Students’ and English Language Teachers’ Perceptions of Language Needs and the Curriculum in the First Year at University of Duhok

This study explores how freshmen and English language teachers perceive the English language needs of first year students who are currently studying a general foundation course that is based on an adopted textbook at University of Duhok in Kurdistan region of Iraq. Following a target-situation and present situation approaches to needs analysis, this study uses a mixed method research design in which both qualitative and quantitative data are collected from three different sources: freshmen, English language teachers and decision makers. The quantitative part of the study is statistically analyzed using SPSS, while the qualitative part is thematically analyzed in order to come out with major ideas that were configured during interviews. The results of the questionnaire indicated to the positive views of both students and teachers towards freshmen’s language needs. In general, both students and teachers believe that freshmen need to have a general foundation course that covers both general knowledge of English and subjects that will feed their instrumental needs in present and future situations. Relatively, the results of interviews reassured these ideas when the stakeholders stated clearly that freshmen at Duhok University need a general foundation course at tertiary level to be proceeded by an English for Academic Purposes (EAP) course. Moreover, the results signified that the currently in-use course book does not fulfil students’ academic, social and vocational needs and the reason was mainly attributed to the time allotted for this course which is believed to be insufficient. These findings indicate that the currently in-use textbook, though general, does indeed fulfil students’ needs to certain extent in comparison with students assumed proficiency level and the learning context. Consequently, we suggest this textbook be supplied by another material that will address students’ academic needs, and the university provide a training for the teaching staff on how to teach this textbook and most importantly, the course be extended to at least two consecutive academic years. A future evaluation of the curriculum at this stage is highly recommended.