THE NEEDS FOR ENGLISH LEARNING MATERIAL IN MECHANICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT INSTITUTE TECHNOLOGY OF PADANG

Abstract

The use of English in specific areas such as (culinary, automotive, hospitality, and others.) is a crucial
thing and it is well-known as English for Specific Purposes. The process of learning English is still
separated by many aspects such as the limitation of appropriate learning material where each area has
its environment and learning material has to consider it carefully. This research aims to find out the
needs of learning English for Mechanical Engineering students at the Institute Technology of Padang.
The respondents are mechanical engineering students, English lecturer, Mechanical Engineering
Lecturer, and User. This study used questionnaires and interviews as a technique of data collection. The
researcher used Target situational analysis, Present Situational Analysis, Learning Need Analysis and
material development questionnaires in classifying the needs of learning English for Mechanical
Engineering. The result from the three types of need analysis showed that Students have high interesting
in learning English, Students’ English ability is still low or basic/intermediate level, English subject
should emphasize to education and specific-field of students, Reading and Speaking should be more
emphasized in the learning process, and learning English should relate with the students’ specific-field.
Therefore, learning material for Mechanical Engineering should consider the result of the needs above.