A needs analysis of English for Korean naval officers

Park, Ki Chan

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/78565 Copy

Description

Title

A needs analysis of English for Korean naval officers

Author(s)

Park, Ki Chan

Issue Date

2015-05-01

Department of Study

Linguistics

Discipline

Teaching of English Sec Lang

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

M.A.

Degree Level

Thesis

Keyword(s)

• English for Specific Purposes (ESP)
• English for Military Purposes
• Naval English
• Needs Analysis
• Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT)
• A learning-centered approach to English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a needs analysis for the English courses offered at the educational institutions of the Korean navy. A comprehensive survey and interviews were conducted to identify the target situations and tasks for which Korean naval officers must use English. Also investigated were their wants for the English courses and their perceptions of their own use of English. Further data about officers’ needs was drawn from a literature review of published books and newspaper articles about the navy. Fourteen Korean naval officers were then interviewed, and a survey of 64 Korean naval officers was administered. A survey of three U.S. naval officers was also administered to achieve triangulation of the data. Through these research methods, six main target situations and 44 target tasks were identified along with the participants’ perceived frequency, difficulty and criticality of these target situations. In addition, this study reveals that Korean officers’ biggest weakness in their engagement with target tasks is their insufficient speaking skill, in spite of their great desire for improving it. The findings of this study support the adoption of TBLT and the learning-centered approach to ESP by English for Military Purposes Courses, in which not only the language but also necessary knowledge can be taught together for the learners’ successful performance of the target tasks.

Graduation Semester

2015-5

Type of Resource

text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/78565

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2015 Ki Chan Park

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