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Task-Based Syllabus Design Overview

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
6 views11 pages

Task-Based Syllabus Design Overview

Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Task-based-syllabus-design

Authentic data are samples of spoken or written discourse that have not been specifically
designed for the purposes of language teaching, whereas non-authentic data are samples of
spoken and written discourse that have been designed on an ad hoc basis. (David Nunan,
2001)
Module 4 Course design Multiple choice test

There are many types of syllabus which have different areas of focus in their design and different
factors for their choice.

Which of the following is NOT USUALLY a consideration for the choice of the majority of syllabus
types?

1-

Matching the syllabus to the desired outcomes.

Incorrect please see pages 4 and 5 of the unit

2-

The students’ preference for syllabus type.

Correct

3-

The available resources in terms of material/expertise.

Incorrect please see pages 4 and 5 of the unit

4-

The required content of the course.

Incorrect please see pages 4 and 5 of the unit

Questions 2 to 5.

The following are syllabus types:


Task-based
Content-based
Structural
Notional/Functional

Match the descriptions below, to the types of syllabus above.


This type of syllabus is designed for the information being taught to take priority over the English
language being used.
An example might be a group of Spanish students learning History in English.

The History facts take priority over the English.

1-

Task-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

2-

Content-based

Correct

3-

Structural

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

4-

Notional/Functional

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

In this type of syllabus the material is selected by grammar complexity, moving from simple ideas
to the more complex in sequence.

1-

Task-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

2-

Content-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

3-

Structural

Correct

4-

Notional/Functional

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit


4

In this type of syllabus the students are given some form of scenario which requires language use
to complete.
The completion of the scenario takes priority and any language issues addressed later.

This type of syllabus is said to be process orientated.

1-

Task-based

Correct

2-

Content-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

3-

Structural

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

4-

Notional/Functional

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

In this type of syllabus which is said to be product orientated and often makes use of a needs
analysis to determine the content.

1-

Task-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

2-

Content-based

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

3-

Structural

Incorrect please see page 3 of the unit

4-

Notional/Functional
Correct

A syllabus which makes use of Breen’s process model will differ from most other types of syllabus
because;

1-

It will have been designed with a large amount of input from the students.

Correct

2-

It will have been designed mainly by the education department.

Incorrect please see question 3 page 6 of the unit

3-

It will have been designed mainly by the teachers, teaching it.

Incorrect please see question 3 page 6 of the unit

4-

It will have been designed at a National level.

Incorrect please see question 3 page 6 of the unit

Which of the following would you probably NOT do for a needs analysis?

1-

Question the learner directly in some form.

Incorrect please see page 6 question 3 of the unit

2-

Shadow the learner/s to see how English is needed.

Incorrect please see page 6 question 3 of the unit

3-

Use an English Language questionnaire with a group of Starter level students.

Correct

4-

Check what resources are available and what the employer expects.

Incorrect please see page 6 question 3 of the unit


8

According to David Nunan, which of the following would NOT be considered a task, in Task based
learning?

1-

Create a dialogue about opening a bank account.

Incorrect please see page 7 question 2 of the unit

2-

Each person in the group writes down their favorite sport then asks the others in the group for theirs.

Incorrect please see page 7 question 2 of the unit

3-

List the past, present and future tenses.

Correct

4-

Write down the sentences in the present tense, now change them to the past tense, starting each
sentence with, Yesterday I……..

Incorrect please see page 7 question 2 of the unit

For which of the following reasons might a functional/notional syllabus be thought of as more
useful than a situational syllabus.

1-

It doesn’t require students to use so much vocabulary.

Incorrect please see pages 2 and 3 of the unit

2-

The situational syllabus is not very practical.

Incorrect please see pages 2 and 3 of the unit

3-

The functional/notional syllabus is not very practical.

Incorrect please see pages 2 and 3 of the unit

4-

The language developed for the functional/notional syllabus can be applied to a whole range of
situations and is therefore broader in use.
Correct

10

Question 10 to 13.

Match the “Can Do” descriptors given to the ALTE levels below.

Can describe hopes and dreams.

Can understand the main points of what is said at work.

1-

Breakthrough

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

2-

Waystage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

3-

Threshold

Correct

4-

Vantage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

11

Can understand everyday expressions.

Can introduce him or her self.

1-

Breakthrough

Correct

2-

Waystage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

3-

Threshold
Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

4-

Vantage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

12

Can interact with a degree of fluency with native speakers.

Can produce clear texts on a wide range of subjects.

