RELATED STUDIES 1. Akyel and Ozek (2010) investigated a language needs analysis research at an English medium university in Turkey.

A triangulation research method was implemented with two different instruments: semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used in this study. Firstly, the participants of questionnaires were distributed to 2,328 students in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th years of 6 different departments of 5 undergraduate schools and 1 graduate school of the university, and with 125 lectures who were randomly selected from different departments in those schools. Secondly, the participants for the semistructured interviews were also selected randomly. Fourteen university instructors working at various faculties and institutions of the university, and 9 students at different undergraduate and graduate schools participated to the interviews. The results of the investigation indicated that the need for encouragement of the students to use effective learning strategies in an English language education programme of the Prep school. For this purpose, the programme needed to foreground the application of different strategies and skills during the learning process, and the qualifications and competencies of the instructors in the implementation of the necessary instruction. Furthermore, the results indicated that there was no discrimination between teaching or testing in teaching materials and methods. Another finding of the interviews indicated that the teaching methods and materials should be process oriented. In addition, both the university instructors and students pointed out that students should be given ample practice in reading and writing for their academic studies. Also, students had great difficulties in speaking English particularly during the first two years of undergraduate programmes. 2. Al-Bazzaz (1994) conducted a needs analysis study to investigate students low achievement in English at the College of Business Studies. A questionnaire was distributed to students and teachers. Interviews and observations were also conducted. The results revealed English was used to communicate with non-native speakers of Arabic in different areas involved with the business sector. The language knowledge required to deal with the labor market was attainable, but it was not adequately covered in the English language courses taught to students of business. The study proposed a model for course development.
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3. Al-Busaidi (2003) conducted a needs analysis study to investigate the academic needs of EFL learners at Sultan Qaboos University (SQU) in the Sultanate of Oman. Methods included interviews, e-mail dialogues, and a questionnaire. The participants included college and language program faculty members as well as undergraduate students at SQU. The study aimed to identify program practices that were most effective in meeting the learners needs. The results showed that the students generally had mixed perceptions of the intensive program. This was partly due to the heterogeneity of the sample and sampling techniques. However, the inconsistency of some student responses was compensated for by qualitative data and faculty response data. One important finding was that participants realized the importance of the intensive program as a means for academic preparation. However, the data pointed out some major gaps in the intensive programs curriculum. One of the main problems was the lack of integration between language and college courses. In addition, academic skills did not seem to receive enough coverage in the language program, negatively affecting learners readiness for academic study. Suggestions to make the intensive program more effective and responsive to learners needs included a hybrid content-based curriculum model to integrate language and college courses. The model designed a core language course based on the content of introductory college courses. It also included an academic skills course to make academic skill instruction more effective. Al-Busaidi also proposed that a credit-bearing university course be offered in the intensive program. Finally, Al-Busaidi suggested that more cooperation was needed between the Language Center and college teachers in order to raise awareness about learners needs. 4. Al-Gorashi (1988) investigated the English language needs for military cadets in Saudi Arabia as perceived by junior officers. Data were collected from 212 questionnaires distributed to officers representing different branches in the military to investigate the role of the English language in different activities required by their jobs and the kind of English language preparation that they undertake. The results showed that the English language plays an important role depending on the nature of each military branch. Some branches considered certain language skills important and others did not. The overall assessment considered reading and listening as the most important required skills. The result also indicated that the English language preparation that the officers received was
