Research on Learner Needs Analysis and Listening Activities

Listening is the primary method to access language information.It is an essential part of L2(second language)teaching but also the most difficult skill to master for L2 learners.Based on this,it is necessary to analyze learners’needs in listening.This article aims to conduct a needs analysis of a selected learner from Iraq and describe course material selection and design.Methods including questionnaires,interviews,and observation were used to collect data.Additionally,targeted 60-minute online listening activities were designed.It was found that listening activities can improve both listening and speaking skills.Thus,language teaching should be student-oriented,and subsequent course materials and activity design should be selected based on the analysis of students’needs.

The Survey on Course Design for Business English Majors on the Base of Needs Analysis

Based on the needs analysis theory, a survey on the course design of Business English at Honghe University are conducted. Business English majors' learning needs and attitudes towards course design of Business English are researched through questionnaires. Business English competences needed in workplaces and society's needs for Business English talents are investigated. After analyzing recruitment information for Business English talents collected from domestic credible websites, some suggestions on course design of business English are supplied.

ELT Materials Design of a Speaking Unit based on Needs Analysis

In this article,the authors design a speaking unit based on needs analysis following Hutchinson and Waters'(1987) model.First,the rationale in designing this unit is introduced,which involves the teaching approach adopted and relevant theories in organizing the materials.Then,the teaching plan of this speaking unit is provided and some activities are designed to create an authentic and optimal situation for students to practice their speaking skill.

ESPNeeds Analysisand Course Designin Application-Oriented Universities

With demands for applied talents dramatically increasing motivated by economic transformation and China's "Going Out " Strategy, College English reform should deepen ESP teaching, stress application of language skills to academic and professionallearning, and serve for students' future development. Therefore, it is vital to explore school-based course design in ESP based onneeds analysis.

A study on needs analysis of learners of Turkish language

This paper reports a small-scale study of needs analysis of leamers of Turkish as a foreign language at University of Florida. Needs analysis is described in the context of foreign language learning as ＂a systematic and ongoing process of gathering information about students＇ needs and preferences, interpreting the information and then making course decisions in order to meet those needs＂ （Graves, 2000, p. 74）. Because foreign language instruction has become much more learner-centered in recent years, needs analysis is a must for effective learning processes to occur （LONG, 1999, 2005; Kikuchi ＆ Apple, 2006）. In this context, the purpose of this pilot study is to gather information about the students＇ needs in learning Turkish at Center for European Studies, where less commonly taught languages, including Czech, Greek, Hungarian and Polish are offered. Drawing on interview data compiled from a number of studies （Tarone ＆ Yule, 1989; LI ＆ Richards, 1995）, the findings indicate that the students＇ needs may be grouped under four categories including their linguistic needs, their objectives in learning Turkish, learning resources, psychological and sociological factors that may impact their learning experiences. In the light of the interview findings, certain suggestions as to how to teach Turkish effectively are made.

Needs Analysis in the Curriculum Design of an EAP Course

With the growing demand in EAP(English for Academic Purposes) course in international universities,the curriculum designof it deserves worldwide attention.This paper is to analyze why NA(needs analysis) is a determining factor in the curriculum design ofan EAP course and critically evaluate the NA of an EAP course in an international university.

ESP Needs Analysis： A Case Study of PEH Students, University of Khartoum

Needs analysis is considered a necessary first step in designing ESP courses. This study, therefore, aims at analysing students at the Faculty of Public and Environmental Health （PEH） at the University of Khartoum （U of K）, Sudan, needs for English language. The study adopted the needs analysis framework suggested by Dudley-Evans and St John （1998） focusing on target needs analysis, present situation analysis, and learning means needs analysis. The study used a questionnaire, a proficiency test, and an interview to collect data. The participants were 490 students at PEH （390 participated in the questionnaire and 100 in the proficiency test） and two professors at the Faculty. The study found that PEH students need English language for academic study. The students rated their proficiency as good, but the test revealed that they were of weak proficiency. All the four skills in addition to vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation are regarded as important to the students. Similarly, almost all the sub-skills are found to be important. The students have a variety of leaming needs such as learning in pairs, groups, and through ICT. The study recommends that PEH students＇ proficiency should be raised and a course that meets the students＇ needs is needed.

