Theoretical principles on needs analysis for designing courses on Languages for Specific Purposes

• Autor(a) principal: Araújo, Marcus de Souza
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Revista Linguagem em Foco (Online)
• Texto Completo: https://revistas.uece.br/index.php/linguagememfoco/article/view/8611
• topic: Análise de necessidades; Línguas para fins específicos; Necessidades de aprendizagem; Situação-alvo; LinFE; Needs analysis; Languages for specific purposes; Learning needs; Target situation; LinFE

Needs analysis becomes a key feature to plan any course based on a Languages ​​for Specific Purposes (acronym in Portuguese: LinFE) approach. The main focus of this diagnosis is to identify the real learning needs and the target situation of the learners. This article aims to discuss theoretical assumptions about needs analysis since it becomes the primary basis for planning and organizing courses on a LinFE approach, such as Portuguese or foreign languages. It is based on a critical and bibliographic review on the subject (HOLMES, 1981; HUTCHINSON; WATERS, 1987; ROBINSON, 1991; DUDLEY-EVANS; ST. JOHN, 1998). The article also focuses on several instruments for carrying out the needs analysis, such as questionnaires, interviews, observation, data collection, texts used in the courses, informal consultation with sponsors, apprentices, among others. In addition to analyzing the learner's needs, the discussion points out that it is still considered as a presupposition for any LinFE course: the knowledge of the target situation, the specific objectives related to the needs and the relationship with the learner's knowledge of the area of study.