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poor. The study concluded that the language preparation does not meet the English language knowledge that the officers jobs required. 5. Almulhim (2001) investigated English language needs of Saudi employees in 101 companies representing different business sectors in the eastern providence of Saudi Arabia. The investigation measured the level of English proficiency required in the four skills. A questionnaire was distributed to different companies and filled out by 308 employees and managers. The results revealed that the English language knowledge is required for employment in most companies and that the level of proficiency varies among different companies. In regard to language skills, managers and employees rated listening as the most important skill followed by speaking, reading, and writing respectively. The study concluded that though the English language is needed in the private sector, an intermediate level of proficiency is generally sufficient to conduct the job. 6. Boonyodom (2005) identified the needs of English language use and problems of office workers at a Thai Company. The researcher investigated which English skills and subskills the officer workers need most, the problems that office workers encounter while using English in their job, and their attitudes toward the English training courses. The participants of the study were 100 office workers of Lohakij Rung Chareon Co., Ltd. Questionnaires were employed for collecting data. The study indicated that the majority of office workers believed that English was moderately important for their present job. In addition, reading skills were the most needed skills for them and frequently used in their routine job. On the other hand, speaking was the biggest problem, followed by listening and writing skills, respectively. Moreover, all respondents were interested in attending English training courses provided by the company because the training courses would help them to improve their English and communication skills and apply these skills to their work. 7. Bosher (2002) conducted a needs analysis study to determine why many ESL students enrolled in a nursing program were not succeeding academically. Interviews, observations, and questionnaires were used to gather information about the objective needs of students. The findings indicated that communicating with clients and colleagues
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in the clinical setting was perceived as the greatest difficulty. Based on the needs analysis, a course on Speaking and Listening in a Health-Care Setting was developed to respond to what was identified as students area of greatest difficulty. The content of the course was divided into four units: assertiveness skills, therapeutic communication, information-gathering techniques, and the role of culture in health-care communication. A variety of methods and materials drawn primarily from sources for developing healthcare communication skills was used to develop the curriculum. 8. Charoenpitakchai (2005) explored a study of Chinese language needs of Mathayom 5 students in Bangkok. The purpose of this study was to investigate the language that Thai students in Mathayom 5 needed to learn most, examine the skills which was most needed and determine the preferences of learning Chinese language through teaching style. Data was collected by using a questionnaire given to 175 students who were studying at Mathayom 5 from a government school in the Pathumwan district, and from a private school in the Thonburi district. The findings showed that most students needed to learn Chinese in the future and believed that Chinese language (Mandarin) was important for their business or careers in future. They tended to need speaking and listening skills more than reading and writing skills. According to teaching style, most of the students preferred to learn Chinese language (Mandarin) with both Chinese and Thai teachers because they could practice learning proper accent and pronunciation with native speakers and discuss grammar if they could not understand in some points. 9. Cowling (2007) described the needs analysis stage in the development of a set of English language materials for an intensive course at a large Japanese company (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries). The requirement was for a business English communication course to run for three days, three times a year, over a period of three years, which setting an intensive course package for its 1-3 year employees. A multiple sources/methods approach and a triangulation of findings were instruments for this study. The results of this study showed that the intensive syllabus was required to do four things: 1) provide nine areas of study (one area for each intensive course) that would be helpful to the students in their working lives. 2) provide a communicative course where students could adapt their current general English knowledge into business situations. 3) provide a
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course that took into consideration cultural issues when communicating with foreign businesspeople. 4) provide realistic (authentic) examples of language. From this study, needs analysis set out to fulfill the conditions laid out by the clients as well as to provide English training for the students which would be useful for their business workings. 10. Eggly (1999) conducted a needs analysis to investigate the relationship between English language proficiency and medical residency success in the United States. Twenty International internal medicine residents at Wayne State University in Michigan were first evaluated for English ability by the Test of English for International Communication. Then, a questionnaire was administered for these students. Although the participants scored high grades in the Test of English for International Communication, language skills were identified in the questionnaires as the primary weakness. The findings indicate that medical knowledge was not linked to English ability. The study concluded that a training course in English for medical purposes was recommended. 