Needs assessment in occupation-specific VESL or how to decide what to teach

Abstract

A VESL instructor is usually also a curriculum developer, challenged to determine the language needed for success in a particular vocation and then to apply ESL teaching techniques to meet those needs. This article discusses how best to use various sources of information, including reference books on job descriptions, vocational education materials, jobsite observations, and vocational instructors. Data is then organized into content areas (such as equipment, safety, measurement, processes, and quality control) and language requirements (such as vocabulary, situations, functions, structures, and register). Syllabus design comes from a logical analysis of the job.