English for Occupational Purposes (EOP): Public and Environmental Health Employees’ Needs for English Language

Authors

  • Abuelgasim Sabah Elsiad MOHAMMED Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31963/rial.v3i2.5430

Keywords:

Needs Analysis, EOP, Target Situation Analysis, Present Situation Analysis, Job Needs

Abstract

English language is of great demand in all sectors and professional purposes are no exception. This is because learners of English language have become aware of the role that it plays in both academic and professional purposes. Employees who have a good command of English language can serve their area well, so it is necessary to cater for those employees’ needs for English language regardless their area of specialization to raise their employability. This paper aimed at analysing Public and Environmental Health (PEH) employees' needs for English for Occupational Purposes (EOP) to identify their use of English in their job, English usefulness to them, their present situation in English, and the most important language skills to them. The study adopted mixed method design. Data were collected through a questionnaire and a structured interview. The participants were 29 employees and two heads of departments at the Ministry of Health, Khartoum State, Sudan. Results showed that PEH employees frequently used English in their jobs. It is also revealed that English language was useful to the participants in their jobs. The employees’ proficiency was found to be good according to them, but it was regarded as average by the interviewees. All the language skills were considered important. The study recommends that the Ministry of Health, Khartoum State, should consider this NA results to prepare training courses in English for its employees.

Author Biography

Abuelgasim Sabah Elsiad MOHAMMED, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University

Abuelgasim Sabah Elsiad MOHAMMED is a lecturer at Department of English language, College of Science & Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Aljharj, Saudi Arabia. His interest falls within the area of ELT, SLA, ESP, Corpus Linguistics, CALL.  

References

Aldohon, H., I. (2014). English for specific purposes (ESP) for Jordanian tourist police in their workplace: Needs and problems. International Education Studies, 7 (11), 56 - 67. http://doi.org/10.5539/ies.v7n11p56

Al-khatib, M., A. (2005). English in the workplace: An analysis of the communication needs of the tourism and banking personnel. Asian EFL Journal, 7(2), 174 - 194.

Al-Malki, E. A., Javid, C. Z., Farooq, M. U., Algethami, G. F., & Al-Harthi, A. A. (2022). Analysis of the English language needs of the Saudi tourism workforce: A first step into designing ESP teaching materials. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 21(2)72 - 88. https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.21.2.5

Ananta, B. D. B., Sholahuddin, M. F. T., Khotib, D. A., & Farah, R. R. (2025). Need analysis of English for specific purposes (ESP) in Psychology: Identifying linguistics demands for academic and professional success. English Learning Innovation (englie), 6(1), 108–123. https://doi.org/10.22219/englie.v6i1.37743

Anthony, L. (2018). Introducing English for specific purposes. Routledge.

Basturkmen, H. (2010.). Developing courses in English for specific purposes. Palgrave Macmillan.

Bedri, A. M.A. (2000). Towards professional communicative competence in Sudan [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. University of Khartoum.

Bouzidi, H. (2009). Between the ESP classroom and the workplace: Bridging the gap. English Language Teaching Forum, 47(3), 10 -19.

Brindley, G. (1989). The role of needs analysis in adult ESL programme design. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp. 63 -78). Cambridge University Press.

Brown, J. D. (2016). Introducing needs analysis and English for specific purposes. Routledge.

Brown, J. D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum: A systematic approach to programme development. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Brown, J. D. (2009). Foreign and second language needs analysis. In M. H. Long and C. J. Doughty (Eds.). The handbook of language teaching (pp. 269 - 293). Wiley-Balckwell.

Chamorro, G., Vázquez-Amador, M., & Garrido-Hornos, M. D. (2021). ESP for tourism: Does it meet employers’ needs and prepare students? In L. Escobar & A. I. Moreno (Eds.), Mediating knowledge and L2 abilities (pp. 153–190). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87476-6_8

Creswell, J. & VL, Plano Clark. (2017). Designing and conducting mixed methods research (3rd ed.). SAGE.

Dudley-Evans, T. & M. J. St John. (1998). English for specific purposes: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge University Press.

