Uncovering Reading Needs of Non-English Majors of Tribhuvan University

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 13-26
Author(s):  
Gopal Prasad Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Reading Instruction ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Perceived Competence ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Reading Problems ◽  
English Majors ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
English Students

This study aimed at investigating into reading problems and needs of non-major English students of Tribhuvan University (TU), Nepal. Needs analysis (NA) plays an integral role in the process of designing and carrying out any language course, whether it is English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or general English course, and its centrality has been acknowledged by several scholars and authors.  One hundred and two non-English majors and fifteen English teachers of Tribhuvan University participated in this study. Questionnaires served as the main tools for conducting an NA. The findings revealed that both the groups of participants perceived all seven sub-skills of reading as ‘important’. There is consistency between students’ perceptions of importance of subskills of reading and teachers’ perception of importance of the sub-skills. Regarding the perceived competence, teacher participants found their students’ abilities to be “not very good” or even “poor” in the subskills which they considered ‘important’ or ‘very important’. They rated their students at levels lower than the ones students did. The study also revealed that the students are poor at reading instruction booklets, company brochures and user manuals.

scholarly journals Unpacking Writing Needs of Nepalese University Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 257-269
Author(s):  
Gopal Prasad Pandey
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Perceived Competence ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
First Year ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Business Studies ◽  
Syllabus Design

Assessing students’ needs is an integral part of English for specific purposes (ESP) syllabus design. Due to the significance of writing in the English for business specific purposes, there has been increasing interest in ESP studies to assess students’ writing needs. This study aimed at exploring writing needs of Bachelor of Business Studies students of Tribhuvan University (TU), Kathmandu, Nepal. Ninety two Bachelor of Business Studies (BBS) first year students and 10 English teachers of TU took part in this study. Questionnaires served as the main tools for conducting needs analysis (NA). The findings revealed that both the groups of participants (students and teachers) perceived all seven sub-skills of writing as ‘important’. There is consistency between students’ perceptions of importance of subskills of writing and teachers’ perception of importance of the sub-skills. Regarding the perceived competence, teacher participants found their students’ abilities to be “not very good” or even “poor” in the subskills which they considered ‘important’ or ‘very important’. They rated their students at levels lower than the ones students did. Students were rated poor at the following subskills of writing: reports, memos; agendas, notices; instruction booklets; user manuals; company brochures; letters and diaries and messages. Findings indicated that ESP teachers are required to help students learn all the subskills of writing so that they can communicate in the target situations effectively.  

scholarly journals The need for ESP in Burundi: What do tertiary English teachers say sbout it?

2018 ◽  
Vol 23 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 14-24
Author(s):  
Arcade Nduwimana
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
English Teachers ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Ministry Of Education ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Do So

This study examines the views that tertiary English teachers hold on the need for English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in Burundi higher education. To do so, it investigates the extent to which they are familiar with the theory and practice of ESP. For this study, 32 English teachers were contacted to participate in it. They were all requested to complete an online questionnaire, but only 17 proved willing to do so. The findings revealed that the majority of teachers are familiar with the practice of ESP. Although many of them reported to have high familiarity with the field of ESP, a few of them conduct a Needs Analysis (NA) before teaching ESP courses. Results also indicated that tertiary English teachers highly acknowledge the importance of teaching ESP in Burundi higher Education and, therefore, would encourage the ministry of education to fund an ESP project.

A Need Analysis in English Material for XI Grade of Beauty Program

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
L. W. Padmawati ◽  
K. Sintya Dewi
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
English Language ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Teaching Materials ◽  
Need Analysis ◽  
Tourism Sector ◽  
Study Results ◽  
English Students

Needs analysis aims to identify what English students should learn. However, there are still many teachers who have not analyzed the material needs of students. The material used by the teacher is too general for students. Students do not get English for specific purposes for particular majors. This results when students find it challenging to communicate with guests in certain areas. This study aims to analyze the English material and analyze the suitability of the English language material based on the ESP principles. This study used the descriptive qualitative method. The study subjects were students of the class XI beauty program—the use of questionnaires and document checklists as data collection instruments. The study results indicate that students need unique English materials and special English skills in the tourism sector, especially in beauty spas. Furthermore, based on the document checklist, the English teaching materials in the beauty program are not by the ESP concept because the data shows that the teaching materials are too general and not close to the student's field. Therefore, students hope that the school can design an ESP program to improve competence in beauty spa activities.

