SIGNIFICANCE OF CREATING A CUSTOM DIAGNOSTIC ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEST IN ENGLISH FOR SPECIFIC PURPOSES COURSE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NI MEDICAL SCHOOL

The purpose of a diagnostic English language testing is to help students to assess the level of English language skills and to provide students with effective training tools to improve their English language skills. This kind of test is usually designed and intended for students who reached lower intermediate level of communicative competence in reading, listening, speaking and writing skills and it is based on comprehensive needs analysis. However, it can also be adjusted for students who have reached intermediate, upper-intermediate and advanced knowledge of the English language. Conjointly, this paper also examines the use of qualitative data analysis to improve students’ English language performance while taking an ESP course, which gives an insight into what teacher needs for a successful English language course and lesson planning, and that means having an overlook into gray areas of the English language that largely cause problems for students.