Syllabus in ELT

Syllabus in ELT

By A. J. Forero-Mondragón

Poll

Which of the following types of syllabi did you experience when you were an eleventh-grade English student?

• Structural syllabi (i.e., grammar-based)

• Lexical syllabi (i.e., vocabulary-based)

• Task-based syllabi (i.e., real-life language tasks like ordering food in a restaurant)

• Skills-bsed syllabi (i.e., focused on language skills like writing and speaking)

​A document that outlines the content and structure of a course.

Syllabus vs. Curriculum

What is a syllabus?

• Roadmap for teaching and learning

• Alignment with learning objectives

• Asessment

• Transparency for students

Why are syllabi important?

There exist different sorts of syllabi...

• Structural (grammatical) Syllabus

• Situational Syllabus

• Topic-Based Syllabus

• Notional-Functional Syllabus

• Task-Based Syllabus

• Skills-Based Syllabus

• Lexical Syllabus

• Learner's needs, interests, and lacks

• Language educational policies

• Institutional philosophy (e.g., PEI)

• Time and resources available

• Teacher beliefs and style

​

Elements Influencing Syllabus Design

• Conducting a needs analysis

• Defining learning objectives

• Choosing syllabus type(s)

• Selecting and sequencing content

• Planning assessment

• Reviewing and adapting

Steps in Designing a Syllabus

​

• Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching.

• Nunan, D. (1988). Syllabus Design.

• CEFR documentation

References