11. Jafre-Bin-Zainol-Abidin (1992) investigated English language needs for business purposes in Malaysia for science graduates. A questionnaire was distributed to the science students at the University of Malaysia and another questionnaire was distributed to personnel managers and employees in different companies in Malaysia. The participants ranked the use of English and the important of each language skill. The findings indicated that students ranked reading as the most important skill, while employees ranked each skill differently based on the nature of their jobs. However, all skills were needed to perform basic tasks. The study recommended that 1) university courses should consider students needs, 2) reading skills should be emphasized more in the academic environment, 3) students should participate in the identification of study texts, 4) teachers should pay close attention to individual needs, 5) only senior students should take a course in ESP because students in earlier stages need to focus on the basic four skills. 12. Khemateerakul (1996) conducted a research on needs analysis as a basis for the Intensive English Course of the International Program at Bangkok University. The purposes were to investigate students needs and problems in using English in the International Program of Bangkok University, and to examine students wants regarding
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English Skills to be emphasized in the Intensive English course of the International Program and other factors which include time, instruction, class size and evaluation. This study was conducted using questionnaires which were administered to three groups of respondents: the first group consisted of first year students, the second group of second and third year students, and the third group of instructors of the International Program. It was found that according to their needs with regards to English language skills, all respondents perceived all skills as urgent needs which listening was needed most. The order was listening, reading, writing, and speaking. All English skills were perceived as moderate problems by students while writing and speaking skills were perceived as students greatest problems by instructors. Both students and instructors wanted the listening skill to be emphasized in the intensive English course. 13. Kittidhaworn (2002) investigated the English language needs of 182 second-year undergraduate engineering students in a public university in Thailand. A two-part questionnaire was constructed. The first part of the questionnaire asked for demographic data: gender, specialty, years of studying English in the school, and English proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing skills. The second part dealt with 45 items of English-language needs in four major areas: Language Structures, Rhetorical Categories, Language Functions, & Language Skills (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing). The findings of the study indicated that the majority of Thai engineering students have equal perceived English language needs in all four major areas, with all rated as moderately important or very important to learn in their program in engineering. The findings also revealed that perceived English language needs did not vary widely by demographic variables. 14. Li So-mui and Mead (2000) investigated the workplace English needs of textile and clothing merchandisers who were involved in frequent communication in the international marketplace. Questionnaire surveys, telephone interviews, analysis of authentic correspondence and visits to the workplace were used as instruments for this study. The subjects of the study were 360 participants who graduated from two Hong Kong institutions and had been working as merchandisers for at least one year. The findings showed that English language was the international language of business which
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was used by the Hong Kong merchandisers in their communications. Participants used written English most of time while they rarely used spoken English in the workplace. Then, faxes were rated as the most common channel of communication, followed closely by the telephone for this study. As a result, the detailed investigation into the use of English in the workplace of textile and clothing merchandisers had enabled the course designers and the developers of teaching and learning materials to provide more specifically focused English courses. 15. Lombardo (1988) surveyed 200 students in the School of Economics to investigate students perceived needs and attitudes about learning English as a second language. The results showed that students were motivated to learn English to have a better chance to get a job. Technical terminology was the major problem in reading. Understanding oral reports and participating in meeting were the most activities needed to succeed in their field. In regard to the importance of the four language skills, listening skills were the most important followed by speaking, reading, and writing. 16. Panrattana Chenaksara (2005) conducted a research on Needs Analysis for English communication skills of Thai Airways International Cabin Crew. The study explored the English communication skills problems of Thai Airways International cabin crew and analyzed the English training needs for English communication skills improvement. The respondents were 330 cabin crews. The results showed that listening and speaking skills were perceived as their problem. The major course of the listening problem was accent, especially Australian and Indian accents. English being a second language of the cabin crew was the main cause of the speaking problem. Cabin crew need English training courses every 6 months for 3 consecutive days. The class size should be 7-12 trainees. 