Syllabus Design
The purpose of this book is to provide teachers with rools and techniques for analysing and subjecting to critical scrutiny the syllabuses with which they are working. It is also intended to provide concepts and procedures for those teachers who are in a position to take part in the development of their own syllabuses.
Section One begins with an examination of the concepts of 'syllabus' and 'curriculum'. The rest of the section is concerned with central issues relating to the selection and grading of input in language syllabus design. Concepts and procedures which are examined include needs analysis, goal and objective setting, the selection and grading of content, and the selection and grading of learning tasks.
Section Two closely parallels Section One. Here we shall look at the ways in which the concepts and principles presented in Section One have been applied in practice. Samples of syllabuses and course materials from a range of resources are presented and criticized. The aims of Section Two are as follows:
1 to examine the ways in which the principles set our in Section One have been utilized in syllabus design
2 to provide examples of syllabus design tools, outlines, and planning procedures
3 ro provide readers with the opportunity to analyse and assess critically a range of syllabus planning tools, designs, and. procedures·
In Section Three, readers are encouraged to apply the ideas developed in Sections One and Two to their own teaching situation. The general aim of the section is to encourage readers to deepen their understanding of the teaching context in which they work. In particular, it is hoped that the tasks will help readers develop a critical attitude towards the syllabus or syllabuses which shape their teaching programmes, and to help them identify ways in which they might modify, adapt, or improve the syllabus or syllabuses with which they work.
