A Report on the English Language Learning Needs at Nagaoka National College of Technology

Gregory Hadley Department of General Education

Abstract

This paper reports on the English as a Foreign Language needs of students at Nagaoka National College of Technology in Niigata Prefecture, Japan. The findings reveal that students need English primarily as a reading skill for university level studies. A discussion of the implications of this research is included in the conclusion of this paper.

Introduction

This analysis of the English language needs of students at Nagaoka National College of Technology (NNCT) was conducted as part of the curriculum reforms taking place in the English section of the Department of General Education. After a brief narration of the background leading up to this project, the method of analysis and a review of similar studies of interest to this research will be discussed. The implications of this needs analysis will be dealt with at the close of this paper.

Background

In early 1996, there was a significant turnover in English teachers at NNCT. The new group of English teachers, dissatisfied with the way English had been taught at the school, decided to reform the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) curriculum. Before this decision, each English class was taught independent of each other, and there was little cooperation between teachers in terms of seeking common goals or meeting the language learning needs of the students. The new group decided to cooperate more in the selection of textbooks and course content, with the goal of giving students the same quality, content and level of language instruction. All of these changes were kept within the English section, and made to fit within NNCT’s current structure. This would allow them to proceed with reforms without seeking the wider approval of the school or disrupting the existing status quo.

In 1997, NNCT’s Department of General Education received a grant from the Japanese Ministry of Education to hire a Foreign Lecturer. Apart from his regular duties as a Native English teacher, this lecturer was also to serve as a resource person for the English section’s curriculum reforms.

Soon after the Foreign Lecturer was hired, the English section was on the verge of creating a curriculum that emphasized English for Specific Purposes (ESP). ESP in roughly defined as English as a foreign language, which is used regularly at one’s workplace. However, the English section had not performed any studies to discover the actual learning needs of their students. Neither had there been any attempt to define what terms such as “curriculum reform” or “syllabus” meant. Although the Foreign Lecturer could not prevail upon the other English teachers to better define the nature and focus of their curriculum reforms, he was encouraged to find out the language learning needs of the students at NNCT.

An analysis of student needs, often known as Needs Analysis, has been generally regarded as a necessary factor in language curriculum reform since the 1970’s.[1] Needs analysis is simply a discovery of the general and specific needs of language students. The purpose of needs analysis is to find out what type of language will students need to learn, and how they will use it after graduation. Based on the data collected, a language course can be created for the students based upon their real life needs. Needs analysis by definition “…contrasts with the assumption underlying many methods, namely, that the needs and goals of learners are identical, that what they need is simply 'language,' and that Method X is the best way to teach it.”[2]

Method

The needs analysis for this study was administered in three phases. The first was an observational case study conducted by the author that investigated at the history, environment, and people at NNCT. The second phase consisted of a questionnaire administered to the entire NNCT faculty. The third and final phase looked at the findings of similar studies that researched areas of interest not addressed in the first and second phases.

Phase One: Case Study

The case study investigated the following areas, the history of NNCT, the present situation, the physical environment, the present curriculum, a general evaluation of the teachers and their teaching practices, and finally, a general evaluation of the learners. During the case study, several interviews were conducted with teachers in the English section and from other academic departments at NNCT. During these interviews, the following questions were asked:

1. What would be the aim of an ESP course at NNCT?

2. What criteria would constitute a successful pilot course?

3. Who are the assessors?

4. What would be the consequences of success?

5. How far do the students need English?

6. Do you have copies of any English exams the students have taken?

The observations of the case study and the responses of the teacher interviews were recorded for later discussion in this paper.

Phase Two: Teacher Questionnaire

A fifty-four item questionnaire was then constructed partly from the insight gained from the case study, and partly from sample needs analysis found in Nunan, Robinson, Hutchinson & Waters, and Yalden.[3] It was designed to gather more data from a wider sample of NNCT’s faculty. In focussing primarily on the faculty, there was the risk that the data collected might be subjective and anecdotal. Nevertheless, the insight of the faculty is based upon many years of experience with helping students to find employment or assisting them in transferring to the university level after graduation. In most needs analysis, the student is the focus of study. However, research shows that many younger EFL students in Japan have undefined learning goals, which makes needs analysis very difficult to administer. This issue will be discussed in detail later.

