An analysis of the linguistic needs of Afrikaans-speaking lecturers at an English-medium university

Abstract

This dissertation explores the linguistic needs of Afrikaans-speaking lecturers at an English-medium, Historically Black University. The concept of learner needs is briefly discussed, and the various aspects of a needs analysis are examined. The importance of a needs analysis as part of the planning of a remedial language course (or any other language course) is emphasised, and the limitations of needs analysis are pointed out. The usefulness of Error Analysis as a tool within an analysis of needs is pointed out. It is shown how an error analysis may be used to help establish the learners’ present needs and ‘lacks’ with regard to the target language. The Error Analysis hypothesis in briefly presented, and the notion of error is discussed. Research on course design and remediation for adult learners is reviewed. Here, the importance of needs analysis as an important preliminary step in course design, is emphasised. A needs analysis is conducted using a questionnaire and follow-up interview with a group of Afrikaans-speaking lecturers at an English-medium university. This is done in order to establish their perceived linguistic needs English. An Error Analysis of the lectures presented (in English) by these lecturers is undertaken to obtain more information about the substantive linguistic needs (or ‘lacks’) of these lecturers. Errors of a linguistic nature (morphology, syntax, sentence structure, and lexis), are identified and classified. The dissertation considers the implications of these perceived and substantive needs for a remediation course for Afrikaans-speaking lecturers at an English Medium University. The dissertation concludes by making recommendations with reference to possible techniques which may be employed in a remediation course, and a concise outline of a possible remediation course for Afrikaans-speaking lecturers at an English-medium university, is given.