English itself in vocational highs school is categorized as an adaptive subject matter which has the goal to prepare the studentsto have a good
communication in both written and oral English based the context, especially the one exists in their discipline. It is important since the students have to be
compentence in facing the era where technology plays a key role. They are expected to be able to compete globally since computer and networking are
getting sophosticated in the modern world. As what is expected from vocational high school students, they have to be more skilful rather than students from
regular high school in many ways. After the students graduate, they have a wide opportunity to work as
computer technicians, website administrators, and other professions related to IT industry. Students of computer engineering and networking program also can
continue study in the higher education such as in Technology and Informatics major or Computer Science major. They have large prospects and chances to be
successful, mainly in computer and networking area that always needs capable people to work in.
2. English for Specific Purposes ESP
The preceeding description shows that Computer Engineering and Networking students have different purposes in learning English unlike reguler
high school students. It is in line with the theory stated by Hutchinson Waters 1987 which claims that what can make ESP different from general English is the
awareness of the needs of the students to learn English. As computer and
networking students have different needs in learning English, the English materials also should stick to English for Specific Purposes ESP. This section illustrates
ESP as the relation of designing materials, such as the definition of ESP, need analysis, and materials development.
a. Definition of ESP
Hutchinson and Waters 1987:19 state that ESP is an approach to language teaching in which all decisions as to content and method are based on
the learners reason for learning. ESP has characteristics in which the teaching and learning concern on how students can meet the specific needs they want to
learn Anthony, 1997:1. This is in line with Graves 2000 who proposes that ESP is illustrated as an umbrella of teaching and learning process for specific
purpose. Basturkmen 2006:17 also supports the idea in which ESP is about preparing learners to use English within academic, professional, or workplace
environment. In language teaching, ESP is important as Nunan 2004:7 in Basturkmen 2006:17 also declares that
‘ESP is the subcomponet of language teaching, with its own approaches to curriculum development, materials design,
pedagogy, testing and research ’.
b. Needs Analysis
In order to get the information of what the need of ESP learners are, there is a process of collecting information called needs analysis Richards, 2001:51.
The purposes of needs analysis are shown as follows.
a. Finding out what language skills needed by the learners. b. Knowing whether the previous course has met the students needs
c. Knowing the students who are most in need of training a certain language skills.
d. Identifying direction change that is important according to a particular group
e. Identifying a gap between what the students are able to do and what they have to be able to do, and
f. Collecting information about problem of the students Richards, 2001:52 To identify what the needs of the ESP learners, Hutchinson Waters
1987:55 devide two terms called target needs and learning needs. Target needs include neccesities, lacks, and wants, while learning needs cover what the learners
need to do. The first analysis should be done is target needs which are described as
something will be needed by the learners in the future, especially the use of language Hutchinson Waters: 1987. They divide the target needs into three
aspects: necessities, lacks, and wants. a Neccessities
Necessities are the needs of learners to know the knowledge demanded by the target situation where they are involved. In this research, as
the learners are majoring Computer Engineering and Networking, they have to know language related to their area, such as reading manuals, knowing
computer terms, understanding computer instruction, and so on. Necessities are closely related to the situation where the learners take place Hutchinson
Waters, 1987:55.
b Lacks Every learners must have problems in the English learning such as the
lack of proficiency, vocabulary, grammar, and it is also very possible if one student has different problem with others. Lacks are defined as the gap occurs
between the difficulties and the necessities Hutchinson Waters:1987. When learners cannot achieve the necessities that concern the demanded
knowledge, there are lacks that become the reasons. For example, computer and networking students still are not familiar with some words related to
computer that make them feel difficult when doing computer instruction.
c Wants ESP learners also can determine the needs by their own out of the
necessities. This refers to Wants in which learnersare also given an opportunity to be active in deciding the needs because people can have their
own thought that can be different from what the necesities require. The awarness of lacks also make them know in what stage of English learning
they are now so they can grasp the achievement they aim by considering the gap between necessities and lacks. However, the needs formulated by
learners sometimes meet some difficulties as some parties such as course
