Needs analysis and english for business purposes

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes is an approach to language teaching in which students’ needs play a central role in the process of establishing the way classes and content are put into practice. These can be divided into target situation, present situation, and learning situation needs. Hence, in this research needs are depicted through the interface of business companies, language institutions and students, respectively. They are assessed through specific surveys within English language institutions that offer business English courses, as well as companies and professionals who use English within their working settings. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate ‘needs analysis’ from the three perspectives aforementioned. It intends to discuss what language institutions and companies understand by ‘needs’ as well as the procedures used to gather information from learners. Also, it seeks to understand what business English learners expect regarding Business English classes. Along with that, the results from each axe are confronted aiming to identify whether they match one another in terms of target situation needs. Results indicate that companies are more likely to apply informal procedures to find out employees’ target situation needs, while language institutions address so through placement tests, indicating a disharmony between the two axes. Regarding learners, the survey carried out highlights their profile and expectations concerning Business English classes, which provides evidence on how companies and language institutions have to work so as to meet learners’ needs. Such discussion aim to add to the improvement of in-company, one-to-one and also groups in language institutions business English classes by focusing on the relevance of students’ needs within the teaching/learning process.