As discussed in Theme 1, needs analysis is one of the foundational concepts in ESP. In practice, however, time and resource constraints often make it difficult for practitioners to gather all the information needed to understand different aspects of learners’ needs and to design suitable materials and methods. In such cases, engaging with existing research can provide valuable insights and help practitioners develop a more comprehensive understanding of learners’ needs.
My 2018 paper provides an example of how needs analysis can be approached as a research-informed process that combines in-house needs analysis with findings from the relevant literature.
Key publication 1
In this award-winning paper, I amalgamated different concepts related to needs analysis and identified five key types of information that course designers need to ascertain in needs analyses. The paper also demonstrates how insights from research can inform each type of information and enable practitioners to determine both the what and the how of a business communication curriculum for undergraduates. For example, I show how findings from workplace discourse analysis informed decisions about the language to teach, and how Experiential Learning Theory was applied to support learner reflection.
Key publication 2
This article builds on my plenary talk at the IATEFL BESIG Annual Conference 2024, where I showed practitioners how research can be used to inform needs analysis and course design. It introduces the key ideas from Chan (2018) in a practitioner-friendly way and brings together findings from several of my other publications to illustrate how research can inform curriculum decisions. The article also includes selected perspectives and responses from practitioners in the audience.
Implications for practice and research
Taken together, this body of work illustrates how needs analysis can function as a bridge between research and pedagogy. For researcher-practitioners, it provides a model for grounding curriculum design decisions in research literature. For practitioners, it demonstrates how engaging with research can generate practical ideas for innovation in course design and teaching practice.
