Information collection & exchange

aspects of language. 
At the end of the process are the examinations. You need periodic tests to help you and your students 
judge their progress through the course. Very likely there will also be a final examination and possibly a 
national examination which your students must take. 
An overview of this process is shown in the figure below. 

---

APTER ONE 
s: Needs and constraints 
olunteers teaching English inside or outside of
ds assessment, some of the
ised in a needs
large multilevel classes to the limitations of individual tutorials.
(EFL), or English as a Second Language (ESL), 
ha
needs of their students, to students' attitudes 
tow
s 
suc
n 
academic subject in the school system and is not widely used outside of the classroom. The same attention 
in countries such as Malawi and Sri Lanka where English is taught as a 
ial to success. 
or you, as a teacher stepping into a new educational system, it is important to inform yourself of your 
and attitudes towards learning English so that from the beginning you can play an effective 
CH
 
nt situation
Teaching in differe
This chapter looks at the concerns facing V
the school system. The chapter outlines the reasons for a nee
people to be approached for information, and some of the questions to be ra
assessment. 
In addition, this chapter looks at some of the constraints facing Volunteers teaching English,
from the demands of
Solutions are suggested which require the practical application of skills presented in
pre-service training. 
In recent years teachers of English as a Foreign Language 
been paying increasing attention to identifying the 
ve
ards English and their reasons for learning it. This attention to learners' needs can be seen in countrie
as Zaire or Peru where English is regarded as a foreign language and is largely treated as a
h
to learners' needs can also be seen 
second language, where English is widely used and is perceived as essent
F
students' needs

---

role in your classroom. Conducting a needs assessment, even an informal one, is therefore an important first 
tinguish between would-be learners who are serious and those who are more casual in their 
pproach. An accurate assessment of your learners' commitment could help you avoid frustration or an