The Syllabus

The Syllabus

Andrea González

What do we mean by a syllabus?

Is a document which says what will be learned. But there are several different ways in which a syllabus can be defined.

- The teacher syllabus

- The evaluation syllabus

- The organizational syllabus

- The classroom syllabus

- The learner syllabus

- The materials syllabus

The evaluation syllabus

It states what the successful learner will know by the end of the course. It puts on record the basis on which success or failure will be evaluated.

The organizational syllabus

A syllabus can also state the order in which it is to be learned. Is an implicit statement about the nature of language and of learning.

What is more easily learned? What is more fundamental to learning? What is more useful in the classroom?

The materials syllabus

The two syllabuses considered so far might be regarded as pure syllabuses, they have not been interpreted. The first person to interpret the syllabus is usually the materials writer. These can all have their effect on whether and how well something is learnt.

The teacher syllabus

The second stage of interpretation usually comes through the teacher. The teacher can influence the clarity, intensity and frequency of any item, and affect the image that the learners receive.

The classroom syllabus

What is planned and what actually happens in a lesson are two different things. The classroom is not simply a neutral channel for the passage of information from teacher to learner. It is a dynamic, interactive environment, which affects the nature of what is taught and what is learnt. Thus the classroom generates its own syllabus.

The learner syllabus

The learners might participate in their creation to some extent, but essentially they are external to the learner. The last type of syllabus is an internal syllabus. It is the network of knowledge that develops in the learner’s brain and which enables that the learner to comprehend and store the later knowledge, it is a retrospective record of what has been learnt.

Why should we have a syllabus?

There are also acknowledged and hidden reasons for having a syllabus.

- Learning as a journey: It can be seen as a statement of projected routes. So that teacher and learner not only have an idea of where they are going, but how they might get there. - Implicit statement: It tells the teacher and the student not only what is to be learnt, but why it is to be learnt. - Provides a set of criteria for materials selection and/or writing. - Equal standards: is one way in which standardization is achieved.

- Language is a complex entity: It cannot be learnt in one go. We have to break down the complex into manageable units.- Practical benefits: also gives moral support to the teacher and learner, that it makes the language learning task appear manageable. - Cosmetic role: The aspect is a particular importance when there are commercial sponsors involved.

On what criteria can a syllabus be organized?

The breakdown into manageable units has to be based on certain criteria. a) Topic syllabus b) Structural/situational syllabus c) Skills and strategies

What role should a syllabus play in the course design process?

a) A language-centred approach: the syllabus is the prime generator of the teaching materials. It is the determiner of the entire course b) A skills-centred approach: to provide opportunities for learners to employ and evaluate the skills and strategies considered necessary in the target situation. The syllabus is not a prime generator. c) A learning-centred approach: The syllabus must be used in a more dynamic way in order to enable methodological considerations such as interest, enjoyment, learner involvement, to influence the content of the entire course design.

REFERENCE:Hutchinson, Tom & Waters, Alan (1987). Chapter 8 The Syllabus. In English for Specific Purposes: A learner-centered approach. (pp. 79 – 95). Cambridge University Press.