1-

Breakthrough

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

2-

Waystage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

3-

Threshold

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

4-

Vantage

Correct

13

Can describe in simple terms routine matters.

Can use and understand frequently used expressions relating to their immediate environment.

1-

Breakthrough

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

2-

Waystage

Correct

3-

Threshold
Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

4-

Vantage

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

14

A syllabus that is designed around one of or a combination of;

Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening is called a ___________ based syllabus.

1-

Productive

Incorrect please see page 4 of the unit

2-

Skills

Correct

3-

Receptive

Incorrect please see page 4 of the unit

4-

Mixed

Incorrect please see page 4 of the unit

15

Which of the following is NOT a category title of the ALTE framework?

1-

Literacy

Correct

2-

Social and Tourist

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

3-

Work

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit


4-

Study

Incorrect please see question 1 page 7 of the unit

16

Perhaps two of the most used classifications for types of syllabi are those of White (1988) in which
he described Type A and Type B and the description posited by Wilkins (1976) which he called
________________and analytic.

1-

systematic

Incorrect please see question 4 page 7 of the unit

2-

intuitive

Incorrect please see question 4 page 7 of the unit

3-

synthetic

Correct

4-

inquisitive

Incorrect please see question 4 page 7 of the unit

17

Questions 17 to 20.

Read the following passage which has been adapted from an article by David Nunan (2001) relating
to a task based syllabus.
Fill in the question number gaps with the choices a to d below.

(Q17)______________ data are samples of written or spoken language that have not been
specifically written for language learning.

1-

non-authentic

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

2-

informative
Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

3-

general

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

4-

authentic

Correct

18

Students will also need to have some type of practice usually in the form of (Q18)_____________
which could be defined as communicative acts which do not have a prescribed linguistic outcome.

1-

tasks

Correct

2-

revision exercises

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

3-

fill in the blank worksheets

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

4-

reading a dialogue

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

19

Students will also need to gain information; when students gain information from the teacher or a
textbook this is called (Q19)____________.

1-

realistic

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

2-

deductive
Correct

3-

comprehension

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

4-

inductive

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

20

When the students study examples of the language and make up a rule, this is called (20)
____________.

1-

deductive

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

2-

realistic

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

3-

inductive

Correct

4-

conclusive

Incorrect. Please refer back to the article given (Nunan)

Common questions

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A skills-based syllabus prioritizes the development of specific language skills, such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. In contrast, a structural syllabus focuses on the complexity of grammatical structures, teaching from simple to complex. The skills-based approach emphasizes the application of these skills across contexts, rather than solely grammatical progression .

Needs analysis contributes by systematically gathering information about learners' language needs through methods like questionnaires, shadowing, or direct questioning. This analysis informs syllabus development to ensure that the content and tasks are relevant and aligned with learners' practical language use scenarios .

Authentic data consist of spoken or written discourse not specifically created for teaching, reflecting real-world language use. Non-authentic data are specifically designed for educational purposes. Authentic data can provide realistic language exposure, whereas non-authentic data can target specific learning goals or curriculum needs .

Breen's process model syllabus is considered more participatory because it is designed with significant input from students, allowing for greater alignment with their needs and preferences. This contrasts with syllabi designed mainly by teachers or educational authorities without student participation .

A task-based syllabus focuses on using scenarios to engage students in language use, prioritizing task completion over language learning. In contrast, a content-based syllabus prioritizes teaching information (like subject matter) using the language as a medium, emphasizing content over language structure .

The ALTE framework standardizes language competencies by providing clear 'Can Do' descriptors at different levels, such as understanding main points at work (Threshold) or interacting fluently with natives (Vantage), which help educators and learners quantify and aim for specific communicative abilities .

Creating a dialogue for task-based learning requires students to actively use language communicatively and contextually, which aligns with the goals of task-based instruction. In contrast, listing tenses is a mechanical activity focused on language form rather than use, lacking communicative purpose or context .

In a deductive approach, students receive information directly from a teacher or textbook, often starting with rules which are then applied to specific instances. An inductive approach involves students observing language usage patterns in examples and deriving grammatical rules themselves, fostering deeper cognitive engagement and discovery .

A notional/functional syllabus is beneficial because the language developed can be broadly applied across various situations, making it versatile in usage. It allows students to develop language skills that are adaptable to multiple contexts beyond specific situations covered in situational syllabi .

Matching the syllabus to desired outcomes is often an implicit requirement across various types of syllabi and typically does not serve as a distinct end goal. It is assumed that a well-designed syllabus will naturally align with educational objectives, focusing more on student preferences, available resources, and content requirements .

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