ESP Needs Analysis Vis-à-Vis Formality in Business Letters

Abstract

The present study is conducted within the context of the department of Commercial Sciences, at Mohammed Seddik Ben Yahia University, Jijel, and aims at investigating the English language needs of First Year Master students of marketing vis-à-vis formality in business letters. It is exclusively exploratory and shaped by the theoretical framework of English for Specific Purposes (ESP), Needs Analysis (NA) and formality in business letters. The investigation is built on the hypothesis which speculates that first year master students of marketing are not aware of formal language and its use in business letters. The sample consists of one group of students out of the three enrolled at the said level and specialty as well as six ESP teachers. For data collection, two instruments are used: a test for students and a questionnaire for teachers. The findings revealed that the students do have the target needs (necessities, wants and lacks), and that they are unaware of the formality of language and its use in business letters. Additionally to having poor skills in recognizing aspects of formal language, writing business letters, and differentiating between formal and informal English language, learners have also poor skills in the English language in general. Therefore, to meet the students’ target needs, actions need to be taken by syllabus designers and curriculum developers through providing practical solutions and pedagogical procedures to overcome the obstacles that are associated with the above mentioned ESP target situation such as providing a systematic and appropriate educational program that fully covers the identified learners’ needs, especially with regard to the issue of formality in business letters, and organize an ESP training program for teachers as well.