Identifying communicative needs and real-world tasks for EFL agriculture students
A task-based needs analysis
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24030216 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Carolina Arias-Contreras (0000-0002-2499-499X, The University of Queensland, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-14 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Applied Linguistics (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0142-6001 • E-ISSN: 1477-450X |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1093/applin/amag063 |
| OpenAlex | W7203442606 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 39 |
Task-based language teaching (TBLT) aims to prepare learners for real-world tasks, which can be identified through task-based needs analysis (TBNA). TBNA is especially relevant in specialized study programmes with clear language demands, such as agriculture-related programmes for English learners. However, the real-world tasks these learners must perform remain underexplored, as existing studies often rely on linguistic or text-based analyses, underscoring the need for further TBNA research. This study uses a TBNA to explore the communicative needs and target tasks of English as foreign language agriculture students in Chile. It focuses on tasks requiring English in technicians’ jobs and examines perspectives from key professionals. The study employed qualitative data collection, including twenty-three interviews and document analysis. Participants included ten technicians, two managers, and eleven teachers. Findings revealed two main communicative needs and twenty-three target tasks students are likely to perform in the L2 in the target situation, revealing gaps in their English education. The study demonstrates the value of TBNA for triangulated task identification and offers insights for curriculum developers and teachers selecting tasks in TBLT. It also advances TBNA research and presents a framework transferable to similar contexts.
Curriculum · English as a foreign language · English language · Foreign language · Identification (biology) · Needs analysis · Needs assessment · Qualitative research · Task (project management) · Task Analysis · EFL/ESL Teaching and Learning · Multilingual Education and Policy · Second Language Learning and Teaching
Needs Analysis and Syllabus Design for Language for Specific Purposes
Tasks in Second Language Learning
Task-Based Language Teaching
Task-Based Language Teaching
English for Academic Purposes
Qualitative Interviews
From task-based needs analysis to curriculum evaluation
The role of English language in the field of agriculture
An Introduction to Qualitative Research
Task‐based language teaching
Task-based needs analysis
Needs analysis in language teaching
Addressing the Language and Literacy Needs of Aboriginal High School VET Students who Speak SAE as an Additional Language
| Highly cited | No |
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