Needs Analysis of Non-English Majors Taking Business English as An Optional Course

The course design of business English as an optional course to Non-English majors should be based on needs analysis.A survey is conducted in the form of a questionnaire in this paper to find out about the needs of the non-English majors taking the course.Implications are provided for the future course design of business English as an optional course.

The Analysis of Discrepancies between English for Specific Purposes Teaching and Needs Analysis of Job Requirements

This paper aims at strengthening teachers’understanding as well as optimizing future curriculum design of ESP(Eng⁃lish Specific Purpose).According to the literature ESP is one of the means for language learning and teaching,which is based on learners’needs.By adopting needs analysis,teachers are able to deeply and appropriately understand the needs from students and the real-life settings like working places in society.According to the three cases that have been reviewed,there are always discrep⁃ancies between teaching and learning in the classroom,and the real-life needs of job requirements in society.Combining the curric⁃ulum design of ESP and the method of needs analysis is an effective way to close the discrepancy.

Operational Skill and TNA （Training Needs Analysis） for Generation Power Plant

Training needs analysis is the preliminary step in a cyclical process which adds to the overall training and progress strategy of staff in a generation power plant or a professional group, questionnaires were distributed among WAJPCO （Wadi Al Jizzi Power Company） staff and their responses were used to conduct a training need and gap analyses with a view to identify the operational skill and the training needs of the generation power plant, the time and travel commitment the industry is willing to invest in employee training, and an understanding of what skills are considered specific to lumber manufacturing and what can be combined with the needs of other industries and taught locally.

An Needs Analysis of English Writing Skills in the Engineering Context in China

This paper aims at investigating the needs of developing an English writing course for Chinese engineering students by employing the instruments of questionnaires and interview protocols.The results will be beneficial for the course development.

An Empirical Study on Foreign Language Majors’Needs for Ideological and Political Education Elements in Chinese Universities

The paper takes 2076 undergraduate students majoring in foreign languages from 15 Chinese universities as the research subjects to investigate their demand for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses.The results show that:(1)Students have high needs for ideological and political education elements in foreign language courses;(2)There are differences in students’needs for ideological and political education elements across different dimensions.Students have higher demand for dimensions such as personal qualities,cultural literacy,moral cultivation,and patriotism,while their demand for dimensions related to constitutional law and political identity is relatively low.Therefore,foreign language majors in Chinese universities should optimize the supply of ideological and political education elements in their courses according to students’needs,and improve the effectiveness of moral education in these courses.

SITUATION ANALYSIS AND NEEDS ANALYSIS IN CHINESE EFL CONTEXT:A CASE OF A SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL IN SOUTH-WEST CHINA

Situation analysis and needs analysis are important tasks at the planning stage of curriculum design in most educational contexts, because they provide a basis for setting goals and objectives. Nevertheless, in Chinese EFL contexts, it is not uncommon that goal setting is managed around language outcomes which are prescribed by the teacher or teaching institution, without making reference to learners' needs and the larger context within which instruction takes place. This paper presents a piece of practical work by conducting a situation analysis and needs analysis in a senior high school in South-west China. In providing the rationale as well as the logistics and the outcomes of conducting the situation analysis and needs analysis, the paper attempts to illustrate a practical way to take account of learner factor and situational factors at the curriculum planning stage in Chinese EFL contexts, especially in the underdeveloped area of China.

Taking Needs into Deeds: Application of Needs Analysis in Undergraduate EAP Course Design

Needs analysis as the central force of EAP has received insufficient practice, resulting in dissatisfactory pedagogy. This study proposes a framework of CEAPNA （comprehensive EAP needs analysis）, and illustrates how the framework helps to shape learning-centered EAP pedagogy. The CEAPNA survey covered 452 undergraduates and 83 faculty members from science and engineering departments, and was triangulated with the researchers＇ retrospection of seven years of pedagogical practice. Major findings in the study suggest multiple sources as a must in a comprehensive and accurate analysis of EAP learner needs. In the meantime, the specificity of learner needs addresses EAP practitioners＇ endeavors to specify these needs in various dimensions, so as to negotiate a satisfactory balance between language, cognition and affect in EAP pedagogy. Due to realistic constraints in specifying and balancing the needs, this paper wishes to oblige with a conceptual interpretation as well as a pedagogical retrospection.

