Syllabus Types Points to consider for the Content

Syllabus Types

Points to consider for the Content of Language Learning (Unit 4) � There are mainly three categories: focus on the language, focus on learning and the learner, and focus on social context � 1. Boundaries of the categories are not fixed; they may overlap. � � 2. E. g. If the focus is on topic, there might be some situations and communicative functions as well Under the language section, both ‘what’ (knowledge) and ‘how’ (skills or activities) should be considered

Three Categories of Content � Focus on Language linguistic skills, topics/themes, competencies, content, situations, tasks, speaking, reading, listening, writing, communicative functions, genre � Focus on Learning and the learner affective goals, interpersonal skills, learning strategies � Focus on Social context Sociolinguistic skills, sociocultural skills, sociopolitical skills

FOCUS ON LANGUAGE Linguistic Skills Structural / Formal Syllabus � Focuses on the system that underlie the way language is structured: its grammar, pronunciation, and lexicon. � It includes � The sound system (phonology) of the language. In syllabuses this is pronunciation: how to pronounce, word stress, rhythm, intonation, etc. � The grammar of the language: how words are classified, what their function is, how words are ordered, etc. � The lexicon or vocabulary of the language: a variety of content words (nouns, verbs…), how words are formed (compounding, derivation…), prefixes/suffixes, etc

� Generally proceeds from simple grammatical structure to more complex grammatical structure. � An example might be something like this: � Unit 1: Present progressive � Unit 2: Comparatives � Unit 3: Simple past � Unit 4: Past progressive

Situations Situational Syllabus � The context in which one uses the language. � It includes Places to do business (supermarket, travel agency…) � Places one interacts with others (at a party) � � Situations overlap with communicative functions because there is communication between people in doing business or interacting with each other (e. g. request information at a travel agency). � Situations overlap with topics as well especially when the topic is associated with the situation (e. g. food at the supermarket)

�A sample situational syllabus: � Unit 7 At Home Dialogues Passage: ＡChildlike Father Words and Expressions Notes Exercises Supplementary Reading: The British Bobby

Topics/Themes Topical Syllabus / Thematic Syllabus � Topics are what the language is used to talk or write about: . � Personal (family, food, hobbies, etc) � Professional (topics specific to professions) � Sociocultural (educational, political, etc) � Topics and themes are used interchangeably (themes may be broader than topics and may include a few topics)

�A sample topical syllabus: Week Topics Chapter/Handouts 1 Introduction to Customer Support/Help Desk 1, 2 2 Customer Service Skills, Scripts and Strategies, Commonly used communication tools 3 3 Troubleshooting Computer Problems, Classification and Routing 4 4 Common Support Problems and Resolutions 5

Communicative Functions Functional Syllabus � The purpose for which the language is used (functions): persuading, expressing preferences, apologizing, etc. � Initially texture) � Can paired with notions (quantity, distance, smell, and be paired with situations to make them contextualized. � Problems: some functions are not suitable for a rich lesson � risk of decontextualized inventories which are not meaningful to students �

�A sample Functional Unit � Unit Name: Giving Advice (function) � Content � Although of the Unit: I think you should… Why don’t you… If I were you, I would… You’d better… it is a basic unit, there is the grammatical complexity.

Competencies Competency-Based Syllabus � Unite situations, linguistic skills and functions. � A competency attempts to specify and teach the language and behavior needed to perform in a given situation. � � � Positive side: � � � E. g. how to perform in a job interview How to open a bank account Elements can be specified Their achievements can be measured Problems: � Maybe difficult to predict the path of interaction and the language to be used for a given competency

�A sample competency-based syllabus Themes Instructional leadership Core competencies Curriculum development and implementation Leadership in educational Planning and implementing departmental/ Institutions faculty development Supervisory leadership Evaluating and supervising staff and student performance Maintaining student and staff discipline Monitoring staff and student activities

Tasks Task-Based Syllabus � Can be defined as ‘interactions whose purpose is to get something done’. �A way to promote classroom learning that focused on the processes rather than the products, and on meaning rather than the form. � Assumption: one develops language competence through action and interaction, not as a result of the interaction.

� Tasks are selected through negotiation between teacher and student. �A task can be for work purposes (designing a brochure) � academic purposes (writing an article) � daily life (planning a trip) � � Tasks are a means through which students perform functions, practice skills, and discuss topics. � Can � be performed in the real world or in the classroom. Information gap is a kind of task specific to the classroom.