An announcement of the needs analysis was sent to the entire faculty via the school’s Internet server, and paper copies of the needs analysis were placed in the mailboxes of the entire faculty (n = 77). It was decided among the teachers in the English section that a survey written in English would pose no problem to the faculty. The majority keeps up their research by reading and writing for international research journals written in the English language.

Phase Three: Related Research Projects

The first two phases focussed primarily on the school and teachers. The third phase looked at related research that discovered the language learning needs of Japanese students after graduation. The following studies were consulted: a recent study at Kanazawa Institute of Technology that investigated the language learning needs of students entering the workplace, a study from Hokkai Gakuen on the language learning needs of graduates working in Tokyo multinational corporations, and two studies on student’s perceived needs in EFL.[4]

Results

The results of each phase of this needs analysis will be taken in turn. Because of the large amount of data collected and the limited amount of space allowed for publication, only the most prominent features of this study can be examined.

Results of the Case Study

History

Nagaoka National College of Technology (NNCT) is one of several special polytechnic schools built in Japan during the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. At the time NNCT was built, Japan was recovering from its loss in the Second World War, and was desperately trying to catch up with the West in terms of economic and technological development. The purpose of the school is to train students to become engineers, craftspeople, technicians, mechanics and entry-level industrial chemists. Students enter the school after Junior High and graduate with a two-year Associates Degree in a technical field. Schools like NNCT were designed to bypass the traditional Japanese university system and place talented workers into the workforce as soon as possible.

Present Situation

When NNCT was established, there were few colleges or universities in Niigata Prefecture. In recent years, however, several new colleges and universities have opened their doors. Japan’s remarkable development over the past 50 years has also created the need for a much higher level of engineer. Today, as much as 75% of NNCT’s graduates go to the university level after graduation. These students normally continue until getting a MSc or Ph.D. in their field of study. Students appear to be encouraged to take this route, since the job prospects for NNCT graduates have been rapidly shrinking due to Japan’s economic collapse. Consequently, NNCT’s role appears to have changed from when it started almost forty years ago. NNCT now appears to have become more a preparatory school for students wishing to study scientific or technical subjects on the university and graduate level.

Environment

NNCT’s facilities and resources are similar to those found in other Japanese national colleges and universities. The professional competence of the teachers is quite high, with each being a specialist in some sort of technical field. In comparison to private universities, NNCT receives ample funding for computers, experimental equipment and teaching materials. The physical structures, however, are not conducive to study. Most buildings are old cold water facilities, with sometimes overcrowded, dirty classrooms that are covered with graffiti. Buildings lack adequate heating and air conditioning, which causes students to be distracted on the many days when the weather is extreme.

Curriculum

The content areas fall under the following disciplines: Civil Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Electronic Control Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Engineering. Within these disciplines are various subspecialties such as bioengineering and industrial chemistry. All students must take compulsory General Education Courses for four years. EFL is in the domain of General Education, although some teachers from the other disciplines state they occasionally teach technical English to their students. Within the English curriculum, teachers seem to give more attention and energy to the high school level courses, which are the first three years of instruction. These classes meet at least two times a week, with different teachers sharing the workload. Considerably less time and attention is devoted to the fourth and fifth year courses, which meet only once a week for 90 minutes. All of the full-time Japanese Teachers of English (JTE) at NNCT are fluent in English, and many have extensive overseas experience. In all of the classes observed, the JTEs taught their classes primarily in Japanese, and typically required students to memorize lists of vocabulary or lectured the students about grammatical aspects of the language.

