Conducting a Needs Analysis

Conducting a needs analysis is a way in which you can find out more about the needs of your students. Teachers may find it useful to devise a needs analysis questionnaire, before designing a teaching programme, to make sure that their lessons address the students’ particular needs and individual learning styles.

Why perform a needs analysis?

It is always helpful to find out about students’ motivation, their prior learning experiences, the situations they are likely to use English in and which skills/language items they need to extra practice with. Armed with this information, the teacher can select and create the most appropriate and useful learning materials and activities.

The needs analysis questionnaire

When creating a needs analysis questionnaire, it is best to use open question forms such as What…? Why…? How…? rather than closed questions which are likely to result in only ‘yes’ and ‘no’ answers. It might also be a good idea to ask for a piece of English writing. The more students express themselves, the easier it is to deduce their capabilities and requirements.

What questions to ask in your needs analysis

A needs analysis questionnaire is often a good way of finding out about your students' English language requirements and experience, their level of English and their English needs. For example, it is useful to know a little about their job, their company and their responsibilities at work. If they are not at work, you need to know where they use English, whether that is at University, at college, at home and/or socially. You should include questions which allow you to get to know more about them and their interests, so you can make lessons more personally directed and stimulating.

What experience do you have of learning English?

When do you use English?

Who do you communicate in English with?

Do you use English at work?

Do you use or need English in these situations:

	social situations
	meetings and discussions
	negotiations
	telephone calls
	report writing
	e-mails

How advanced are you using English generally, on a scale of 1-5? (1= beginner; 2= basic; 3= intermediate; 4= advanced; 5 = very advanced)

How confident are you using English in these situations:

	Introducing yourself
	Ordering food in a restaurant
	Asking for directions
	Shopping
	Making general conversation
	Writing a postcard
	Writing a letter of complaint
	Using the telephone