Syllabus Design In English Language Teacing Education Essay

Syllabus role In face Language Teacing study Es severalizeAbstractIt is debatable whether second sight has a translucentive methodological digest and computer program. This topic considers that methodology and curriculum design in side of meat Language Teacing (ELT) and extrasensory perception resist little and that it is non possible to say whether general ELT hasborrowed ideas for methodology from extrasensory perception or whether extrasensory perception has borrowedideas from general ELT. two characteristic featuresof clairvoyance methodology atomic number 18 identidfied extrasensory perception washbowl base activities on students specialism, and second sight activities terminate shake off a actually accreditedpurpose derived from students luff utilization ups. Dudley-Evans and St. tooshieful(1998) maintain that what haracterizes second sight methodology is the use oftasks and activities reflecting the students specialist atomic number 18aIntroducti onIn the 1970s, EFL teachers first ventured place of the Arts Faculty and the gentle priming coatscape of delivery and literature into the land beyond the mountains inhabited by illiterate and savage tribes c tout ensembleed scientists, dividing linemen and engineers, wrote Ramsden (2002). In the light of this quotation, Ramsden pours his scorn over the turning point in the taradiddle of linguistic process inform from art to science and from position for general purposes(EGP) to slope for specific purposes( clairvoyance) . Though ESP emanates from EGP, it has established itself as a distinct trend. The distinctions between ESP and EGP are quite fuzzy. To clarify the issue, Hutchinson and irrigate (1987) pointed appear that in that respect is no difference in theory, but in practice, there is a great deal.This paper delves deeply into the literature of ESP and EGP to release their points of exchangeableities and differences, generally at the take aim of syllabus desi gn , methodology and instructional materials. For the sake of clarification, theoretical preliminaries leave behind be provided from the outset. As expected, the original paper is comparative in nature and selective in illustration.Theoretical PreliminariesDefinitions ofEGP harmonise to Black intemperate, EGP is polarized with ESP ( English for specific purposes) to refer to contexts about(prenominal)(prenominal) as the domesticate where need cannot readily be specified. This view is misleading, since purpose is always inherent. EGP is to a greater extent usefully considered as providing a broad foundation alternatively than a detailed and selective specification of goals.EGP, then, refers to that basic linguistic code that could be employ in larger context and in everyday conversation. It does not take into account neither the requirements of a work nor unavoidably of jibeers. world general in its nature, EGP holds a sway at the burden level of nomenclature instruc tion.ESPAccording to Longman dictionary of applied linguistics, ESP refers to the economic consumption of English in a language business organization line or syllabus of instruction in which the heart and aims of the course are fixed by the specific needs of a particular company of learners. For example courses in English for academic purposes, English for science and technology, and English for Nursing.In this regards, ESP is chiefly associated with special language or register. However, Hutchinson and Waters )1987, p.19) claimed that ESP is not a particular kind of language or methodology, nor does it consist of a particular type of tenet material. Unders overlyd properly, it is an approach to language teaching.From the preceding(prenominal) definitions, one can notice that there is no absolute put one across cut between ESP and EGP. To ask which one embraces the other is in all probability to generate different views. In an sweat to answer this question, Hutchinson an d waters ) 1987.p.18) have drawn a tree of ELT where the ESP is just one counterbalance of EFL/ESL, which are themselves the main branches of English Language teaching in general..However, A closer gaze at the tree and to the ramifications of ESP and EGP uncovers the classifiable features of each. These features will be tackled in subsequent section.Distinctive features of ESP and EGPDespite the overlap connections between EGP and ESP, there are several differences at the level of their worrys and practices.First, the sharpen in ESP is on drawing stringing students to conform well to the requirements of the workplace whereas, in EGP, the main concentrate on is on education. Widdowson( 1983) sees the difference between rearing and Training as that of creativity versus conformity (in White, 1988 p.18).Second, Designing a course content in EGP is more much difficult than in ESP for the hindrance of predicting the future needs of EGP students. Knowing about only learners exce rption needs is quite unbeneficial because it may lead to an oversimplified language, un current communicative structure and unrealistic situational content.Third, ESP learners are usually adults with an average mastery of English language. Their main purpose is to communicate and learn a set of maestro person skills. In EGP, the