17. Prapasiri Srisitanon (2009) studied intercultural communication problems of Thai employees at Precious Public Company Limited. The objectives of the study were to identify what problems Thai employees in the organization encounter, to explore the cause fo the problems and the attitude of Thai staff towards their foreign colleagues and to measure the effectiveness of communication in the company. The respondents were 100 Thai employees. The results indicated that language skill ranked as the major problem faced by Thai employees. The skills that they thought were the biggest obstacles
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were writing, followed by reading. Speaking and listening, when they communicated with their foreign colleagues. The cause of the problem was the inability to use correct grammar, technical words, idiomatic expressions, slang and unfamiliarity with pronunciation. 18. Ratanavichak (1996) did a study on development of listening and speaking activities based on eclectic approach in a course in business English for hotels. The purposes of this research were to develop listening and speaking activities based on an eclectic approach in course in business English for Hotels and to investigate listening and speaking achievement. Population consisted of 2 groups: expert English teachers and 23 students of first year diploma level in a course in Business English for Hotels, at Khon Kaen Vocational College, Muang District, Khon Kean Province during the academic year 1996. Research instrument was ten listening and speaking activities based on an eclectic approach, an evaluation form and a listening and speaking achievement test. Population was taught with listening-speaking activities based on the eclectic approach for 5 weeks. The effectiveness of the activities was evaluated after with each plan. The English listening and speaking achievement test was evaluated after teaching with all plans. The data were analyzed by mean, standard deviations and percentage. The results were as follows: All listening and speaking activities were effective. The mean scores of the students and the experts opinion on all activities surpassed 2.5. The English listening and speaking achievement score of the students taught through listening activities based on the eclectic approach was 66.83 percent which passed the criteria of 60 percent. 19. Rattanapinyowong (1988) conducted a needs analysis study among medical students in Mahidol University in Bangkok. Data were collected from 351 questionnaires distributed to medical, nursing, and related fields students. Interviews with teachers in different University departments were analyzed to identify the English language academic needs of these students. The findings indicated that fewer academic needs were expressed than expected. The participants emphasized the need for English courses designed for specific medical professions. 20. Rithichai (1999) examined the English skills most needed by MBA/MBE students (Special Programmes), at the National Institute of Development Administration; the
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students needs for English Training course. The subjects for this study were 223 students which consist of 119 MBA students who were studying in Class 7 and Class 8, and 104 MBE students who were studying in Class 10 and Class 11. The instrument used was a questionnaire. The finding showed that most participants agreed that English was important for their job and perceived English skills as a key factor in performing their tasks and their career advancement. They faced problems with speaking skills most, followed by listening, writing, and reading, respectively. They also were interested in attending an English training course because it would help them perform their job successfully and would enable them to get ahead in their career. 21. Saravadee Sangsook (2007) studied the needs of employees for English communication in their carriers at Bangkok Produce Merchandising Public Company Limited. The study focused on English skills that the employees would like to improve in order to create a definite plan for their English communication development in the future. The respondents were 125 employees from 4 departments. The results showed that most respondents need English communication in their careers. Speaking was the most necessary skill in their careers. Most respondents would like to improve speaking skill at the highest degree and they agreed that training can help them improve English communication. 22. Seferoglu (2001) conducted a needs analysis study focusing on Turkish government sponsored students who were studying towards masters or doctoral degrees in the US and students who were being prepared in a language program in Ankara, Turkey in order to come to the US to continue their graduate studies. The purpose of this study was to gather information about the language needs as perceived by these students and to explore the extent to which classroom instruction in the language program in Turkey responded to these needs. Data were collected from a questionnaires distributed to 309 graduate Turkish students studying in various American universities and 21 students attending the language program in Turkey. The questionnaire asked students in both groups to rank the importance of the English language in academic life, TOEFL preparation, and daily activities. The majority of the respondents at American universities believed that their academic needs in learning English were far more important than their everyday needs. The majority of respondents from the language program in Turkey agreed. However,
