Determining minimum competency level of english for freshmen at Gaziantep University

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study is principally concerned with determining both the language skills and study skills needs of the Freshman students at the University of Gaziantep, who are expected to use English for academic communication since the medium of instruction is English. Chapter I aims at introducing the nature of communication, the background to language teaching and the problem at hand. Chapter II deals with curriculum theory and rationale in curriculum design. In this chapter theoretical assumption or social implications of competency-based ESL and some of the projects conducted on learners' needs and course objectives in several places have been presented. Chapter III deals with the method of research, the characteristics of the subjects and the evaluation of the questionnaire forms. Chapter IV aims at performing the analysis of learners' needs which, resulted in the identification of the target needs and language difficulties that the students encounter. Finally Chapter V concentrates on the objectives proposed in the areas of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. In this study needs analysis has been conducted mainly with a view to obtaining information about the target needs of the students i.e the skills and competence (the minimum competence level of English) which they are expected to exhibit when they actually start to study their target specialism. After the diagnosis of needs, the course objectives have been stated to be able to teach necessary academic skills in appropriate contents. The study also intends to guide materials developers to develop new materials for Freshman English 101.