Learners

In recent years, the number of college aged students in Japan has been shrinking, while the number of colleges and universities has grown. This situation has affected NNCT, who has seen its base of academically talented students slowly decreasing. This base of students, who once had limited opportunities because of the small number of colleges and universities, now can choose among many different schools within the prefecture. The result is that NNCT is not as high on some students’ list of prospective schools as in years past. According to the in-house statistical studies, this has led to the formation of two groups of students, one that is very talented academically, and another that is less so. However, in comparison to students that the author has encountered at several schools throughout the northern and central regions of Niigata Prefecture, the academic ability of the students at NNCT is comparatively high. With regard to their English ability, most students were observed to be at the level of high beginner, with good reading skills and excellent listening skills. Speaking and writing skills, however, are less developed, and the level of grammatical proficiency varies widely between students.

The following are the responses of teachers to the series of interviews given by the author.

What would be the aim of an ESP course at NNCT?

Most teachers stated that the aim would be to help students shore up their weaknesses in English. Teachers were unanimous in saying that students needed to improve their reading skills. The next area they felt students needed to work on was writing. To improve in these areas, teachers stated that students would need to improve their grammatical ability and vocabulary. Only one teacher spoke of oral communication as a possible aim of the course.

What criteria would constitute a successful pilot course?

Teachers seemed to equate this question with one of the aims of the course. Some of the criteria were: to be able to read an easy paper in their field of study, to write about experiments in English, to be able to express one’s professional opinion on an issue in English, and to be able to understand lectures. Others felt the criteria should be whether the students felt happy in the course and felt more interested in English after studying in the class.

Who are the assessors?

Teachers responded that there is no system of assessment for courses in Japanese colleges or universities. Normally, the persons who informally assess the course are the teacher and the students. Assessment is based upon student satisfaction, and their ability to perform some language-related tasks that were learned in class. Teachers frequently stated that if the students are happy, they work for the teacher. Students do not like the course might start complaining to sympathetic teachers. These in turn might simply gossip about the problem without confronting the teacher in question.

What would be the consequences of success?

Most teachers had not thought of this prospect, and struggled to give an answer. A few stated that if the students liked the course, they would tell others, and the reputation of the school would grow. The school could then report the results of the course to other polytechnics, and success would continue so long as the teacher was at the school.

How far do students need English?

The teachers interviewed were much clearer in their answers to this question. All stated that if students do not go for a MSc after graduating from NNCT, few would ever use English at work. They would end up being low-level technicians working with technology and designs translated into Japanese. Some thought that a few graduates in this situation might go overseas once or twice in their career to work on a project. However, teachers were confident that students who went to the graduate level would need English for studying the latest developments in their field, and for taking tests. One teacher referred to a study conducted at NNCT’s Department of Electrical Engineering, which surveyed all the electronics firms and primary universities where NNCT graduates go. For students who go to the university or intend to study on the graduate level, English was at the top of the list in terms of importance. For students going to a company after graduating NNCT, however, English was near the bottom of the list.

Do you have copies of any English exams the students have taken?

Teachers showed the author samples of tests that NNCT students take to transfer to the third year of the University level. Most of these consisted of an article on an academic subject, with several comprehension questions, followed by a translation exercise. The author was told that many companies use EIKEN, TOEIC or even TOEFL tests to measure their employees ability in English. None of the teachers could hypothesize who these tests were administered, what was done with the collected data, or how this testing was put to use in employees’ work career.