age of learners , however, varies from childhood to adulthood. Their chief purpose behind teaching English is to achieve communication in the basic everyday communication.At the level of macro-skills, the four language skills are integrated and reinforced in EGP instruction, while in ESP the selection of language skills is base on needs analysis. For instance, in studying English for science and technology, the emphasis is on context and shell of the course.At the level of micro skills, EGP has shed too much attention to teaching of grammar and language structure yet the focus in ESP is on the context and subject of the course.Finally, a distinctive f eature of ESP classroom is team- teaching, where the teacher of language collaborates with subject teacher in the delivery of the lesson. This feature is , however, absent in EGP classroom where the language teacher have the appearance _or_ semblances sufficient to instruct broad themes.To sum up, though ESP stems from EGP, it has preserved for itself distinctive characteristics as outlined before. To sum up, Stevens states that ESP has four absolute characteristics1. Is designed to meet specific needs.2. Is related to themes and topics particular to occupation.3. Is revolve around on language exhaust hold of to those activities, in terms of lexis, syntax, discourse pragmatics, semantics and so on.4. The above is in contrast to General English (Stevens 1988 in Dudley-Evans St. bath 1998 p.4).In the subsequent section, the paper will take both EGP and ESP a stage further to list the similarities and differences at the level of syllabus design. To facilitate the process of compa ring and contrasting, an example of each course content will be highlighted.Syllabus design in EGPA syllabus refers to a particular plan of a course. It is a document that flesh out the structure and operation of ones class. It can to a fault be called the basic indication document that guides students and the instructor through a course (Breen 1984). In the live section, this section aims to uncover the salient types of syllabus adopted in EGP and ESP based on contents of two standards Natural English( EGP textbook) and English for Careers Tourism, (ESP textbook)establish on their observations of general English language courses, Brown (1995) and Richards (1990) list the pursuance types of syllabuses. They in addition point out that courses are frequently based on a combination ofStructural (organized primarily around grammar and sentence patterns). utilitarian (organized around communicative functions, such as identifying, reporting, correcting, describing).Notional (organi zed around abstract categories, such as duration, quantity, location).Topical (organized around themes or topics, such as health, food, clothing).Situational (organized around speech settings and the transactions associated with them, such as shopping, at the bank, at the supermarket).Skills (organized around microskills, such as audition for gist, listening for specifi c information, listening for inferences).Task- or activity-based (organized around activities, such as drawing maps, pastime directions, quest instructions).Extract.1 Contents of Natural English ,As can be sight in the content of Natural English, one of the main aims of the textbook is to enable General English learners to improve the four language skills, especially intercommunicate and listening to everyday English. Yet, the integration of the four language skills is not the fillet of sole distinctive feature of the textbook.The contents of course book also seem to respond to the general wants of GE learners in that it all covers functions, notions, vocabulary and grammar. to each one unit introduces GE learners to notions, functions and grammatical structures in an equal weight of emphasis. Thus, a point that one can infer is that EGP syllabus is integrated. Language skills as well as functions, notions, forms and semantic entries are all f employ together.For example, in unit 2, the book introduces notions such as shopping and work. Concerning functions, expressing request and responding with benignity are the main functions found in unite 1. The grammatical forms are so varied from using the present continuous to passive voice. What is so remarkable is that the communication of a notion entails the use of adequate target functions.From the design of Natural English, it is evident that the units are organized on topics. unit of measurement one is on Cartoon Mobile Invasion, unit two on Joke lost in desert, and three on Cartoon absolute Day. However, a striking being of situation s looms chiefly in extended speaking. Students are in front several situations, such as on train , on holiday, and are encouraged to interact , following the necessities of imagined communicative setting.To conclude, the apt remark we can deduce from the course content of EGP is that its syllabus is integrative and synthetic in nature. Functions, notions , forms, situations and skills gain enough space in the EGP syllabus. Nevertheless, these elements are tackled more broadly. For instance, It seems that the subjects are too general, the functions and notions are recurrent in effortless life issues, and language skills are not relevant to any victor field.Now ,ESP makes extensive use of content-based approaches. According to Master and Brinton (1998), CBI has the following features. The syllabus is organized around subject content for example, in English for Careers Tourism, an ESP textbook, the subject matter is on a number of topics from tourism, such Registration Client percept ions and supply and demand. Teaching activities are specific to the subject matter being taught and are geared to stimulate students to think and learn through the use of the target language. Language is viewed holistically, and learners learn from working with unit of measurement chunks of language and double skills.Content-based approaches reject synthetic approaches to course design-the idea that language or skills can be atomized into discrete items to be presented and practiced by learners one at a time. The approach makes use of authentic texts to which learners are expected primarily to respond in relation to the content. It has been argued (Hutchinson Waters, 1987) that once we claim the text from its original context, it loses whatever of its authenticity. For example, the intended audience is changed once the authentic text is effected into the classroom. Authenticity also relates also to the readers purpose in reading the text. For example, recommendation reports fo r the purchase of technical equipment are, in their original context of use, devised for the purpose of helping the reader decide which of two or more items of equipment to buy. If, however, a recommendation report is transported into a language teaching classroom and students are given an activity whose purpose is to answer comprehension questions on it, the match between text and task is artificial.Content-based instruction tries to avoid some of these potential problems by using content (authentic texts) in ways that were similar to those in real life. Content-based approaches involve also the integration of skills. Writing often follows on from listening and reading, and students are often required to synthesize facts and ideas from multiple sources as preparation for writing (Brinton et al., 1989).In fact, ESP syllabi (in this case an English Vocational Purposes syllabus) differ from English General Purposes (EGP) syllabi, both in goals and content. to a lower place is an outl ine of some study differences adapted from Widdowson (1983 in White 1988 pp.18 26), Hutchinson Waters (1987) and Stevens (1988) (both in Dudley-Evans St. John 1998 pp. 2-4).The ESP syllabus must be based on a previous analysis of the students needs, which includes not only an analysis of the situations in which the language will be used and of the language appropriate in these situations, but also an analysis of the students wants and subjective needs.The whole business of the management of language learning is far too complex to be satisfactorily catered for by a pre-packaged set of decisions embodied in teaching materials. Quite simply, even with the best intentions no single textbook can possibly work in all situations.(Sheldon, 1987 1)If we are to prescribe content, we need to ask, whose content?MethodologyHaving uncovered the nuances existing between ESP and EGP syllabi, This current chapter will move a stage further to draw a comparison and contrast at level of methodology , chiefly at the types of techniques assiduous by each and the roles they played in serving the students needs.As defined by Robinson (1991), methodology refers to what goes on in the classroom and to what students have to do. victimization technical terms, it refers to classroom activities and techniques. There are too many techniques which more often than not emerged in EGP classroom such as tasks, role play, simulations, and so on and so forth. These techniques soon adopted by ESP practitioners .Concerning tasks, Little John and Hicks ( ) noticed that valuable tasks in EGP have certain characteristics they should be demand and absorbing and exploit learners prior knowledge. In ESP, the above criteria are also predominant, but what is specific here is that ESP tasks comprise linguistic and schoolmaster skills. For instance, medical students studying English may be assigned to support out a series of operations as outlined downstairsMoreover, the role play and simulations ar e used differently in ESP and EGP. While dealing with simulatons in ESP, Strutridge() noticed that they were originally used in business and military training with focus on outcome rather than the means -language- of training. In EGP, the outcome was ,however, less important than the means used to achieve fluency. One should not perceive hastily that means in esp have no disregarded. Stutridge concludes that in ESP end is as important as the means.Taking case studies into account, Nunan in an outsanding research time-tested the validity of the technique to ESP course. He found out that it helps ESP students to draw upon their professional skills, utilizing the cognitive and behavioral styles of their work rather than of handed-down language classroom. Case studies may prove difficult to be conducted by EGP learners if we take into consideration their younger age and Worse of al their professional immaturity. For ESP students who are not fully qualified in their profession, the use