2. THE SYLLABUS
What do we mean by a syllabus?
Six stages of syllabus :
1. The Evaluation Syllabus
2. The Organisational Syllabus
3. The Material Syllabus
4. The Teacher Syllabus
5. The Clasroom Syllabus
6. The Learner Syllabus
3. 2. Why should we have a syllabus?
There are acknowledged and hidden reasons for
having a syllabus :
Language is a complex entity
A syllabus gives moral support to the teacher
and learner
An ESP syllabus has cosmetic role
The syllabus can be seen as a statement of
projected routes
A syllabus is an implicit statement of on the
nature of language and learning
4. A syllabus provides a set of criteria for materials
selection and/ or writing.
A syllabus is one way in which standardisation is
achieved
A syllabus provides a visible basis for testing
5. 3. On what criteria can a syllabus be organised?
Criteria of organising syllabus:
Focus
Select
Subdivide
Sequence
Presented below are some contents list from a range of
ESP courses:
Topic Syllabus
Structural / Situational Syllabus
Skills and Strategies
6. 4. What role should a syllbus play in the course design
process?
1. A language-centred approach
2. A skills-centred approach
3. A learning-centred approach
4. The post hoc approach
7. The role of the syllabus in a language-centred approach
Analyse target situation
Write syllabus
Write or select texts to
illustrate items in syllabus
Write exercises to practice
Items in the syllabus
Devise test for assessing knowledge of
the items in the syllabus
8. The role of the syllabus in a skills-centred approach
Analyse target needs
Select interesting and
representative texts
Devise a hierarchy of skills
to exploit the texts
Order and adapt the texts
as necessary to enable a
focus on the required skills
Devise activities /techniques
to teach those skills
Devise a system to asses
the acquisition of the skills
9. The role of the syllabus in a learning-centred approach
Analyse target
situation
Analyse
learning
situation
LEVEL 1 Establish general
syllabus of topics ,tasks
Create interesting and
enjoyable materials Produce detailed
language/skills syllabus
LEVEL 2
Check language and skills
content of materials and
make necessary adjusment
10. The role of the syllabus in a post hoc approach
Write materials on
undefined criteria
Write cosmetic syllabus
to satisfy sponsors, teachers,
students et al.
