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Understanding Syllabus Design Principles

The document discusses the concept of syllabus design in language teaching, highlighting two main approaches: a narrow traditional view that separates syllabus from methodology, and a broader view that integrates them. It outlines different types of syllabuses, including product-oriented ones like structural and situational syllabuses, and emphasizes the importance of selection and grading of content based on criteria such as learnability, frequency, coverage, and usefulness. The document also stresses the need for course designers to consider engaging topics and cultural representation while developing syllabuses.

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97 views2 pages

Understanding Syllabus Design Principles

The document discusses the concept of syllabus design in language teaching, highlighting two main approaches: a narrow traditional view that separates syllabus from methodology, and a broader view that integrates them. It outlines different types of syllabuses, including product-oriented ones like structural and situational syllabuses, and emphasizes the importance of selection and grading of content based on criteria such as learnability, frequency, coverage, and usefulness. The document also stresses the need for course designers to consider engaging topics and cultural representation while developing syllabuses.

Uploaded by

anissakfelous
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© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Didactics LMD3 Prof. Semmoud.

A
Lecture 6
The Syllabus
There is a kind of disagreement over what a ‘syllabus’ is. According to Nunan
(1988:5) syllabus design is approached in two different ways: a narrow traditional one
and a broad more recent view .The first approach considers syllabus and methodology
as two different things. Thus, syllabus is more a question of selecting and grading the
content [the ‘what’], whereas methodology implies the selection of learning tasks and
activities [the ‘how’].Richard and Rodgers (1986:21) came out with the conclusion
that ‘traditionally the term syllabus has been used to refer to the form in which
linguistic content is specified in a course or method.’ In parallel with this logic, a
syllabus would serve the aim of selecting and grading items of language providing
accurate data on what is to be taught and what is to be learned by a given group of
learners in a given situation.
On the other hand, within the broad view, it seems quite difficult to cut a clear line
between syllabus and methodology. Nunan (1988:5) claims that ‘those who adopt a
broader view question this strict separation, arguing that with the advent of
communicative language teaching the distinction between content and tasks is difficult
to sustain.’
These two main stream thoughts gave birth to two different syllabus kinds: the
product and the process syllabuses. According to Nunan “…‘process’ is a series of
actions directed toward some end. While ‘product’ is the end itself. […]A list of
grammatical structures is a product. Classroom drilling undertaken by learners in order
to learn the structures is a process. The interaction of two speakers as they
communicate with each other is a process. A tape recording of their conversation is a
product”(ibid: 12).
Syllabuses such as the structural (or grammatical) syllabus, the situational syllabus
and the notional (or functional-notional) syllabus are the result of traditional
considerations to syllabus design. All of them are product-oriented syllabuses. These
are syllabuses ‘in which the focus is on the knowledge and skills which learners should
gain as a result of instruction’ (ibid: 27).
Syllabus Design

Syllabus design is mainly a matter of selecting items to be learnt and their


gradation into an appropriate sequence. There are many kinds of language syllabuses,
all of which can be used as a starting point in the planning of a language course-book.
Whatever type it is, however, writers and course designers should bear in mind a
number of elements while designing their material. When they have an appropriate
view of how their theories and conceptions of learning might be translated into
suitable activities, they will have to decide about what topics to include. This will turn
around what the learners find engaging, what research has found in this area, and the
capacity for a good exploitation of the topics they might choose. It will also be
essential to think about the kind of culture that the material will reflect, and to consider
a sort of balance in terms of the representation of different groups in society, racial,
ethnic, and socioeconomic. Once these decisions have been taken, course book writers
may focus on the organization of their material, namely the syllabus.
As Nunan (1988:5) states it ‘Syllabus design is mainly concerned with the selection
and grading of content’. And According to Harmer (2001:295), every type of syllabus
needs to be developed on the basis of certain criteria, such as ‘learnability ’and
‘frequency’, which can inform decisions about selection and ordering.