Fareen, M. (2024). Macro inquiries on needs-based language learning and its implications on ESP syllabus design. Journal of Pedagogical Sociology and Psychology, 6(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.33902/jpsp.202324177

Graves, C. (2000). Designing language courses: A guide for teachers. Heinle & Heinle Publishers.

Humaira, F. (2021). English for tourism services business: A need analysis at SMK N 3 Bandar Lampung [Unpublished Master thesis, University of Islamic State Raden]. http://repository.radenintan.ac.id/id/eprint/17636

Hutchinson, T. & A. Waters. (1987). English for Specific Purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge University Press.

Hyland, K. (2006). English for academic purposes: An advanced resource book. Routledge.

Kaur, S., & Clarke, C. M. (2009). Analysing the English language needs of human resources staff in multinational companies. English for Specific Purposes World, 3(24), 1 - 10.

Kim, D. (2008). English for occupational purposes: One language? Continuum.

Koester, A. (2020). English for occupational purposes. In C. Chappelle (Ed.). The concise Encyclopedia of applied linguistics (pp. 430 – 435). Wiley- Blackwell.

Long, M. H. (2005). Methodological issues in learner needs analysis. In M. H. Long (Ed.). Second language needs analysis (pp. 19-75). Cambridge University Press.

Lynch, B. & T., Hutchison. (1991). EST reading. In M. C. Murcia (Ed.). Teaching English as a second or foreign language (pp.216-230). Heinle & Heinle.

Masyhud, M., & K., Khoiryah. (2021). Developing ESP materials for tourism industry in Malang. Professional Journal of English Education, 4(3), 446 - 456. https://doi.org/10.22460/project.v4i3.p446-456

Merine, A., & B., Yamin. (2019). An overview of needs analysis in the field of English for specific purposes: Some case studies in the occupational sector. Al-Lisāniyyāt, 25(1), 55 – 73.

Mohamed, O. O., A. N., Al- Ani. (2024). Needs Analysis of English for specific purposes for health sciences students: A Cross-sectional study at a university in the U.A.E. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 15(5), 1419 – 1431. https://doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1505.04

Mohammadzadeh, S. & T., Barati. (2015). An investigation into the English language needs of bank employees of Saderat Bank in Mashhad. Theory and Practice in Language Studies, 5 (8), 1695 - 1702. http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/tpls.0508.21.

Namtapi, I. (2022). Needs analysis of English for specific purposes for tourism personnel in Ayutthaya. LEARN Journal: Language Education and Acquisition Research Network, 15(1), 409 – 439.

Nugraha, M. (2002). Triangulation of instrumentation and data source: A stronger method in assessing English language needs. K@ta, 4 (2), 148-159. https://doi.org/10.9744/kata.4.2.148-159

Nunan, D. (1988). Syllabus design. Oxford University Press.

Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum development in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.

Rico, M., P., F., da Silva & L., V., Fielden. (2019). English for occupational purposes: Transference, expectations, and failures. Journal of Language Teaching and Research. 10 (1), 11- 22. http://dx.doi.org/10.17507/jltr.1001.02

Robinson, P. (1991). ESP today: a practitioner's guide. Printice Hall International.

Rossett, A. (1982). A typology for generating needs assessment. Journal of Instructional Development, 6(1), 28-33. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02905113.

Seedhouse, P. (1995). Needs analysis and the general English classroom. ELT Journal, 49 (1), 59-65. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/49.1.59.

Trujeque-Moreno, E. E., Romero-Fernández, A., Esparragoza-Barragán, A., & Villa-Jaimes, C. (2021). Needs analysis in the English for specific purposes (ESP) approach: The case of the Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. MEXTESOL Journal, 45(2), 1–24. https://doi.org/10.61871/mj.v45n2-17

West, R. (1997). Needs analysis: State of the art. In R. Howard and G. Brown (Eds.). Teacher education for Languages for specific purposes (pp. 68-97). Multilingual Matters.

Downloads

Published

2025-08-24

Issue

Section

Research Articles