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when students in the English language program were interviewed, they revealed a need more pressing than either academic or everyday English. Their immediate need was to score 500 or more on the TOEFL exam. 23. Shi (2001) developed an English course for junior medical students in the first part of their clinical training at the University of British Columbia. Transcripts of video and audiotapes of six 1-hour sessions of ward teaching were analyzed to investigate the cognitive demands placed on students as they participated in making diagnostic hypotheses with experienced doctors. The aim was to identify the linguistic skills students needed in order to achieve various cognitive learning objectives. These included the skills of using appropriate every day and technical terms to translate information from doctor-patient to doctor-doctor discourse. In the course that was developed, video sequences were used along with carefully designed teaching tasks to raise students awareness of some of the cognitive and linguistic features of the discourse and to improve students performance through practice. The findings indicated that authentic data from student performance can be exploited to construct a tightly focused curriculum addressing students needs. 24. Suwanla-Ong (1999) investigated a needs analysis of English language use and language problems of DPST (The Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talented Project) students who were studying abroad in an academic environment. The instrument used in collecting data was a questionnaire. The participants consisted of 22 DPST postgraduate students, studying for Masters and Doctoral degrees in universities or colleges in England and the United States of America. The results showed that reading and listening skills were more often used and considered more important than speaking and writing skills for both students who studied in the UK and the USA. Listening skills were used with friends most, followed by use of tapes and video, while speaking skills were usually used with friends and for oral presentations. Participants read textbooks most for reading skills and wrote their assignment and projects for writing skills. Regarding language problems, both students in the UK and the USA had the same problems with each skill except writing. The main problem of listening skills were speaking fast and speaking with different accents by native and non-native English
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speakers, and knowing few vocabulary and technical words. Then, incorrect pronunciation, incorrect grammatical usage, vocabulary shortage, and lack of confidence were the problems with speaking skills. Concerning reading problems, students read slowly, and had a shortage of vocabulary words including technical words. Finally, writing skills, the main problem was poor grammar usage. The USA students experienced a lack of knowledge of forms or patterns to write some documents, and a lack of knowledge of how to write those documents appropriately. On the other hand, The UK students experienced the problem of a shortage of vocabulary. The findings of this study was useful for the DPST project supervisor to prepare the students to improve English, which was essential for studying abroad. The findings of the needs analysis in Thailand can be divided into two categories; 1) the academic English and Chinese language needs, and 2) the workplace English language needs. For the academic English and Chinese language needs, the similarity is that listening skills were the necessary skills according to the findings of Sawanla-Ong (1999) and Charoenpitakchai (2005). Reading and listening skills were seen as the most needed skills according to the findings of Suwanla-Ong (1999), while speaking and listening skills were the most needed skills according to the findings of Charoenpitakchai (2005). On the other hand, for the workplace English language needs, speaking skills were viewed as the most important skills in the findings of both Rithichai (1999), and Boonyodom (2005). 25. Tajino, James and Kijima (2005) analysed beyond needs analysis: soft systems methodology for meaningful collaboration in EAP course design. The initial focus of needs analysis was syllabus specification. According to Hamp-Lyons (2001), EAP (English for Academic Purposes) begins with the learner and the situation, whereas general English begins with the language, A good starting point for an EAP course is an understanding of students needs. The researcher discussed the use of soft systems methodology (SSM), an action research methodology primarily used in a business context, as a way to accommodate disparate elements within a decision-making process as it might apply to EAP course design. The results indicated that designing an EAP course was a complex process. While accepting the claim that an analysis of students needs is essential, reality suggests that a diversity of views and perspectives in order to
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achieve maximum support and cooperation from factors involved with the course are considered.

