Tuesday, July 19, 10:00 am -1:00pm

Agenda

1. Discussion of “CLT Today” pp. 1-5, 23-27, and 45-46

2. Articulating an approach

3. An “eclectic, enlightened approach”

4. Incorporating an approach into curriculum and

syllabus design

Discussion:

“Communicative language teaching today” by Jack C. Richards

Articulating an approach to language and learning:

Approach Method Technique

Approach:

Theoretical positions and beliefs about the nature of language, language learning, and how they can be applied in pedagogical settings.

Method:

• A general set of classroom specifications and linguistic objectives.

• Primarily concerned with:- teacher and student roles/behaviors- learning objectives- sequencing- materials

Technique:

Exercises, activities, and tasks used to achieve lesson objectives

(AKA: Classroom practices, tasks)

Activity: Choices about teaching

Directions:1. Complete the survey2. Discuss your answers with a small group

Activity: Choices about teaching

Continued:

3. For each question, try to think of situations in which your honest answer begins with”“It depends…” or “Both…”

An “Enlightened approach”

• Draws on different methodologies for different contexts

• Includes basic principles of teaching and learning

• Informed by current SLA theory• Not static

An “Enlightened approach”

The interaction between your approach and your classroom experience is what makes you a dynamic teacher. It continues throughout your career.

The key:

Your personal approach should inform everything you do as a teacher.

“Whatever you do, always have a reason for doing it.”

-- BREAK –10 minutes

Incorporating an approach into curriculum and syllabus design:

Curriculum v. Syllabus

Curriculum :

• Contains broad descriptions of general goals• Indicates:

• educational-cultural philosophy• theoretical orientation to language • theoretical orientation to language learning

• Reflects national and political trends

[from: Dubin, F. & Olshtain, E. (1982) Course design: Developing programs and materials for language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 34-

35.]

Syllabus :

The application of a curriculum to a particular course, level, or set of related courses. Includes:

• Detailed operational statement• Translates curriculum into a series of planned steps• Leads to more narrowly defined objectives at each level

[from: Dubin, F. & Olshtain, E. (1982) Course design: Developing programs and materials for language learning. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 34-35.]

Activity: Examining a curriculum

Small groups:1. Examine Statement of Purpose” and

“Methodology” in the ALI Curricular Overview2. Identify:

- broad goals- overall educational-cultural philosophy- theoretical orientation to language and

learning3. Report to class group

Key question:

“How can I adapt my own approach to a given curriculum?”

Activity: Adapting a curriculum

The situation: Your group is the curriculum committee for the SINAV

language program. You have been asked to examine curricula from other programs for ideas.

What (if anything!) would you recommend adapting from the ALI curricular overview?

Activity: Adapting a curriculum

Look at the ALI Statement of Purpose and Approach: Methodology and identify any of the following you might include in the SINAV curriculum: 1. Broad Goals2. Overall educational-cultural philosophy3. Theoretical orientation to language and learning

Activity: Adapting a curriculum

Directions: 1. Choose a group secretary to write up your

recommendation to the SINAV administration as a Word document. Explain why you have made your recommendations.

2. List all group members' names at the end of your assignment.

3. Upload your assignment to the "DISCUSSIONS" section of this site -- Follow directions on the "Posting Assignments" page.

Curriculum assignment: Posting to the course site

Curriculum assignment: Posting to the course site

Subject: “Curriculum Assignment”

Message: Copy and paste your assignment here, then click “Post”

Lunch

Tuesday, July 19, 1:00 -4:00 pm

Agenda1. Characteristics of a syllabus2. Types of language syllabuses3. Translating a program syllabus into an

individual course syllabus4. Activity: Working with a syllabus template5. Reflection

Characteristics of a syllabus

1. A comprehensive list of:- content items (words, structures, topics)- process items (tasks, methods)

2. Has explicit objectives3. Is a public document4. May indicate a time schedule5. May indicate a preferred methodology or approach6. May recommend materials

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 177]

Activity: Examining a syllabus

Small groups:1. Examine one level description in the ALI Curricular

Overview2. Compare with characteristics on Ur’s list3. Q: What do you find? What is missing?4. Report to class group

Most common types of language syllabuses

1. Grammatical2. Lexical3. Notional4. Functional5. Situational6. Mixed, or ‘multi-strand’

Grammatical syllabus

• a list of grammatical structures• usually graded according to difficulty or

importance

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 178]

Lexical syllabus

• a list of lexical (vocabulary) items• includes collocations, idioms• usually divided into graded sections

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 178]

Notional syllabus

General notions:‘number’“time”“place”

Specific notions:“man”“woman”“afternoon”

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 178]

Functional syllabus

• organized around language functions:“identifying”“promising”“greeting”

• usually combined with notions for a “Functional-notional syllabus”

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 178]

Situational syllabus

• organized around real-life situations:“eating a meal”“in the street”“buying a car”

• usually include clear set of vocabulary items

[from Ur, P. (1991). A course in language teaching: Practice and theory. Cambridge: Cambridge. p. 178]

Activity: Sample syllabuses

Small groups:1. Examine the sample syllabuses distributed in class2. What types of syllabuses are they? 3. Discuss

Activity: Working with a syllabus template

1. Download the ALI Syllabus template from the “Syllabus Assignment” page on our course website

2. Examine the ALI syllabus template3. Using this template, create either:

• A syllabus for a course you have taught or will be teaching

• A course for an ALI level

4. Upload to the “Syllabus Assignment” page on the course website

ALI Syllabus template

Syllabus assignment: Post to the course site

Suggestions for reflection #2:

How would you describe your personal approach to language learning and language teaching at this point in your career? How did you arrive at this position?

Or:

How do you feel about working with a prescribed curriculum or syllabus? Why?

Homework

• Read “Language Learning Styles and Strategies: An Overview” By Rebecca L. Oxford and prepare comments/questions

• Write a comment about at least three of your group members’ reflections.