TOMI WARDANA

14178077
ELT CURRICULUM
NEEDS ANALYSIS
The aim of this part of the curriculum design process is to discover what
needs to be learned and what the learners want to learn. Needs analysis is
directed mainly at the goals and content of a course. It examines what the
learners know already and what they need to know. Needs analysis makes sure
that the course will contain relevant and useful things to learn. Good needs
analysis involves asking the right questions and nding the answers in the most
eective way.
Hutchinson and Waters (1987) divide needs into target needs (what the
learner needs to do in the target situation) and learning needs (what the learner
needs to do in order to learn). The analysis of target needs can look at:
Necessities, Lacks and Wants. Another way to look at needs is to make a major
division between present knowledge and required knowledge, and objective
needs and subjective needs. Very roughly, Lacks t into present knowledge,
Necessities t into required knowledge, and Wants t into subjective needs.
Needs Analysis Tools:
1. Necessities
The rst thing to look at in necessities is the demands of the target tasks.
That is, what will learners have to do when they do university study?
Among the things they will have to do is listen to lectures, take part
intutorials, write assignments and tasks, and sit exams.
2. Lacks
An important part of needs analysis involves looking at where learners are
atpresent. How good are the learners at writing assignments now? One
way to investigate this is to look at an assignment or two that the learners
have just written.
3. Wants
Learners have their own views about what they think is useful for them. At
the very least, information about this is useful in working out whether the
learners views and the needs analysts views are the same or not.

Evaluating Needs Analysis

Needs analysis is a kind of assessment and thus can be evaluated by
considering its:
1. reliability
Reliable needs analysis involves using well-thought-out, standardised tools
that are applied systematically. Rather than just observing people
performing tasks that learners will have to do after the course, it is better
to systematise the observation by using a checklist, or by recording and
apply standardised analysis procedures. The more pieces of observation
and the more people who are studied, the more reliable the results.
2. Validity
Valid needs analysis involves looking at what is relevant and important.
Consideration of the type of need that is being looked at and the type of
information that is being gathered is important. Before needs analysis
begins it may be necessary to do a ranking activity to decide what type of
need should get priority in the needs analysis investigation. The worst
decision would be to let practicality dominate by deciding to investigate
what is easiest to investigate!
3. Practicality
Practical needs analysis is not expensive, does not occupy too much of the
learners and teachers time, provides clear, easy-to-understand results
and 30 Needs Analysiscan easily be incorporated into the curriculum
design process. There will always be a tension between reliable and valid
needs analysis and practical needs analysis. A compromise is necessary
but validity should always be given priority.