An Analysis of Thai Undergraduate Student’s Needs in English for Secretaries and Office Class
Abstract
Background and Aim: A needs analysis must be carried out to develop instructional materials and classroom activities that effectively meet the needs of the students. This analysis demonstrates how crucial it is to build syllabuses based on impartial evaluations of students' needs because, in the absence of such assessments, course materials might not be able to ensure that students successfully master the material. Thus, this study aims to analyze the needs of students in learning English for Secretaries. This study aimed to identify the target needs and determine the learning needs of Thai undergraduate students in English for Secretaries class from a government university in Thailand.
Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 24 third-year students from the Business English major who enrolled in English for Secretaries and Office class. In this research study, the mixed-method approach was used to analyze data on the learners’ target needs and learning needs. The questionnaire data were collected and analyzed using percentages and frequencies, as well as arithmetic means and standard deviations. The data from open-ended questions were qualitatively analyzed with interpretations.
Results: The results regarding students’ target needs revealed that most participants were at a basic level of English language proficiency. They targeted improving grammar rules and needed to expand their vocabulary knowledge more than other skills. Additionally, the findings on students' learning needs indicated a preference for classroom activities like brainstorming, practicing, and developing skills required to learn vocabulary. The preferences for the teacher’s role were both a facilitator and a controller.
Conclusion: Students with a basic level of English language proficiency mainly focus on improving grammar and vocabulary. They prefer certain classroom activities that are applicable in the secretary field and the teacher's role as a guide in their learning.
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