Syllabus Design Criteria

Harmer (2001) came out with the belief that when syllabus designers put syllabuses
together they have to think about each item for inclusion on the basis of a number of
criteria. The criteria he came out with are described below.
Learnability
Some structural or lexical items are easier for students to learn than others.
Consequently, simpler language items are to be taught at first place then increase the
level of difficulty as the learners’ language level improves. Learnability implies that, at
beginner levels, it is simpler to deal with the uses of was and were right after teaching
is and are, rather than presenting the third conditional after is and are.
Frequency
The inclusion of items which are more frequent in language, than those which are
occasionally used by native speakers seems to have more sense especially at beginning
levels. The use of see to express vision is less used than that which is equivalent with
understand (eg. Oh, I see).It is, therefore, more logic to teach that second meaning of
see which is more frequent in use than the first one.
Coverage
Some words and structures have greater coverage (scope for use) than others. Thus
it might be decided, on the basis of coverage, to introduce the going to future before
the present continuous with future reference, if it could be shown that going to could
be used in more situations than the present continuous.

Usefulness
The reason that words like book and pen figure so highly in classroom (in spite of
the fact that they might not be used so frequently in real language use) is due to their
usefulness in that situation. Similarly, words dealing with family members take place
early on in a pupil’s learning life because they are useful in the context of what pupils
are linguistically able to talk about.

Common questions

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A 'process' syllabus focuses on the actions undertaken to reach certain learning outcomes, exemplified by classroom activities and learner interactions, whereas a 'product' syllabus emphasizes the knowledge and skills learners should gain as the end result, evidenced through grammatical structures or learner-produced conversations . Examples of product-oriented syllabuses include the structural, situational, and notional syllabuses .

One challenge in balancing traditional and broad views in syllabus design lies in reconciling the need for structured content, as emphasized in traditional approaches, with the flexibility and task-orientation advocated by the broad view. This includes aligning learning objectives with communicative real-world skills without losing the systematic approach to content coverage. Additionally, integrating cultural and societal elements while adhering to pedagogical frameworks and assessment standards can also be complex .

'Learnability' plays a critical role in determining the sequence of language items presented in a syllabus by ensuring that simpler concepts are taught first, thereby building a solid foundation upon which more complex items can be introduced. This approach helps prevent learner frustration and promotes a gradual increase in comprehension and skill acquisition. For instance, teaching 'is' and 'are' before more complex tenses supports cognitive processing in language learning .

'Usefulness' is important in vocabulary and structure selection because it ensures that learners acquire language that they can immediately apply in practical contexts. For example, words related to everyday objects like 'book' and 'pen', or familial terms, are typically learned early because they are relevant to students' immediate communicative environments. This practical approach enhances learners' ability to engage in meaningful interactions from the outset of their language learning journey .

Under the broad view of syllabus design, the choice of language course topics may become more integrated with communicative tasks, focusing on engaging learners through relevant themes rather than just isolated linguistic content. This perspective encourages selecting topics that facilitate meaningful interaction and communication, taking into account learners' interests and contexts. The distinction between what is taught (content) and how it is applied (tasks) becomes less clear, promoting a holistic approach to language teaching .

Considering the representation of different societal groups is crucial in syllabus design to ensure inclusivity and reflect diverse perspectives, which can enhance learner engagement and cultural awareness. It is important for syllabus content to fairly represent different racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups as it influences learners' perceptions and understanding of the world, promotes equity, and prevents cultural biases in educational materials .

A syllabus designer might choose to introduce 'going to' future before the present continuous with future reference due to the principle of 'coverage' from Harmer's criteria. 'Going to' has broader applicability across different contexts, allowing for more widespread use compared to the present continuous with future reference, thus making it a more strategic choice for language learners .

The traditional view of syllabus design, as discussed by Nunan (1988) and Richard and Rodgers (1986), considers syllabus and methodology as distinct components, with the syllabus focusing on selecting and grading content, while methodology involves the selection of learning tasks and activities . The broad view challenges this distinction by suggesting that with communicative language teaching, the separation between content and tasks becomes less clear, thus integrating syllabus and methodology more closely .

According to Harmer (2001), language items should be selected and ordered based on criteria such as 'learnability', which advocates for simpler language items to be taught first as students' language levels improve, and 'frequency', which suggests prioritizing frequently used language over less common expressions . Additional criteria include 'coverage', which considers the utility of language items in various contexts, and 'usefulness', focusing on the practicality of language for learners’ communicative needs .

The structural syllabus reflects traditional considerations by focusing on the systematic teaching of linguistic content, such as grammar and vocabulary, in a predefined sequence. This syllabus type emphasizes the acquisition of language rules and patterns, adhering to a product-oriented approach where the primary aim is to ensure learners gain a solid foundation in language structure before moving onto more communicative tasks .

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