Analysis of the requirements of practical English education at the Faculty of Health Sciences using the KH-Coder

抄録

In order to meet the needs of a globalized society, there is a growing demand for dental technicians and dental hygienists who are fluent in English. However, problems occur at the workplace due to the lack of English proficiency among health care providers. Students studying to work in this field are often not confident of their language abilities. English education needs to be enhanced at the workplace as well as in schools. Based on the concept of English for specific purposes (ESP) education, we did a needs analysis on the status of the English proficiency of dental technician and hygiene students along with the type of English language skill thought necessary for each department. Based on proficiency test results and text analysis of a questionnaire, it became clear that students in both departments feel English proficiency that centers on communication skills is necessary for their careers. The objective for using English differed between the departments. Technician students sensed the necessity to communicate with patients, clients, and colleagues both domestically and abroad while dental hygiene students felt a need to communicate with foreign patients domestically. These findings can contribute to the structuring of the curriculum and teaching plans for practical dental English education. (J Osaka Dent Univ 2023; 57: 313-320)