Syllabus

Syllabus

1. Task-based syllabus

   • Theories
     • Underling theory of task-based learning Krahnke (1987, p. 59)
       • “The primary theory of learning underlying task-based instruction is Krashen’s acquisition theory (Krashen, 1982).
     • Nunan (2001)
       • Acquisition theory argues that the ability to use a language is through exposure to the language and participation in using it.
   • Task
     • Skehan (2003)
       • An activity in which, meaning is primary. Learners are not given other peoples’ meaning to regurgitate. There is some sort of relationship to comparable real world activities.
   • Merits
     • Krahnke (1987, p. 60)
       • to use learners’ real-life needs and activities as learning experiences, providing motivation through immediacy and relevancy
       • Can be the vehicle for instruction in other types of content
       • can be especially useful for learners who are not accustomed to more traditional types of classroom learning
     • Nunan (2004, p. 30)
       • task-based syllabus, grammatical and functional items will reappear numerous times in a diverse range of contexts
   • Drawbacks
     • It ignores addressing explicit meta-linguistic knowledge
     • Macalister’s (2010)
       • it focuses on fluency at the expense of accuracy
     • Krahnke (1987, p. 61)
       • requires a high level of creativity and initiative on the part of the teacher.
       • makes it difficult to measure learners’ knowledge by the utilization of traditional discrete-point achievement tests.

2. Task bases Syllabus

   • primary purpose
     • to learn the specific language skill
   • secondary purpose
     • to develop more general competence in the language
   • skill
     • Krahnke (1987, p. 50) specific way of using language that combines structural and functional ability
   • Underlying theories
     • Richards (2001, p. 160)
       • involves mastery of a number of individual skills or micro-skills that together make up the activity.
     • Brown (1995, p. 7)
       • selection of skills is based on the author's perception of their usefulness
     • (Cunnigsworth, 1995).
       • learning of complex behaviors such as language is best facilitated by breaking them down into small bits (skill)
   • Merits
     • Richards (2001)
       • They focus on behavior or performance
       • They focus on behavior or performance
       • They identify teachable and learnable units.
     • Krahanke (1987, p. 54)
       • Skill-based content is most useful when learners need to master specific types of language uses
   • Drawbacks
     • Karahnke (1987)
       • criticizes this syllabus on the ground that the ability to perform specific tasks in a language
       • it may isolate them from achievements and ambitions
     • Willis et al. (2005)
       • a skills-based syllabus is not much more than a list of skills and micro-skills to be practiced