THE SYLLABUS

A syllabus is a document which says what will be learnt. A syllabus is a document that a teacher writes and distributes to provide students with an overview of a college course. The syllabus is usually distributed on the first day of class. It contains several parts:

1. The course title and meeting times
2. Topics and chapters covered
3. Objectives
4. Indicators
5. Test dates
6. Required texts and other supplies

Syllabus design and the considerable weight of authority that syllabuses have, we might usefully consider whether they are necessary. There are several reasons why we should have a syllabus.

1.       Language is a complex entity.

2.      A syllabus also gives moral support to the teacher and learner, in that makes the language learning task appear manageable.

3.       Returning to our analogy of learning as a journey, so that teacher and learner not only have an idea of where they are going, but how they might get there.

4.       A syllabus provides a set of criteria for materials selection and/ or writing.

5.       In that teaching is intended to lead a learner to a particular state of knowledge,

The main purpose of a syllabus is to break down the mass of knowledge to be learnt into manageable units. This breakdown (unless it is to be completely random) has to base on certain criteria:            a.   Topic Syllabus

b.      Structural / situational syllabus

c.       Functional / national syllabus

d.      Skills syllabus

e.       Situational syllabus

f.       Functional / task-based syllabus

g.      Discourse / skills syllabus

h.      Skills and strategies

Each of the syllabuses shown represents a valid attempt to break down the mass of a particular area of knowledge into manageable units. Each carries certain assumptions about the nature of language and learning. The syllabuses shown above are as important for what they don’t say, as for what they do say, because they only show one or two of the elements of the materials. Any teaching materials must, in reality, operate several syllabuses at the same time.

Role a Syllabus Play in the Course Design Process.

a.                A language-centered approach

Analyze target situation. In this approach the syllabus is prime generator of the teaching materials.

b.                 A skills-centered approach

Analyze target need. An alternative approach is needed in a skills-centered syllabus, since the aim is not to present and practice language items, but rather to provide opportunities for learners to employ and evaluate the skills and strategies considered necessary in the target situation. A skills-centered approach will often lay great store by the use of ‘authentic’ texts.

c.                 A Learning-centered approach

It will be noticeable that in the two approaches described so far the learning activities (task, exercises, and teaching techniques) are almost the last factor to be considered. This may produce materials which faithfully reflect the syllabus in language or skills content, but it has a very constricting effect on the methodology.

In learning centered approach the methodology cannot be just grafted on to the end of an existing selection of syllabuses items and texts: it must be considered right from the start.

The ESP syllabus is, as we have seen, usually derived from a detailed analysis of the language features of the target situation. It is the detail of this analysis which ion our view produces the restricting influence on the methodology.

d.                The Post hoc approach

Write cosmetic syllabus satisfy sponsor, teachers, students, et al. Write materials on undefined criteria. There is, of course, one last way of using the syllabus, which is probably more widespread.