Survey and Analysis of Chinese Learning Needs of International Students-A Case Study of International Students Majoring in MBA and MPA in a College of The Belt and Road

This study investigated the Chinese learning motivation,learning goals and learning strategies of 26 international students majoring in MBA and MPA at a university with The belt and road college,mainly by questionnaire and interview method,supplemented by classroom observation method.The survey found that 20 of the 24 international students were zero-start Chinese learners,and their learning motivation was mainly"instrumental"and"intrinsic",and they had high enthusiasm for Chinese language and Chinese culture.They have a high enthusiasm for Chinese language and culture,and will actively solve the difficulties they encounter in learning Chinese.At the same time,this study conducted a questionnaire survey on the needs of international students in terms of curriculum and content,teaching materials,teaching assessment and extracurricular activities,combined with the results of individual and group interviews and classroom observations,to summarize the real needs of international students in various aspects of Chinese language learning,so as to provide teaching reference for teachers teaching international students,and to provide a reference for colleges and universities to develop Chinese teaching programs.The survey will provide a basis for the colleges and universities to formulate Chinese teaching programs and coordinate teaching activities,so as to help international students learn Chinese better.

Arc-length technique for nonlinear finite element analysis

Nonlinear solution of reinforced concrete structures, particularly complete load-deflection response, requires tracing of the equilibrium path and proper treatment of the limit and bifurcation points. In this regard, ordinary solution techniques lead to instability near the limit points and also have problems in case of snap-through and snap-back. Thus they fail to predict the complete load-displacement response. The arc-length method serves the purpose well in principle, received wide acceptance in finite element analysis, and has been used extensively. However modifications to the basic idea are vital to meet the particular needs of the analysis. This paper reviews some of the recent developments of the method in the last two decades, with particular emphasis on nonlinear finite element analysis of reinforced concrete structures.

A Probe on the Influential Factors in Content-Based ESP Courses Design

Recent years, problems of the current college English courses, such as test-oriented teaching, wasteful duplication of language skills teaching, etc., have been criticized by educators and students in China. Thus, turning skill-based English courses into content-based ESP （English for Special Purposes） courses has become a tendency at colleges and universities in China. The purpose of this paper is to analyze factors influencing the design of such courses through the means of questionnaire, individual interviews, data survey （e.g., educational plans） etc.. We found the following factors throw light on the questions relating to curriculum design of ESP courses： （1） the learners＇ learning needs; （2） the social needs （esp. labor market needs）; and （3） the academic needs from the university. The analysis serves to reveal the gap between the school system and actual social and students needs. With these factors in mind, designers of such courses can adjust goals, contents, approaches, and assessments in the practical teaching. And thus these factors would enable content-based ESP courses to reflect learners＇ needs better and lead to more effective langrage learning in college English teaching field.

An Evaluation of the New Senior English For China Student＇ s Book I

The textbook is the New Senior English For China Student＇s Book I （NSEFC I） and the target group is the new senior students. This paper tries to analyze the NSEFC I from four aspects： needs analysis, syllabus design, language skills and linguistic and non-linguistic content. Using different examples to do the curriculum evaluation.

An Investigation into Typical English Language Use Tasks across Jobs by International Talents

Along with the progress of economic globalization and the Belt and Road Initiative,there is a great need for international talents with global vision,knowledge of international rules and regulations,English language proficiency,and the ability to participate in international affairs and competitions.Through text analysis and interviews,this study collects typical English language use tasks in the workplace,and uses questionnaires to investigate the importance and difficulty of different tasks for English language users in different industries,positions and ranks,hence providing references for the design of English training and assessment tasks for international talents.

DEVELOPING THE STUDENTS' COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN MARITIME ENGLISH TRAINING

To develop the students' communicative competence in order to be qualified in their future work (the seafarer's post) is the major educational aim in the field of Maritime. This paper summarizes some useful and efficient methods and practices to make teaching more effective and to help students learn better on the basis of integrated teaching approaches, especially, the CBI, the communicative approach, the natural approach. Language is being taught depend on the students' analysis. Successful learning should be learner-centered and in real-life communication. Teacher needs to supply authentic materials, good comprehensible input and low the affective filter to motivate the students learning. Moreover, teacher is suggested to establish an English-learning environment via learning English through English and teaching English through English.