NEED ANALYSIS: ENGLISH LEARNING FOR STUDENT OF

HOSPITALITY DEPARTMENT IN VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

Baiq Harnum Fatmawati
University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

Abstract
This paper intended to discuss the need analysis regarding English learning for student
hospitality program. The need analysis focuse on student need analysis in learning English,
the material content that related to hospitality study programme and the challenges faced
by the student in the larning process. This study is a research of quantitative methods and
data collected through surveys. Questionnaire was used as the main instrument in this
study. The finding among 35 respondents shows that 94,3% respondent needs developed
their speaking skill and learning material still less suitable for the major course in
hospitality. The researcher hoped that with this paper, it will help broaden one's perspective
and comprehension of the numerous challenges associated with English learning in the
hospitality department implementation process.
Keyword: Need Analysis, English Learning, Hospitality

1. Introduction
In today's globalised world, English language fluency is important, especially for students
pursuing professions in the hospitality business. As English continues to establish itself as
the standard medium of international communication and business, students in vocational
school’s hospitality departments must be able to communicate effectively in this language.
Understanding the specific needs and requirements of these students in terms of English
language learning, on the other hand, is critical for developing effective teaching strategies.
According to Putri et al. (2023) state that understanding the English learning needs of
students in the hospitality department requires an analysis of the languages requirements
of the hospitality industry. It gives valuable insights into the specific vocabulary, idiomatic
expressions, and cultural understanding required for effective communication in the
hospitality sector by researching and examining industry-specific communication
situations such as handling reservations, providing recommendations, managing
complaints, and collaborating with colleagues.
Tourism, professionals and business travellers from all over the world are drawn to
the hotel industry, which is fundamentally international. Individuals in the hospitality
sector who can speak fluently and confidently in English can considerably improve the
level of service they give by engaging with clients effectively, understanding their
preferences, and ensuring a positive customer experience. Furthermore, English language
skills are required to gain access to pertinent information, participate at international
conferences, and stay current on industry trends and breakthroughs. Despite the
acknowledged importance of English proficiency, students at vocational schools'
hospitality departments frequently face a variety of difficulties when learning the language.
Sittitoon (2018) mentioned the difficulties may include a lack of exposure to actual English
communication, a lack of industry-specific language training, insufficient resources, and
students with varied degrees of English language ability. Understanding these challenges
and addressing them through specific teaching methodologies is critical for preparing
students for future professions in the hospitality sector.
This research helps in the identification of language gaps between general English
language training and the practical abilities required in the business. By filling these gaps
and combining industry-specific language training, vocational schools can better prepare
students to flourish in their future employment in hospitality.
An examination of the English learning material content for student hospitality
programmes indicates some significant difficulties. For starters, greater relevance to the
hospitality business is required. Previous literature emphasises that the information should
be tailored to the industry's special needs, such as customer service, hotel operations, and
event management. However, some learning materials may fail to address these industry-
specific needs sufficiently, resulting in a gap between the language skills taught and the
actual demands of the hospitality sector. To overcome this issue, curriculum developers
should work with industry specialists and update learning materials on a regular basis to
guarantee they remain current and relevant (Tchoshanov et al., 2017).
 Another concern raised in the investigation is the effectiveness of language
development. While the content of the learning materials should include all language
abilities such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Ariel & Budhitama (2021)
reveals that some materials may not provide enough opportunity for students to practise
and enhance their language ability. To counter this, learning materials should include
interactive activities, role-plays, and authentic practise exercises. Furthermore, by offering
access to audiovisual materials, online simulations, and virtual language labs, students can
engage with English in dynamic and realistic circumstances. In addition, the key challenge
is the incorporation of intercultural competency into the learning material content. Because
the hotel sector is multicultural, it is critical for students to learn cross-cultural
communication skills and cultural sensitivity. The investigation, however, suggests that
some learning materials may fail to appropriately address these characteristics. To fill this
void, the content should include cultural awareness activities, talks about cultural norms
and practises, and case studies about intercultural communication issues (Cherner & Smith,
2017).
Students can gain the required skills to connect politely and effectively with visitors
from varied cultural backgrounds by including intercultural competency into the learning
material content. This improves their overall hospitality service capabilities. A research is
necessary to develop an instrument that provides the standards for English language
learning materials or content. The objective of this study is to: i. to describe the analysis of
English learning needs for student of Hospitality departement program in vocational
school, ii. to analyze the learning material content in English subject for student of
Hospitality department program, iii. to observe the challenges faced by student in learning
English material which taught by the teacher. To address these objectives, the researcher
selected design and development research as the methodology. In this research, the need
analysis was carried out after identification of the problems and the detail all information
and specification of existing instrument was acquired.
Kaskani Aliki & M.Ed. EFL Teacher (2021) state that need analysis
determines product specifications. As a result, need analysis is critical in establishing how
successful products for instructors are made so that existing difficulties can be resolved
to achieve more effective content mastery. The analysis phase's results and
 recommendations are subsequently employed in the design and development phase. The
analysis phase gives critical information for the succeeding design and development
module. The information gleaned from the need analysis is utilized to determine the
constructions and sub-constructs ideally. The present study was undertaken with the aim
of identifying the challenges and barriers encountered by students in the process of
acquiring English language skills in vocational schools. In order to achieve this objective,
various aspects of the intended audience have been identified to ensure the efficacy of the
devised tools. According to Lo & Hsieh (2020), the initial stage of the research process
involves the analysis phase, which serves the purpose of identifying various factors that
