The coherent curriculum putting principles into practice for

The coherent curriculum: putting principles into practice for a sustainable learning experience Maxine Gillway EAP in Ireland Dublin, March 2018

Analyse the title 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The coherent curriculum: putting principles into practice for a sustainable learning experience Why has she used ‘the’ not ‘a’? Is there one unique coherent curriculum? Probably not but there may be common elements or issues we all need to consider?

Analyse the title 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. The (common elements/issues across contexts) coherent (vertical, horizontal, constructive alignment) curriculum: (vs syllabus, scheme of work, course outline) putting principles (vs approach, beliefs, theory, philosophy) into practice (dealing with constraints of context) for a sustainable (transferable, transformational) learning (not teaching) experience (not bits of knowledge but activities)

Constructive alignment (Biggs, 1999) Teaching and learning activities Assessment activities Intended Learning Outcomes A COHERENT CURRICULUM?

Where do we start? Teaching and learning activities Intended Learning Outcomes Assessment activities A COHERENT CURRICULUM?

Ahead of the game! ‘it is important that, in the planning implementation, and evaluation of a given curriculum, all elements be integrated, so that decisions made at one level are not in conflict with those made at another. ’ Nunan, 1988: 4

Are any ingredients missing? Teaching and learning activities Teacher and student expectations Directly Assessed ILOs CPD TRANSPARENCY A COHERENT CURRICULUM

Issues = common ‘the issues which face anyone concerned with developing and introducing a new language syllabus are not only – or even primarily – questions of content’ White, 1988: 1

In the interest of transparency… What? Mission Vision Why? Goal Aim Outcome Objective How? When?

Choice = voice ‘A syllabus publicly declares what the teacher regards as important to the students and so reflects a philosophy of teaching, including beliefs about language and learning’ Hyland, 2006: 282

What is your definition of EAP? ‘The teaching of English with the specific aim of helping learners to study, conduct research or teach in that language’ Flowerdew & Peacock, 2001: 8

Is it just about teaching? ‘The term English for academic purposes (EAP) covers language research and instruction that focuses on the communicative needs of individuals working in academic contexts. ’ Hyland & Shaw, 2016: 1

Remedial or developmental? Goal = ‘to enable students to develop a complex integration of knowledge and skills in order to communicate and participate effectively in HE and, in some cases, to be able to carry out and report research’ Ding & Bruce, 2018 : 5

General or specific? ENGLISH GENERAL SPECIFIC OCCUPATIONAL SOCIAL ACADEMIC EGAP EMDAP ESAP

EMDAP: What? Who? How? Why? ‘EAP is an extra layer of the English language that anyone studying at university level can develop through noticing the choices of content, organisation and language made by specific discourse communities in order to achieve a particular purpose with a given audience. ’ (Gillway 2018)

What are your principles? Concept Gloss Authenticity Classroom texts and tasks should be as close to the real academic word as possible Groundedness A commitment to link pedagogy and research. A research base underlies materials and instructional practices. Interdisciplinarity EAP is not itself a theory or a methodology but employs an eclectic range of theories and methods. Relevance Linguistic and contextual relevance is ensured through needs analysis. Four main principles of EAP Hyland Shaw, 2016: 3

Audience and purpose • Content – What is their particular purpose? Do they know? – What message is coming from departments? – Where else can you look? Professional bodies, ex students • Organisation – How can you scaffold the main task? (Vgotsky, Wood et al 1976) – What moves are necessary? (Swales 1981, 1990) – Are there any helical themes? (Bruner 1960 spiral curriculum) • Language – What are the mechanics of grammar, lexis that create the ‘academic style’ needed?

What are your building blocks? genres grammar functions And your mortar? lexis notions skills

Means-ends= rational planning ‘The Global Scale of English represents the most significant advance in performance-based approaches to language learning, teaching and assessment since the development of the Common European Framework of Reference. ’ David Nunan Ph. D, Professor Emeritus of Applied Linguistics, University of Hong Kong

Product-oriented or process-oriented? Nunan, 1988 • White, 1988 chapter 4 The ELT Curriculum Type A: What? Type B: How? Reconstructionism Progressivism Transmission of content Problem posing Mastering graded objectives Praxis & dialogue incremental transformational Doing things to Doing things with Rational planning Responding to emerging needs ‘It is important to be aware that different models of curriculum represent the expression of different value systems and, consequently, of quite divergent views on education. ’ White 1988: 24

How do you deliver them? ‘It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters in the end. ’ Ursula K. Le Guin 1929 -2018

Andragogy (Knowles, 1984) • 5 assumptions • 4 principles • 4 applications – Need to be involved in planning and evaluation – Different Previous Learning Experiences – Desire for immediate relevance – Problem-centred tasks not content-oriented memorisation

What is your 4 -word pedagogy? ‘Helping others help themselves’ What are you guiding principles? autonomy