CREATING SYLLABUS AND DEVELOPING GRADING CRITERIA FOR MACEDONIAN LANGUAGE FOR PROFESSIONAL PURPOSES AT SEEU ACCORDING TO NEEDS BASED ANALYSIS

Abstract

This paper is focused on the issue of designing grading criteria for Macedonian language for professional purposes (MLPP) for the students at South East European University (SEEU) in the Republic of Macedonia. It proceeds from the view that according to the nature of this course its content should be based on the learners’ needs and opportunities. The aim of this paper is to determine grading criteria for MLPP based on the needs and opinions of the students enrolled in this subject. In the theoretical part of the paper we will explain the place of needs analysis in the process of syllabus design and student assessment and its importance in the framework of growing interest in communicative rather than linguistic competence, having in mind subjective and objective needs. Also we will highlight the significance of students’ involvement in creating grading criteria. The theoretical part is a basis for our empirical study and research. The research in this paper is presented through the results of the survey. The survey was conducted among 135 students from first year at SEEU in the 2015/2016 school year to obtain the necessary information about their expectations of the course and their learning processes and about their opinion for grading criteria. In this part we will also describe how the survey was designed. Finally, we will provide our future plans for other subjects at SEEU connected with Macedonian language (Macedonian as a foreign language, etc.).