User Needs Analysis in Learning Argumentative Writing Via Mobile Platform

This research is carried out to conduct a needs analysis of the problems trainee teachers face in their Argumentative Writing. Argumentative writing is undeniably important to language users. This genre of writing is relevant as it helps learners become critical and reflective thinkers. However, it is most daunting as many „learners enter higher education with underdeveloped ability to think critically.‟ In addition to weak content, another obstacle to writing among college learners is weak vocabulary. This study explores the needs for learning Argumentative Writing Skills for English as a Second Language. This research attempts to identify the needs of „argumentative writing‟ learners when arriving at college, to explore the difficulties students experience with argumentation in academic writing and discuss the limitations of current instruction. Recommendations for improvements of instruction will also be made. Trainee teachers from the 27 teacher training institutes in Malaysia were involved. Stratified random sampling was employed to obtain data as the institutions are divided into 5 zones, Northern, Southern, Eastern, Central as well as Sabah and Sarawak. The data was collected using questionnaires and analysed using SPSS 20. The findings of the needs analysis showed that respondents are prepared physically, economically and psychologically for mobile learning.