ENGLISH FOR MATH: INVESTIGATING THE NEEDS OF MATHEMATICS EDUCATION STUDENTS

Abstract

The present research explores the English learning needs of Mathematics Education students based on the concept of English for STEM. Although English proficiency is increasingly necessary in mathematics worldwide, English teaching for these students is usually general. A descriptive quantitative design was used, and data were collected through a needs analysis questionnaire administered to ten Mathematics Education students at an Islamic university in Makassar. The data were analysed with descriptive statistics to identify the students' necessities, lacks and wants. The findings show a gap between motivation and confidence. Seventy percent of the students agreed that they felt motivated to improve their English, yet only 30% felt confident using English in class and only 10% could readily understand lecturers' explanations or videos in English. Speaking was ranked as the most important skill by 70% of the respondents, while 60% considered it the most difficult skill. Moreover, 80% agreed that they needed to improve their grammar and vocabulary, and 40% strongly agreed that they needed to master the technical terms of mathematics. Many responses were neutral, which suggests that students' needs are not yet clearly formed. These results imply that ESP classes for Mathematics Education students should go beyond general communication and adopt a speaking-centred, content-based approach that integrates technical mathematics vocabulary with professional oral communication.