Adult Learners’ Perceptions of Needs as a Factor to Lifelong Learning

Abstract

This paper describes the investigation of the perceptions of needs by adult learners. Learners have their internal needs in addition to external demands imposed by teaching institutions. Timing of language courses is scheduled, and teachers are not authorized either to prolong or shorten the scheduled course. What teachers can do is foster learners’ language skills by employing more effective techniques, encouraging learners to plan their learning by setting realistic aims and training learners for the lifelong learning and personal development. For successful language learning, the incorporation of learner ‘real world’ needs, the development of learner ability to transfer language knowledge to novel situations and the usage of acquired skills in real life communication are considered to be vital parts of course syllabus. Needs analysis plays an important role in designing course syllabus, selecting appropriate materials and teaching learners how to learn.