Results of the Questionnaire

Out of seventy-seven surveys administered, twenty-eight teachers responded. The survey questions and the responses of the teachers can be found in the Appendix. The findings revealed that students at NNCT need English for three main reasons: for succeeding in higher education, for reading technical materials, and for succeeding in their field of study. Many in the sample felt that English would help students to get a good job and to be able to speak with non-Japanese. After leaving NNCT, the main skill that teachers felt students would need, regardless of whether they continued to the university level or not, was reading. This was followed by writing skills for students going to the university level and aural skills for students going to a company after graduation. Speaking skills were considered less important. The tasks that students would be required to do in English after graduating NNCT might be reading reports or journals. To that end, two-thirds of the teachers surveyed said they taught English at least some of the time in their classes; when they did so, they focussed on reading academic or technical materials. The sample thought, however, that students not going to the university level may sometimes converse with someone face-to-face in English, and might be required to write a letter or fax in English. After all the students entered the workforce, teachers felt graduates would normally only need to use English on a regular basis if they attended a school on a weekly basis. Teachers felt that, perhaps once or twice a month, a graduate might read something in English at work or speak with a non-Japanese Asian in English. Beyond this, a graduate might go abroad on vacation once a year. At this time, the graduate might briefly talk with a native speaker at a hotel or restaurant. The results of the questionnaire suggest that graduates of NNCT, whether they receive their MSc or not, will not need their English skills outside of school. Graduates may be required to use English only if they actively seek out such opportunities on their own.

Results of Related Research Projects

The findings of other projects seem to validate the discoveries in the first and second phases of this needs analysis. In Najar et al, a two-year study was conducted at Kanazawa Institute of Technology (KIT). The school, while considerably larger than NNCT, has students of similar level and a school structure and language curriculum that resembles NNCT. The needs analysis conducted both at the school and with the graduates working in several technical companies found that graduates use English mainly to read Internet documents and e-mail. Graduates also wrote more English than expected, usually in the form of e-mail, business letters, faxes or assembly instructions for a piece of machinery. Graduates rarely spoke or listened in English, but on the few occasions that they did, it was by telephone to arrange a business trip overseas, or when they actually went overseas to communicate with service personnel in hotels or restaurants. The study found over 75% of employers felt that English ability was either unimportant or totally inconsequential in their decision to hire a graduate.[5]

The findings of Kirkwold et al were similar. They found that Japanese graduates who work in Tokyo’s multinational companies rarely use spoken or written English during the workday. When English is required, it is normally via e-mail or fax.[6]

Recent studies on the perceptions of Japanese students of their EFL learning needs reveal most lack clear goals or an understanding of the importance of English language study. Halvorsen found that most Japanese students view English study in an abstract sense as necessary for becoming international, meeting a foreigner or for getting a good job.[7] Griffee’s attempt came up with even less data. He concludes that most Japanese learners are so unaccustomed to being questioned about their English language learning needs that they are at a loss as to what to say when given the opportunity.[8] In a number of unpublished surveys of the needs of Engineering students at Niigata University, the author encountered responses from students that reflected both Halvorsen’s and Griffee’s studies. It was for this reason that student data did not play a large role in this study – students often experience English only within the context of the classroom. Most lack the experience and knowledge as to how they will apply what they study. In effect, many are in the process of understanding the necessity and relevance of EFL in their lives.

Discussion

The results of the all three phases of the needs analysis indicate that reading is the most important skill required for graduates. This will be true whether they take a job after graduating from NNCT or transfer to a four-year university. The next skill most graduates will need will be the ability to write short notes, letters or faxes. Some may need to write assembly instructions or some other simple technical task. Speaking English will be an option for only those graduates who choose to pursue the opportunity after work or on vacation. For the vast majority of the students at NNCT, English language study will be most important for them only while they are in school.

A cursory view of the findings might lead one to conclude that JTEs in the questionnaire rank reading as the most important skill for students because this is what many of them teach, and what many might feel most comfortable with teaching. However, the evidence in research survey in phase three of this project suggests that JTEs should feel justified in the approach that they take in the classroom. The skill that most NNCT graduates will most likely need is the ability to read English documents, followed by the ability to write simple notes or instructions. These findings also imply that native teachers of English at NNCT may need to work from a totally different point of departure. It is clear from the research that one cannot justify the study of English with a native speaker for getting a good job or for success in one’s studies. This can be done just as well (if not better) by a JTE. Native teachers of English at NNCT might better benefit from an approach that makes English a vehicle for the enrichment of students’ minds. The native teacher can introduce students to new worlds, new ideas, new experiences and new insights. He or she can help the students to learn something new about themselves and their world via the English language. In this way, the intrinsic value of the native teacher of English will be recognized by all as one who adds flavor and authenticity to a coordinated English program at NNCT.

