SYLLABUS

SYLLABUS

1. For teaching foreign languages is important to know the different educational tools that are essential in the teacher’s planning, for that reason, we must define the term “syllabus”: “a syllabus is a plan of what is to be achieved through our teaching and our students' learning" (Breen, 1984, p 54 ).

2. Grammar or structural syllabus

   • Language teaching has been dominated by grammar syllabus for several centuries and it focuses on grammar rules and structures.
     • Steps to design a grammar syllabus: • The teacher chooses the structures that the students have to learn according to the level and the goals proposed in the course.
       • • The teacher decides the main words according to the topics to be learned, for example: simple past tense: adverbs of time
       • • The teacher designs exercises to put in practice the structures, vocabulary and sentences pattern (complete, translate, re write,etc).
       • • The teacher chooses a set of vocabulary to be learned together with forms and structures.

3. A notional or functional syllabus

   • “The content of language teaching is a collection of the functions or the notions that are performed when the language is used” (Wilkins, 1976, p 8).
     • Steps to design a notional-functional syllabus:
       • • The teacher makes a list of communication functions of the language that students will learn (expressing agreement and d i s a g r e e m e n t , g r e e t i n g p e o p l e , apologizing, etc).
       • • The teacher writes a list of the semantic notions (meanings) based on the culture and the context of the speakers of the language (likes and dislikes, formal and informal greetings, values, etc).
       • • The teacher applies the functions and the notions together into learning tasks, for instance, Introducing yourself; expressing likes and dislikes; giving personal information, describing family members.

4. A skill-based syllabus

   • This syllabus is based on the development of the language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) using the target language. Examples of skills in using the target language 4 may include reading for the main idea, writing good paragraphs, and listening for the main idea.
     • Steps to design a skill-based syllabus:
       • • The teacher makes a list of language skills that students need to acquire.
       • • The teacher makes a list of topics, grammatical forms, structures and vocabulary and sequences according to language skills.

5. A task-based syllabus

   • The content of language teaching includes a series of purposeful tasks that language learners need to perform; tasks are defined as activities that are needed when using the target language (Nunan, 1988).
     • Steps to design a task-based syllabus:
       • • The teacher makes a list of abilities or tasks that students need to develop.
       • • The teacher writes a list of topics, grammatical forms and vocabulary and sequences them.
       • • The teacher organizes the topics, forms and structures and fit them with the tasks.

6. A content-based syllabus

   • The primary purpose of instruction is to teach some content or information using the language that the students are also learning, in other words, the learners use the foreign language to study other subjects such as: Science, Maths, Biology, etc., and this way, they learn not only the subject, but they improve their language use at the same time.
     • Steps to design a content based syllabus:
       • • The teacher chooses the topics from the content (subject), for example in Biology: ecosystem, cell, human body, etc.
       • • The teacher makes a list of topics, grammatical forms and vocabulary and adjusts them to the topics.

7. A situational or topical syllabuses

   • In this syllabus the contents are organized according to situations in which students learn.
     • Steps to design a situational syllabus:
       • • The teacher makes a list of communication situations that will take place (the weather, food and drinks, family life, free time activities and so on).
       • • The teacher makes a list of topics, grammatical forms and vocabulary and sequence them (simple present tense, frequency adverbs).
       • • The teacher classifies the topics, forms and structures and fit them with communication situations (One day on the beach, at the restaurant).
     • The teaching units below are language materials that have been developed based on situational syllabus. Unit 1. At the library. Unit 2. At the office. Unit 3. At the park.....

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