Needs Analysis Of The Engineering Staff At The Technical Instructors Training Institute

Abstract

 It is often conceived that for any English language teaching program to be fruitful, it has to meet the needs of the participants. English for specific purposes (ESP henceforth) learners are typically adults who previously have experienced English and are willing to learn the English language to transfer some information and communicate a collection of specialized verbal activities and to execute certain occupation –linked purposes and functions. The engineering staff at the Technical Instructors Training Institute, Iraq, Baghdad/ Al-Zafaranyia have found some difficulties in linguistic communication in English which seems to be a necessary requirement to perform effectively in their professions.A twenty-two item questionnaire of needs analysis is applied to the staff to identify their needs, goals and incentives, that is, what linguistic knowledge they need in their real occupational situations which would help them to function more efficiently in their jobs. Responses to the questionnaire have revealed that they are mostly unable to use English language effectively, and that their primary needs involve the main skills ( i.e., listening, speaking reading and writing) associated with their occupations. Moreover, they have recognized the importance of English in engineering field which calls for establishing an ESP language program