Speech-Language Pathologists' Attitudes and Involvement regarding Language and Reading

1988 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 352-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael W. Casby
Keyword(s):  
Public School ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
Reading Problems ◽  
Reading Disorders ◽  
Speech Language Pathologists ◽  
Speech Language Pathologist ◽  
Integral Role ◽  
Speech Pathologist ◽  
Knowledge Competencies

A survey was conducted to explore public school speech-language pathologists' attitudes and perceptions of their knowledge, competencies, educational needs, and involvement with children regarding the relationship between oral language and reading disorders. Data indicated that public school speech-language pathologists believe they ought to be involved with children with reading disorders, yet they report that they are not involved to a great extent. Those surveyed also reported a present lack of competencies and available training to assist them in assuming a more integral role in the management of children who possess a reading disorder. ...the speech pathologist's role in reading instruction is something more than the identification and remediation of coexisting defects of articulation or auditory perception.... The speech pathologist has an essential contribution to make to the process of reading acquisition, in normal and language disordered children ?. The speech pathologist has the responsibility to assess and develop the linguistic prerequisites for reading, as well as to assist the child in developing the specific linguistic awareness required for reading (Rees, 1974, pp. 257-258). ...we believe that there is a significant amount of evidence to indicate that speech pathologists can make a very important contribution to the prevention and treatment of reading problems (Stark, 1975, p. 834). Because the speech-language pathologist is a specialist in the area of language, he/she is, in many cases, the best qualified to identify, assess and remediate the language-based reading problems exhibited by many reading-disordered children (Catts & Kamhi, 1986, p. 335).

scholarly journals Early Detection of Dyslexia Risk: Development of Brief, Teacher-Administered Screens

2020 ◽  
pp. 073194872093187
Author(s):  
Jack M. Fletcher ◽  
David J. Francis ◽  
Barbara R. Foorman ◽  
Christopher Schatschneider
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Reading Instruction ◽  
Statistical Decision Theory ◽  
Screening Methods ◽  
Reading Problems ◽  
Early Screening ◽  
Statistical Decision ◽  
School Year ◽  
Screening Assessment ◽  
Typical Range

Many states now mandate early screening for dyslexia, but vary in how they address these mandates. There is confusion about the nature of screening versus diagnostic assessments, risk versus diagnosis, concurrent versus predictive validity, and inattention to indices of classification accuracy as the basis for determining risk. To help define what constitutes a screening assessment, we summarize efforts to develop short (3–5 min), teacher-administered screens that used multivariate strategies for variable selection, item response theory to select items that are most discriminating at a threshold for predicting risk, and statistical decision theory. These methods optimize prediction and lower the burden on teachers by reducing the number of items needed to evaluate risk. A specific goal of these efforts was to minimize decision errors that would result in the failure to identify a child as at risk of dyslexia/reading problems (false negatives) despite the inevitable increase in identifications of children who eventually perform in the typical range (false positives). Five screens, developed for different periods during kindergarten, Grade 1, and Grade 2, predicted outcomes measured later in the same school year (Grade 2) or in the subsequent year (Grade 1). The results of this approach to development are applicable to other screening methods, especially those that attempt to predict those children at risk of dyslexia prior to the onset of reading instruction. Without reliable and valid early predictive screening measures that reduce the burden on teachers, early intervention and prevention of dyslexia and related reading problems will be difficult.

Investigating English for Specific Purposes Tourism Management Textbooks. Evidence from Iranian ESP Needs Analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 248
Author(s):  
Mahmoud EGHDAMI ◽  
Ahamd MOINZAHEH ◽  
Hossein BARATI
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
English For Specific Purposes ◽  
Needs Analysis ◽  
Tourism Management ◽  
The World

The current study was an attempt to investigate whether the current textbooks applied in English for Tourism Management courses complied with the standards of such texts in the world-leading universities. In addition, it explored the instructors’ and students’ needs in relation to the quality of the texts. To this end, 5 instructors and 61 students of Tourism Management from four universities were selected. Two questionnaires were administered among the participants in the study. The obtained data were analysed through descriptive and content analysis. The findings revealed that current texts were in line with the standards of the world-leading universities. Concerning the second question, the instructors’ and students’ needs were clarified and discussed. Suggestions for further research were also reported.

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