are associated with the specific target population needs.
2. Methodology
The researcher chose to conduct quantitative research in which data is gathered via survey.
In this study, questionnaires served as the primary instrument for collecting information
and specifics regarding more complex issues. The study was conducted at SMKN 4
Mataram, 45 Jl. Pendidikan, Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara. In this study, the data sources
were 35 students from SMKN 4 Mataram majoring in Tourism for the hospitality
department in grade XII.
A series of questionnaires are used to acquire the necessary data for this research.
The questionnaire was constructed using three approaches, the first of which is the
subjective or open-ended question, which was used to collect feedback and open text
format from respondents Aulia et al. (2017). The second approach is the Likert scale
survey questions, and the third approach is the Dichotomy Test items. The questionnaire
comprises of four parts. Part A focuses on the background or demographic information of
the respondents. Part B consisted of open-ended queries identifying the difficulties of
learning English. Part C focuses on the English language instruction content. In addition to
the items enumerated in the questionnaire, these open-ended questions will provide
respondents with the opportunity to express their opinion or convey ideas that they deem
necessary and significant.
3. Findings
The findings of the study has been anlyze then presented in the form of descriptive analysis
acording to the item that has been constructed to answer each objective of the study. The
constructed in form of questionnaire covers research-related questions. This question is in
the form of check-list which verified by checking the answers stated in the questionnaire.
The questionnaire data is divided into 6 groups: students' goals in learning English,
students' English skills that they want to improve, students' difficulties in learning English,
students' opinions on teaching techniques used by teachers, students' opinions on English
teaching materials used by teachers, students' opinions on the teaching and learning process
of English, students' responses to the process of learning English in the classroom, and
students' responses to the process of learning English in the classroom.
Items 1 and 2 of the questionnaires provide information on students' aims for
learning English. According to the findings, as many as 85.9% of the 35 respondents
desired to speak well in English while participating in tourism activities as their destination,
and 65.9% of students wanted to learn English topics linked to the majors they pursued.
This is the highest proportion of student responses among the four multiple-choice options
provided. The third and fourth questionnaires concern English language skills that students
seek to improve. Hospitality department programme students desire to develop their
speaking abilities since speaking skills are very crucial in hospitality activities, according
to hospitality department programme students.
Students Difficulties in Learning English Surveys 5, 6, and 7. The questionnaire
results show that students frequently experience difficulties in teaching and learning
English. Speaking skills are difficult for hospitality study programme students because
they argue that during the teaching and learning process, students have difficulty
understanding the English material conveyed by the teacher.
Questionnaires 8 and 9 ask students on their thoughts on the teacher's teaching methods.
According to the questionnaire results, students consider the English teacher's tactics are
intriguing, and the teacher's explanation in class is not very clear but students can still
grasp.
The questionnaires 10, 11, and 12 are about students' thoughts on the teacher's
instructional materials. According to the findings, pupils believe that the primary source in
teaching and learning English is the teacher. The English teacher's material has nothing to
do with the pupils' majors. And the English information presented by the English teacher
is simple to grasp.
 Questionnaires 13 and 14 are about students' perspectives on the English teaching
and learning process. Students believe that the English class is successful, and they
appreciate the teaching and learning process. The 15th and 16th questionnaires are about
students' reactions to the process of learning English in the classroom.
According to the survey results, the teacher always replies to students who ask
questions in class, and students always reply to the teacher by asking questions on the
English material delivered in class. The 17th questionnaire is about the understanding of
English material lesson related to student major course is hospitality program. The result
of the questionnaire shows the students understanding in English material related to
hospitality is on medium level.
4. Discussion
First, based on data gathered through surveys. The findings indicate that students in the
hospitality study programme require encouragement from their peers, teachers, and their
surroundings. Students will be passionate about learning English if their motivation is high
and they understand the importance of English in supporting the advancement of their
competence. And, especially in the hospitality study programme, the instructor must be
adept at selecting the model of the lesson to be given. As stated by Tchoshanov et al. (2017)
teachers must be knowledgeable about their subject matter and be up to date on current
events. This indicates that instructors' mastery of content knowledge and attitudes in the
classroom are influenced by the knowledge that they have within themselves.
The second is namely analysis Englsih learning material content. Because it is
considered that students already know English grammar and can use it in practical settings,
English language training at the SMK (vocational school) level should have begun to
emphasise the development of communication skills in specific fields of study. They must
use their English ability to master the English required in specific industries. In addition to
the ineffective learning model, the teaching materials are ineffective because the current
curriculum is general government information, so all majors study the same topic.(Fatimah
et al., 2020)
The last is what needs to be addressed again is that students' speaking ability is
94.3%, which is the greatest proportion and a tough talent for hospitality Studies
Programme class XII students. And these abilities are critical for supporting student
 activities in industry and the workplace. Because most high school students will move on
to college, English is commonly used. And these abilities are critical for supporting student
activities in industry and the workplace. The challenges in speaking for some student
encourage teacher to be more creative in delivering lesson in order to produce student with
more skill and practice not only in theoretical practice.
5. Conclusion
Students in class XII of the Hospitality Study Programme at SMKN 4 Mataram have
specific requirements. The findings of this study are the demands that tourism study
programme students, specifically that the English language materials and themes offered
and taught to students must be relevant to the scope of the hospitality study programme
to help students meet their needs in the workplace. The majority of students (94.3%) want
to develop their speaking skills because speaking skills are very crucial in hospitality study
programme activities and are also deemed tough in the process of learning English. Aside
from teaching materials that do not suit the needs of students, the teacher's learning
methodology is also less supportive in improving student competencies based on degrees
pursued.
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