References 1. Akyel, A.S. & Ozek, Y. (2010). A language needs analysis research at an English medium university in Turkey. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2, 969-975. 2. Albazzaz, A. A. (1994). The students low achievement in business English at the College of Business Studies in Kuwait: An analysis of the students educational and occupational language requirements., University of Sussex (United Kingdom), England. 3. Al-Busaidi, S. S. (2003). Academic needs of EFL learners in the intensive English language program at Sultan Qaboos University in the Sultanate of Oman. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States -- Illinois. 4. Al-Gorashi, A. K. (1988). The English communication needs of military cadets in Saudi Arabia as perceived by junior officers in the Saudi Army and air difference. Unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, Indiana University. 5. Almulhim, A. M. (2001). An English language needs assessment of Saudi college-oftechnology students with respect to a number of business sectors in Saudi Arabia., The University of Mississippi, United States -- Mississippi. 6. Boonyodom, V. (2005). Needs analysis of English language use of office workers at a Thai company. Unpublished Masters Thesis, The National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. 7. Bosher, S., & Smalkoski, K. (2002). From needs analysis to curriculum development: Designing a course in health-care communication for immigrant students in the USA. English for Specific Purposes, 21(1), 59-79. 8. Charoenpitakchai, S. (2005). A study of language needs of Mathayom 5 students in Bangkok. Unpublished Masters Thesis, The National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand.
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9. Cowling, J.D. (2007). Needs analysis: Planning a syllabus of a series of intensive workplace courses at a leading Japanese company. English for Specific Purposes, 26, 426-442. 10. Eggly, S., Musial, J., & Smulowitz, J. (1999). The relationship between English language proficiency and success as a medical resident. English for Specific Purposes, 18(2), 201208. 11. Khemateerakul, B. 1996. Needs Analysis as a Basis for the Improvement of the Intensive English Course of the International Program at Bangkok University. Bangkok: M.A.Thesis, Mahidol University. 12. Kittidhaworn, P. (2001). An assessment of the English-language needs of second-year Thai undergraduate engineering students in a Thai public university in Thailand in relation to the second-year EAP program in engineering. West Virginia University, United States - West Virginia. 13. Li So-Mui, F. & Mead, K. (2000). An analysis of English in the workplace: The communication needs of textile and clothing merchandisers. English for Specific Purposes, 19, 351-368. 14. Lombardo, L. (1988). Language learners needs, interests and motivation: A survey of EFL students in an italian economics faculty (No. ED304006). 15. Ratanavichak, V. 1996. Development of Listening and Speaking Activities Based on Electric Approach in a Course in Business English for Hotel. M.Ed. Thesis, Srinakharinwirot University. 16. Rattanapinyowong, W., Vajanabukka, R., & Rungruangsri, P. (1988). A study of the academic English needs of medical students. pasaa, 18(1), 32-39. 17. Rithichai, W. (1999). A study of English language needs of MBA/MBE students (special programs) at NIDA. Unpublished Masters Thesis, The National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. 18. Seferoglu, G. (2001). English skills needed for graduate study in the US: multiple perspectives. iral, 39(2), 161-170.
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19. Shi, L., Corcos, R., & Storey, A. (2001). Using student performance data to develop an English course for clinical training. 20. Suwanla-Ong, N. (1999). English language use and language problems of Thai postgraduate students in foreign countries. Unpublished Masters Thesis, The National Institute of Development Administration, Bangkok, Thailand. 21. Tajino, A, James, R. & Kijima, K (2005). Beyond needs analysis: Soft systems methodology for meaningful collaboration in EAP course design. Journal of English for Academic Purposes, 4, 27-42. 22. Jafre-Bin-Zainol-Abidin, M. (1992). The English language needs of students at the science university of malaysia (MALAYSIA). Keele University (United Kingdom), England. 23. Saravadee Sangsook (2007). Needs of employees for English communication in careers at Bangkok Produce Merchandising Public Company Limited. Unpublished masters research paper, Thammasat University, Language Institute, English for careers. 24. Prapasiri Srisitanon. (2009). Intercultural communication problems of Thai employees of Precious Shipping Pubilc Company Limited (PSL). Unpublished masters research paper, Thammasat University, Language Institute, English for careers. 25. Panrattana Chenaksara. (2005). Needs analysis of English communication skills of Thai Airways International cabin crew. Unpublished masters research paper, Kasetsart University, Faculty of Humanities.

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