�A � I- sample task-based writing course: Write Notes and Memos � II- Write a Report � III- Write a Letter to Companies � IV- Write a Replied Letter

Content-Based Syllabus � The subject matter, not the language itself: courses in which students learn another subject (content) such as history, maths through L 2.

Four Skills Skill-Based Syllabus � The four skills that are the modes for using and understanding the language. � Learning the four skills involves understanding how different text types serve different purposes, and how texts are organized, so that one can understand them (listening and reading) and produce them (speaking and writing).

� Sub-skills � For speaking: knowing how to negotiate turn-taking and producing fluent stretches of discourse � For listening: listening for gist, for tone, for invitations to take a turn � For reading: predicting content, understanding the main idea, interpreting the text � For writing: using appropriate rhetorical structure, adjusting writing for a given audience, editing one’s writing

Genre � Genre-based syllabus � Language at discourse level: communicative events, or whole texts which accomplish certain purposes within a social context. � Texts can range from an academic paper to a phone message. �A course based on genre would involve learners in understanding and analyzing texts on a number of levels: lexico-grammatical level, discourse level, sociocultural level.

Three categories of Content � In general 3 conceptualization of the content: � Focus on Language linguistic skills, topics/themes, competencies, content, situations, tasks, speaking, reading, listening, writing, communicative functions, genre � Focus on Learning and the learner affective goals, interpersonal skills, learning strategies � Focus on Social context Sociolinguistic skills, sociocultural skills, sociopolitical skills

FOCUS ON LEARNING AND THE LEARNER Affective Goals � Learners attitudes towards themselves, learning, the target language and the target culture. � Affective Goals involve � Developing a positive and confident attitude toward oneself as a learner � Learning to take risks and to learn from one’s mistakes � Developing a positive attitude toward the target language and culture � Understanding one’s attitude toward one’s own language and culture

Interpersonal Skill � How one interacts with others to promote learning: interacting with each other and with the teacher in the classroom. � Interpersonal skills are the basis for effective group work and cooperative learning. � They include Understanding and assuming different roles in a group � Becoming an effective listener � �A sample goal of this kind: Building a learning community.

Learning Strategies � Focus is on how learners learn. � Cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies: self-monitoring, evaluating oneself… � The aim is two-fold: Help students become aware of how they learn and thus expand their learning strategies to become effective learners � Help students develop ways to continue learning beyond the classroom. � � E. g. designing activities in the classroom to develop your students’ learning strategies , you should conceptualize strategies as one of the contents of your course.

Three categories of Content � In general 3 conceptualization of the content: � Focus on Language linguistic skills, topics/themes, competencies, content, situations, tasks, speaking, reading, listening, writing, communicative functions, genre � Focus on Learning and the learner affective goals, interpersonal skills, learning strategies � Focus on Social context Sociolinguistic skills, sociocultural skills, sociopolitical skills

FOCUS ON SOCIAL CONTEXT Sociolinguistic Skills � Choosing and using the appropriate language and extra-linguistic behavior for the setting, the purpose, the role and relationship. � Level of politeness (register) � Informal � Exhibiting � Body � Using speech with peers, formal with strangers appropriate extra-linguistic behavior language appropriate written or spoken formulaic phrases for certain situations

Sociocultural Skills � Understanding cultural aspects of identity, values, norms, and customs � Relationships � Gift-giving � Thus, we get explicit and implicit messages and behave and speak in a culturally appropriate way.

Sociopolitical Skills � Learning to think critically and take action for effective change in order to participate effectively in one’s community. � They include � Learning systems like medical, school, employment systems � Learning one’s rights and responsibilities � Taking actions to make positive changes.

�A summary of all these skills is presented on p. 52

An Overall View of Syllabus Types � Now look at the following syllabuses and decide how the teachers have conceptualized � The organizational focus (topic, theme, skill, etc) � The content � The objectives

� 1. Denise Maksail-Fine’s syllabus (p. 129) � Organizational focus: � Topic-based � Content and Objectives: � Aspects of Topics � Grammar (as a supporting role) � Culture

� 2. Brooke Palmer’s syllabus (p. 139) � Organizational focus: � Text-based � Content : � Learner needs � Priority on writing and delivering a scientific research paper � Technical terminology

� 3. Tony Brody’s syllabus (p. 132) � Organizational focus: � Integrated � Content Skills and Objectives: � Newspapers � Linguistic focus � Sociocultural aspects � Specific skills that require four skills (proposing solutions, interviewing, etc)

� 4. Valeri Barnes’ syllabus (p. 134) � Organizational focus: � Theme-based � Content: � Considering interests of young adults (learner needs) � No focus on grammar � Field trips