Investigating English Language Listening And Speaking Target Necessities of Social Work Students at the University College of Applied Sciences, Palestine

The central objective of this study is to investigate social work students' English language skills target needs at the University College of Applied Sciences (UCAS) in relation to their listening and speaking skills, through determining and identifying the social work students’ necessities, to function effectively in their academic and work domain. Following Hutchinson and Waters’ (1987) NA model, the respondents of this study are social work students and teachers, and ESP teachers. This study uses a triangulation mixed methods design. Quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques including a questionnaire and interviews are employed to identify the students’ necessities. Generally, the findings show that speaking and writing are the most important for the social work students, as perceived by all the respondents, to function effectively in the academic and job domain. Finally, the present study will broaden the scope and archive of data relevant to research on ESP and NA. It is hoped that this study will be an initial step in developing a suitable ESP course at UCAS, as it tries to encourage other researchers to pursue the subject further, as well.