Nursing Students’ English Language Learning Needs and Perceptions

Abstract

Nursing students should learn English language courses which focus on a restricted range of skills required by them for their profession. Cognizant of this, the researchers in this study surveyed specific English language needs of undergraduate nursing students. The study used Hutchinson and Waters' (1987) approach to analyze nursing students’ needs of English language skills and sub-skills to study their field effectively, their level of proficiency in English language skills and their perceptions of the relevance of the courses offered to them. To collect data, questionnaire and interview were used. The results showed that students are more proficient in reading and writing about health related issues than speaking and listening. Students reported that they could read and understand medical texts, instruments and reports written by doctors. It was also found out that students could write patient history, prescriptions and medication procedures. The study concluded that the courses which nursing students are taking are irrelevant. There is need to design specific courses which improve their reading and writing skills in their field.

Key words: field related courses, needs analysis, profession, read medical articles, writing about health related issues,