A language learning needs analysis for Syrian EFL learners in Gaziantep city

This study was conducted in the 2018-2019 academic year in Gaziantep city. It casts lights upon the significance of needs analysis of the Syrian students in Gaziantep-Turkey who mainly want to enter universities where the medium of instruction is English.Some Turkish universities demand some certificates like (SAT or TOEFL, etc.) if foreign students want to get better opportunities to enter and study Medicine or Engineering faculties. Medicine or engineering faculties of Gaziantep University, teach their courses in English, which require a good level of English language in order to study in one of these faculties or even in many other faculties all around Turkey. Because of the previously mentioned circumstances, Syrian and other foreign students have to pass the English exams universities do, and so as to pass this exam they have different needs to fill the gaps and weak points and to improve their English language level in order to go to universities that have programs in English. Many studied similar researches that deal with the needs of the first year preparatory students, but the current study focuses more on Syrian students who are high school students or finished high school and preparing to enter universities. On the other hand, the results of this research can be generalized to cover similar cases of all foreign students who want to continue their university studies in many Turkish universities, which have their medium courses mainly or partly in English language. The purpose of this study is to identify the language learning needs of Syrian students in Gaziantep-Turkey who were high school students. The main objective of this study is to recognize the target needs of the students and to investigate whether the materials they study and use fit these needs or not. To reach this end, the researcher used both a structured questionnaire and a semi-structured interview. In this study, the data was collected using needs analysis questionnaire and interview protocols. Group interviews and individual ones inside classrooms were made, in which the researcher asked questions and students gave their opinions and answers one by one. A larger number of participants (N=183) participated in m questionnaire which gave statistical data to conclude the results. There were four groups from three different high schools in this study. The first and second groups were composed of female students. The third and fourth groups were composed of male and female students from the same high school. All those students were high school students of the 2019 academic year, who were possible university students in the following year. Other teachers also helped me to do the questionnaire after the researcher explained the procedure they should follow. The study found that the highest two needs for learning English among students were to continue with their university studies and for their future career. The majority of the participants agreed that their study provides well-written exercises. In the interview, most of the participants stated that their study focuses heavily on grammar. On the other hand, most of the participants think that they could not meet all their needs at school because of the relatively low course hours.