Needs analysis in ESP
This term refers to the gap between what learners can currently do and what they must be able to do in the target communicative situation.
"Needs" or "the gap between present-situation and target-situation abilities"
According to Woodrow (2018), the central principle guiding all ESP assessment decisions is this—what the test is for.
The purpose of assessment
These lists—such as Business...or Academic ... —are often generated from corpora to support syllabus design.
Word Lists
Bocanegra-Valle (2010) defines these materials as texts produced by specialists for specialists—not originally intended for learners.
authentic materials
Hutchinson & Waters (1987) describe this type of need as the difference between learners’ current skills and the skills required in the target situation.
Lacks
This type of validity refers to whether a test actually measures the language ability it claims to represent.
construct validity or construct representation
Badger & White (2000) recommend combining a genre approach with this other approach to avoid overly prescriptive teaching.
process approach
In Bocanegra-Valle’s (2010) framework, this technique involves adding something qualitatively different—such as visuals or new input—to support learning.
expanding
Long (2005) recommends this methodological strategy: using multiple sources and methods to strengthen credibility.
triangulation approach
In ESP assessment, this principle refers to how well test tasks mirror course objectives and the target communicative situation.
alignment
This approach emphasises designing a syllabus around professional tasks or real-world activities, often used in workplace ESP.
task-based syllabus
This adaptation strategy, used in both readings, involves reducing the difficulty of a text so that learners can access language without distorting its essential purpose.
simplifying (lexis and grammar)
Hyland (2006) argues that needs-analysis data should feed directly into these two aspects of ESP curriculum design.
1) syllabus design and 2) materials development
According to O’Sullivan (2012), authentic test tasks require reflection of the target domain’s tasks. This dimension is known as.......
Situational authenticity
This syllabus type organises content around communicative acts such as requesting, suggesting, or disagreeing.
functional syllabus
Bocanegra-Valle (2010) lists many reasons ESP teachers must design in-house materials. One reason is that publishers avoid niche markets, meaning ESP disciplines are often classified this way.
“minor” ESP areas