Conclusion

This report concludes that a program teaching English students at NNCT would not benefit from a program teaching English for Specific Purposes, since few will use much English in their future workplace. Rather, the research suggests that students at NNCT would be better served by an English language curriculum teaching English for Academic Purposes, and particularly on improving the students’ vocabulary, reading, and writing skills.

English for Academic Purposes (EAP), can be the study of technical materials, vocabulary items, preparing for English examinations, or whatever the students need to succeed within the educational system. Since most students who are likely to use English are the ones who will go to a four-year university, a curriculum that prepares them for university would be most profitable. This research also concludes that focus and approach of the English teachers at NNCT are indeed the most helpful for the students’ actual language needs. Because most university examinations and workplace tasks focus on reading English, one must congratulate the JTEs for their pragmatic focus on reading and vocabulary.

However, it is recommended that educators look to the future and seek to anticipate the future needs of later students and graduates. This new century will reveal if the Japanese industrial and technological base can remain monolingual with impunity. Much of the recovery of the economies in America, the EU and Southeast Asia has depended on companies investing in research and development, as well as being able to communicate with other markets via the English language. Japan’s survival as a world economic and technical power may depend on members in its society developing well-rounded English communication skills.

Appendix

Needs Analysis

Questionnaire and Responses of Teachers at Nagaoka National College of Technology

(N = 28)

	M	E	Ec	Mb	Ci	GE
Which department do you teach in?	22.2%	22.2%	13.9%	5.6%	16.7%	19.4%

	Strongly Agree	Agree	Somewhat Agree	No Opinion	Somewhat Disagree	Disagree	Strongly Disagree
1. My students need English in order to succeed in higher education.	33.3%	52.8%	11.1%	2.8%	0%	0%	0%
2. My students need English in order to get a good job.	19.4%	27.8%	25.0%	19.4%	5.6%	2.8%	0%
3. My students need English in order to pass tests such as an entrance examination, TOEIC or TOEFL	27.8%	22.2%	11.1%	22.2%	8.3%	5.6%	2.8%
4. My students need English in order to function successfully in their technical field of study.	30.6%	33.3%	30.6%	0%	2.8%	2.8%	0%
5. My students currently need English to understand classroom lectures.	8.3%	22.2%	25.0%	22.2%	8.3%	11.1%	2.8%
6. My students currently need English to read technical materials.	16.7%	50.0%	22.2%	5.6%	5.6%	0%	0%
7. My students currently need English for oral communication with people who do not speak Japanese.	19.4%	25.0%	30.6%	8.3%	5.6%	11.1%	0%
8. My students need English in order to write papers on technical subjects.	11.1%	30.6%	16.7%	19.4%	8.3%	11.1%	2.8%

If the student goes to a university after graduating, which language skills do you feel will be important to him/her?

	Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not that Important	Unnecessary
9. Speaking	11.1%	55.6%	25.0%	8.3%	0%
10. Listening	19.4%	52.8%	22.2%	5.6%	0%
11. Writing	22.2%	61.1%	8.3%	8.3%	0%
12. Reading	55.6%	41.7%	2.8%	0%	0%

If the student goes directly to work after graduation, what English language skills do you feel will be important to him/her?

