Abstract
This chapter reports on one aspect of a research study conducted within the framework of needs analysis in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). A triangulation of both methods and resources was employed for data collection. While a questionnaire was addressed to all the participants in the present study, a structured-interview was further conducted with the ESP teachers. The content of the adopted instruments was, in most cases, duplicated among informants to ensure the reliability and consistency of results. Though the study did not draw a sound conclusion about the relevance of the Test of English for International Communication (TOEIC) to the learning and target needs of the students, it revealed that more than half of the former graduates who are also actual employees did not attach great importance to the test as a valuable tool to evaluate their communication needs as required by their potential employers. This chapter offers a window of opportunity to build the bridge between learning objectives and learner evaluation in ESP which is a widely neglected area of research especially within the Tunisian context. The real shift resides in recognizing all ESP stakeholders’ perceptions of evaluation including learners themselves and the implementation of outcome-based measuring tools reconciling standardized output-oriented assessment with test reliability, authenticity, and impact.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Alderson, J. C., & Waters, A. (1983). A course in testing and evaluation for ESP teachers. In Lancaster Practical Papers in English Language Education Vol. 5. Oxford: Pergamon Press.
Bachman, L. F. (1989). The development and use of criterion-referenced tests of language ability in language program evaluation. In R. K. Johnson (Ed.), The second language curriculum (pp. 242–258). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Bachman, L., & Palmer, A. (1996). Language testing in practice. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Douglas, D. (2000). Assessing language for specific purposes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dudley-Evans, T., & St John, M. J. (1998). Developments in ESP: A multi-disciplinary approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hughes, A. (1988). Introducing a needs-based test of English language proficiency into an English medium university in Turkey. In A. Hughes (Ed.), Testing English for university study (pp. 134–146). (ELT Documents#127). London: Modem English Publications in association with the British Council.
Hutchinson, T., & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes: A learning-centred approach. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Jacoby, S., & McNamara, T. (1999). Locating competence. English for Specific Purposes, 18(3), 213–241.
Long, M. H. (2005). Methodological issues in learner needs analysis. In M. H. Long (Ed.), Second language needs analysis. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
McDonough, J., & McDonough, S. (1997). Research methods for English language teachers. Great Britain: Arnold.
Mackay, R. (1978). Identifying the nature of learners’ needs. In Mackay & Mountford (Eds.), English for specific purposes (pp. 21–42). London: Longman.
Munby, J. (1978). Communicative syllabus design. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Oppenheim, A. N. (1992). Questionnaire design, interviewing and attitude measurement. London: Pinter Publishers.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Jamly, R. (2017). Evaluation in Tunisia: The Case of Engineering Students. In: Hidri, S., Coombe, C. (eds) Evaluation in Foreign Language Education in the Middle East and North Africa. Second Language Learning and Teaching. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43234-2_17
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-43234-2_17
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-43233-5
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-43234-2
eBook Packages: EducationEducation (R0)