Bridging the Academic–Vocational Gap: A Needs Analysis for Developing a Project-Based English Module in an Agribusiness Context
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24256/ideas.v14i1.10979Keywords:
agribusiness, ESP, needs analysis, project-based learningAbstract
The demand for English proficiency in vocational education requires instructional materials that align with students’ professional contexts. Although English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and Project-Based Learning (PjBL) have been widely explored in vocational education, studies integrating ESP needs analysis, Agribusiness-specific content, Project-Based Learning, and the Merdeka Curriculum remain limited. This study aims to identify the target needs and learning needs of Agribusiness students at SMKN 1 Paguyaman as a basis for developing an ESP module integrated with Project-Based Learning. This research represents the Analysis phase of the ADDIE model and employed a descriptive needs analysis design. Data were collected through document analysis of the Phase F English Learning Outcomes and questionnaires administered to one English teacher, three Agribusiness productive teachers, and 18 eleventh-grade Agribusiness students. The data were analyzed using qualitative descriptive analysis involving data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings revealed a gap between curriculum expectations and classroom practices, particularly regarding limited technical vocabulary and the lack of contextualized instructional materials. Specifically, 88% of students reported difficulty understanding English vocabulary, while 93% expressed a need for agriculture-related procedural text materials. Procedure and descriptive texts were identified as the most relevant text types, whereas Project-Based Learning and interactive audio features were considered effective in supporting student engagement and comprehension. The novelty of this study lies in integrating ESP needs analysis, Agribusiness-specific content, Project-Based Learning, and the Merdeka Curriculum as a foundation for developing contextualized instructional materials. The study concludes that a contextualized ESP module is essential to bridge the gap between content knowledge and students’ language competence.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Elva Bonita Arbie, Nonny Basalama, Sartin T Miolo, Muziatun Mukadji, Hasanuddin Fatsah, Rasuna Talib
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