Name : Letda Caj (K) Regina Priscylia Siswadie, S.

Hum
Class : DIBI 45
Subject : Course Management Task 2

Language Curriculum Development and Importance of Needs

Analysis
The inclusion of needs analysis in second language curriculum development
began in earnest in 1960s as language programs started emphasizing English for
specific purposes instruction. The type of needs analysis for ESP focuses on gathering
detailed language used for vocational or other specific language needs (Martin, 2003).
Needs assessment makes use of both subjective and objective information (e.g. data
from questionnaires, tests, interviews, observation) and seeks to obtain information on:.
c. the types of communication that will be used (e.g. Needs assessment is a part of
curriculum development and is normally required before a syllabus can be developed
for language teaching. The present study aims to investigate the role of needs analysis
in curriculum design and materials development.
According to Johnson (1989), one important set of principles of language
curriculum design is proposed by Johnson (1989). Tomlinson (2010) considers 6
principles of language acquisition that should be taken into account while developing
language materials. It is worth looking at other researchers’ lists of principles to see how
they differ from each other’s list, and where they overlap. These three groups represent
the three major divisions of the central circle in the curriculum design diagram. The aim
of these principles is to make sure that the learners are gaining something useful from
the course. That is, they are concerned with what actually happens in the classroom
and during the learning. Most practically, they relate to the kinds of activities used in the
course and the ways in which learners process the course material. The third group of
principles deals with monitoring and assessment and to some degree evaluation.
According to Nation and Macalister (2010), regarding ongoing needs and
environment analysis, the selection, ordering, presentation, and assessment of the
material in a language course should be based on a continuing careful consideration of
the learners and their needs, the teaching conditions, and the time and resources
available. Nation and Macalister (2010) believe that this principle stresses the
importance of doing needs analysis during the planning of a course. Therefore,
curriculum developers should gather as much information as possible toward the
learners’ needs. This procedure which is used to collect information about the learners’
needs by Richards (2001, p.51) is called as the needs analysis (NA).
Lekatompessy (2010) believes that needs analysis from the historical point of
view was introduced into language teaching curriculum through the ESP movement
among 1960s to 1970s. Even though, this needs analysis was not advocated only for
ESP, but also for second/foreign language students in general. Furthermore, Johns
(1991), considers the needs analysis as the first step in course design and believes it
provides validity and relevancy for all subsequent course design activities. The
information should also consider the concerns and attitudes of teachers, administrators,
parents and also the learners. Richards (2001) on his discussion toward needs analysis
says that the first step in conducting a needs analysis is to decide exactly what its
purpose or purposes are. Basically, needs analysis in language teaching may be used
for a number of different purposes, such as:. Learners often find it difficult to define what
language needs they have and cannot distinguish between needs, wants and lacks. A
needs analysis may be conducted for a variety of different users. Determining the likely
audiences is an important first step in planning a needs analysis in order to ensure that
the information they needs is obtained and that the needs analysis will have the impact
it is designed to have.
According to Richards (2002), the target population in a needs analysis refers to
the people about whom information will be collected. There are a variety of procedures
can be used for conducting needs analysis and the kind of information obtained is often
dependent on the type of procedure selected. of a triangular approach (collecting
information from two or more source) is advisable to get very comprehensive and
sufficient information. Procedures for collecting information during a needs analysis can
be selected from among the following:. Designing a needs analysis involves choosing
from among various procedures above and selecting those that are likely to give a
comprehensive view of learners’ needs and that represent the interests of the different
stakeholders involved. Decision on choosing particular procedures should consider
some factors such as collecting, organizing, analyzing and reporting the information
collected.
Making Use of the Information Obtained. The data obtained from data collection
process usually summarized in the form of ranked lists of different kinds. From the case
above, it is also important to remember that because needs are not objective facts but
subjective, then the interpretation of information from a larger variety of sources, a great
deal of consultation is needed with the various stakeholders to ensure that the
conclusions drawn from a needs analysis are appropriate and relevant. Finally, the
findings should be reported by using various formats in forms of a full written document,
a short summary document, a meeting, a group discussion, or a newsletter. It can also
be used to help teachers integrate and contextualize information gained from keeping
up with developments in their field. It may also provide a basis for teachers to use to
reflect on their practice and professional development.
According to Lekatompessy (2010), needs analysis has a vital role in the process
of designing and carrying out any language course and considered as a crucial
component of systematic curriculum development. However, learners as the main
sources in needs analysis often find difficult to define what language needs they have.
 In a learner-centered curriculum, teachers’ familiarity in content selection though
extensive consultation with the students about their learning needs and interest is
critical. On the other hand, if Nunan’s (1997) concern is true about motivation and
autonomy, in developing language materials we should pay close attention to the
culture of the receivers.