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Types of Syllabus

The document discusses different types of syllabuses including structural, notional-functional, task-based, lexical, negotiated, and multi-layered syllabuses. It provides details on each type such as their key principles and theorists. Examples are given to illustrate certain syllabus types and readers are prompted with questions to think through designing their own syllabus.

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Ayesha Rathore
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78 views14 pages

Types of Syllabus

The document discusses different types of syllabuses including structural, notional-functional, task-based, lexical, negotiated, and multi-layered syllabuses. It provides details on each type such as their key principles and theorists. Examples are given to illustrate certain syllabus types and readers are prompted with questions to think through designing their own syllabus.

Uploaded by

Ayesha Rathore
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Types of syllabus

Structural syllabus
• very common type of syllabus
• systematic, traditional
• simple to more complex
• synthetic in nature
“the learner’s task is to resynthesise the language that has been broken down
into a large number of small pieces with the aim of making the learning task
easier” Wilkins, 1976, p.2
Notional-functional syllabuses

• associated with Wilkins (1976) and is an attempt to move towards


meaning as the organizing principle – a move from ‘how to express’ to
‘what to express’ and towards the things that people actually use
language for - apologizing, requesting, suggesting and so on.
• ‘functional exponents’ are selected (How about a pizza? Pizza might be
nice. My suggestion is...)
functions exponents
Think of three potential exponents for these functions:

• giving advice
• accepting an apology
• making a request
exponents functions
What function do these exponents achieve:

• I’ll do it tomorrow.
• I won’t let you down.
• I promise.
Task-based syllabus
How is a task different to a practice activity?

• associated with Prabhu (1987) and his ‘Bangalore project’ but also the likes
of Jane Willis (1996)
• ‘analytic’ in nature – language emerges from, for example, learner
production and then language features may be focused on as a teacher (or
learner) feels necessary
• the key focus and organizing principle is the task itself
• acquisition, it is assumed, will happen as learners engage in
communication – an emergent, usage based view of language learning,
which has support from SLA research
Task-based learning
Nunan (1989) distinguishes between two types of task.
• ‘real world’ task
• pedagogic tasks

However, there is an issue in how tasks can be sequenced.


Lexical syllabus

• most associated with Willis (1990) and at a broader, more curriculum


based level, with Lewis (1993)
• to some extent developed as technology developed, allowing large
corpora of language to be analysed and lexical patterns to emerge.
• lexis is absolutely central to conveying meaning and also occurs in
sometimes pretty fixed patterns. With the aid of corpora, we can see
the most common words and patterns and their uses, making it
possible to build a course around those frequent words and phrases
Negotiated syllabuses
• associated with Breen and Candlin (1980)
• if negotiation of meaning in a task helps language acquisition,
negotiation could be extended to negotiating the syllabus itself
• Breen and Candlin (1980) believe that negotiation will aid “learning
how to communicate as a member of a particular socio-cultural
group” and believe that the “social conventions governing language
form and behaviour within the group” are central to the process of
language learning. Language learning “may be seen as a process
which grows out of the interaction between learners, teachers, texts
and activities”.
Multi-layered syllabuses
In order to counteract some of the weaknesses inherent in any one
syllabus type, or indeed in order to tap into the potential strengths of
more than one type, some syllabuses incorporate more than one
strand.
However, it is almost always the case that one strand dominates with
others having only a subsidiary role.
Most modern course books would claim to follow a multi-layered
syllabus.
Implementation
Many institutions may work with no specified curriculum document
and instead the curriculum can only be discerned by looking at
materials, observing lessons, or even through looking at advertising
statements.
Where there is a curriculum document, it may be that it does not
always reflect the classroom reality. Curriculum statements may be
undermined (consciously or otherwise) by those who implement them.
Types of syllabus

Identify which types of syllabus the examples come from.

(separate powerpoint)
Design a syllabus
1. Think of a learning / teaching context that you know well.
2. Why are the learners learning? What are their goals? What level are
they currently?
3. What type of syllabus (or syllabuses) would be most likely to
achieve their goals?
4. Think of 5-6 syllabus items you would include for the learners.
5. What is your rationale for the selection and sequence of the items?
References
Breen, M. and Candlin, C. (1980). The essentials of a communicative
curriculum in language teaching. Applied Linguistics 1.2, 89-112.
Lewis, M. (1993). The lexical approach. Hove: LTP.
Nunan, D. (1989). Designing tasks for the communicative classroom.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Prabhu, N.S. (1987). Second language pedagogy. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Wilkins, D. (1976). Notional syllabuses. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Willis, D. (1990). The lexical syllabus. London: Collins.
Willis, J. (1996). A framework for task-based learning. Harlow: Longman.

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