	Very Important	Important	Somewhat Important	Not that Important	Unnecessary
13. Speaking	13.9%	38.9%	33.3%	8.3%	5.6%
14. Listening	19.4%	36.1%	33.3%	5.6%	5.6%
15. Writing	8.3%	38.9%	30.6%	11.1%	11.1%
16. Reading	27.8%	44.4%	22.2%	5.6%	0%

If the student goes to a university after graduation, how often do you feel your students will use English for the following:

	Quite Often	Often	Sometimes	Not Often	Rarely
17. Speaking with people face-to-face	0%	5.6%	47.2%	36.1%	11.1%
18. On the telephone	0%	2.8%	16.7%	41.7%	38.9%
19. Listening to lectures	8.3%	11.1%	36.1%	41.7%	11.1%
20. Watching television	0%	16.7%	33.3%	36.1%	13.9%
21. Reading professional journals	22.2%	41.7%	25.0%	8.3%	2.8%
22. Reading letters, faxes or e-mail	13.9%	27.8%	33.3%	25.0%	0%
23. Reading reports	27.8%	33.3%	33.3%	5.6%	0%
24. Writing reports	5.6%	22.2%	33.3%	30.6%	8.3%
25. Writing letters, faxes or e-mail	8.3%	19.4%	22.2%	47.2%	2.8%
26. Writing papers for a professional journal	5.6%	16.7%	30.6%	27.8%	19.4%

If the student goes directly to a job after graduation, how often do you feel your students will use English for the following:

	Quite Often	Often	Sometimes	Not Often	Rarely
27. Speaking with people face-to-face	2.8%	16.7%	41.7%	22.2%	16.7%
28. On the telephone	2.8%	5.6%	41.7%	33.3%	16.7%
29. Listening to lectures	0%	5.6%	19.4%	47.2%	27.8%
30. Watching television	0%	13.9%	30.6%	36.1%	19.4%
31. Reading professional journals	2.8%	8.3%	36.1%	36.1%	16.7%
32. Reading letters, faxes or e-mail	8.3%	11.1%	52.8%	19.4%	8.3%
33. Reading reports	2.8%	16.7%	47.2%	22.2%	11.1%
34. Writing reports	0%	2.8%	36.1%	30.6%	30.6%
35. Writing letters, faxes or e-mail	5.6%	8.3%	41.7%	25.0%	19.4%
36. Writing papers for a professional journal	0%	8.3%	13.9%	36.1%	41.7%

After graduation, how often do you think the student will use English in the following places:

	Almost Every Day	Once a Week	Once a Month	Once Every Six Months	Once a Year	Almost Never
37. Company meetings	0%	2.8%	13.9%	30.6%	13.9%	38.9%
38. At home	0%	0%	0%	8.3%	16.7%	75.0%
39. Travelling abroad	22.2%	2.8%	0%	19.4%	52.8%	2.8%
40. At school	2.8%	47.2%	16.7%	13.9%	16.7%	2.8%
41. At work	0%	11.1%	38.9%	19.4%	19.4%	11.1%

After graduation, how often do you think your student will use English with the following people:

	Almost Every Day	Once a Week	Once a Month	Once Every Six Months	Once a Year	Almost Never
42. Native speaker	2.8%	0%	19.4%	22.2%	36.1%	19.4%
43. Non-native Speaker (Asian, European, etc.)	2.8%	2.8%	25.0%	36.1%	22.2%	11.1%
44. Teacher	2.8%	36.1%	8.3%	16.7%	22.2%	13.9%
45. Customer	2.8%	2.8%	11.1%	33.3%	25.0%	25.0%
46. Co-worker	0%	8.3%	8.3%	27.8%	22.2%	33.3%

	Yes	No
47. Presently, do you ever teach English to your students as part of the course?	66.7%	33.3%

If you answered “yes” to the above question, what areas do you frequently present to your students?

	Quite Often	Often	Sometimes	Not Often	Rarely
48. Reading technical materials	16.7%	33.3%	33.3%	4.2%	12.5%
49. Reading basic academic materials	8.3%	41.7%	29.2%	12.5%	8.3%
50. Writing technical materials	4.2%	0%	4.2%	58.3%	33.3%
51. Writing general compositions	0%	0%	16.7%	41.7%	41.7%
52. Discussing technical subjects	0%	4.2%	8.3%	29.2%	58.3%
53. Discussing general subjects	0%	0%	4.2%	41.7%	54.2%
54. Listening to lectures in English	0%	4.2%	12.5%	16.7%	66.7%