needs of English forjuniorstudents in orderto provide reference to the design of teaching syllabus,teaching materials,teaching methods and teachingfacilities for English and to make some contributions to the development of English teaching for middle school.

The research I have done is a tentative one in the field of English for junior students.I try to ensure the authenticity of the data for needs analysis.However,owing to inadequate time and place,I can only gather data from a limited number of students from the school where I ever stayed in. Their viewpoints might not represent the whole due to their personal background or learning experience. Butthe author believe thatitwill give some assistance forjuniorstudents who are in Qian Dongnan,Guizhou province.

[1]Needs Analysis and Syllabus of English Teaching: A Case Study.海外英语[J].2011.

[2]申俊丽,付慧欣.包头医学院ESP教学模式学生目标需求的分析研究.科技通报.2015(2).

[3]孟翔珍.基于需求分析的ESP教学法探讨.新乡学院学报（社会科学版）.2013(4).

[4]徐微.外语教学中的需求分析研究综述.科研园地.2012(57).

[5]Lowe I 2009. www. scientificlanguage.com/esp/ needsanalysis

This papergives firstly a brief introduction about the theory of needs analysis and target needs.Needs analysis is also known as needs assessment as well as procedures used to collect information about learners needs.Secondly,it analyzes junior students’needs by using the framework of a target situation analysis.In the paper,data collection includes questionnaires which designed for junior students,observation,discussions,consultations with junior teachers andread materials concerned.The needs analysis that the author have done in this paper is with the expectation to provide reference for mastering needs trend of junior students and trying to meet needs of students in teaching activities as well as induce students to make a better progress..

N eeds anal ysi s;Target needs;Juni or;Engl i sh

1004-7026（2017）03-0144-02

G420

A

贾玉晖，女，凯里学院外国语学院教师，研究方向为英语应用语言学；翻译。

10.16675/j.cnki.cn14-1065/f.2017.03.101