Analyzing the English Language Needs of Medical StudentsShaqra University in Saudi

Abstract

This study aims at investigating language needs among Saudi medical students in the preparatory year at Shaqra University. Students who enroll in medical colleges face up a problem manifest in absence of cognitive language knowledge and skills required to enhance the learning conditions. Although the medium of instruction in all medical fields is English, students’ grasp of English language is seemingly poor. This ailing situation is further felt in their appeal to their tutors to shift from teaching in English to Arabic. So, preliminary students can hardly make their way and communicate in English .The significance of this study rests on the fact that medical students are expected to have a highly communicative competence and performance while studying and after graduation. The study attempts to investigate students' language needs in order to satisfy the above cited goal. The researcher adopted a mixed method (quantitative and qualitative). Two questionnaires (one for medical students and another for ESP teachers at Shaqra University) and an interview for ESP teachers were conducted to collect data from the participants.These data were statistically analyzed and the most important findings were as follows: English for Specific Purpose (ESP) empowers students with skills and knowledge of medical terminology to communicate effectively in various medical contexts. 81.6% of the students consider speaking and writing to have more impact on enhancing medical students' communicative skills compared to listening and reading. Teachers do appreciate the necessity of language needs analysis for its impact on identifying students' weaknesses and strengths in linguistic knowledge that facilitate learning and understanding. It is recommended that further studies to be conducted to investigate the students' communicative needs in general and ESP learners' needs in particular to satisfy their English language requirements