of case studies help to induct them into some aspects of professional culture ( Charles 337,pp.28-31) befuddle work is out-of-class activity used in both ESP and EGP classroom. However, Fried() notice the more advanced examples of project work would be appropriate for ESP.A final technique which is common in ESP and EGP as well is the oral presentations. Usually, they are the culmination of project or case studies conducted outside the threshold of classroom. The utility of such activity is that it trains students to develop their self liberty and master the four skills of the target language. Word processor and PowerPoint become old(prenominal) means for presentations,Succinctly, the methodology endorsed by ESP is quite similar to that of EGP chiefly if we consider the types of techniques and activities .Yet, the ways in which techniques are employed in ESP differ a lot from that in EGP.the next chapter will attempt to decipher how material design becomes a site of innovation aft(prenominal) the emergence of ESP. Being in its heyday, ESP materials assume a divergent way from EGP. ESP designers come up with in-house materials quite plausible to the students needs more than the General ready-make textbooks which hold their strength in EGP classrooms.Materials DesignOne of the common characteristics of of material design in ESP is the existence of an established usance of ESP teachers producing in-house materials. These materials are the outcome of needs analysis. the write out made material accounts to the learners needs more than a general textbook can do., However, several questions may emerge to the surfaceWhat are the major factors behind the over-existence of in-house materials in ESP in contrast to its acute paucity in EGP?-what are the line features that distinguish ESP materials from EGP?One of the key factors behind the profusion of in-house materials in ESP is because of its reliance on needs analysis. Need analysis is rarely carried out in G L classroom. This is partly because of the difficulty of specifying GL learners and partly because of a lack of literature on the particularities of analyzing needs data. require analysis tends to be associated with ESP and is neglected in GE classroom. Hutchinson and Waters(1987,p.53-54) say that what distinguishes ESP from GE is not the existence of a need as such but rather an awareness of the need for the time being, the tradition persists in GE that learners needs cannot be specified and as a result no attempt is usually made to discover learners dead on target needs. Secondly, The fact that ESP materials are tailored to the needs of specific group of learners makes its absolute adoption by other ESP teachers futile. Even when satisfactory materials are available, it may not be possible to buy them because of import restrictions pointed out Hutchinson and Waters (1987,p.).If textbooks are more available in EGP than in ESP,ESP textbooks have not been immune from criticism. Ev er and Boys(p.57) mount a strong a attack on the EST textbooks suggesting that most of them are designed for, or are the outcome of, remedial or supplementary courses and assume that students already possess a knowledge of English.unhappily, this is not at all understood by potential users, especially in developing countries oversea where the greatest demand for EST exists. some other strongly worded attack was that the heavy concern of ESP practitioners with methodology and approach leads them to ignore issues such the accuracy of explanations ,validity of examples and suitability of linguistic content.Because ESP materials are relevanct to target needs, This may increase the motivation of ESP students, but there are other aspects which are also highly important, such as Waters (1987 48) put it, ESP, as much as any good teaching, needs to be intrinsically motivating. () Students should get satisfaction from the actual experience of learning, not just from the prospect of lastly us ing what they have learnt. The following task, for instance, could be interesting for Engineering students.Another characteristic of ESP materials is that it is more authentic than EGPmaterials. The latter might be produced for the purpose of teaching language, while in ESP authenticity refers to the materials used in the students specialist workplace or study institution. Additionally, for ESP authentic text selection usually follow the needs analysis.To conclude, the whole business of language learning management is far too complex to be satisfactorily catered for by a pre-packaged set of decisions embodied in teaching materials. Quite simply, even with the best intentions no single textbook can possibly work in all situations.(Sheldon, 1987 1). However, designing tailor made materials would in principle be motivating, authentic and innovative.ConclusionThis paper has highlighted some of the issues involved in ESP curriculum development. It can be argued that language varieties ar e based in and extend from a common core of language. Or it can be argued that language varieties are self-contained entities. necessitate analysis can be seen as an entirely pragmatic and object lens endeavour to help course developers identify course content that is truly relevant to the learners, or it can be argued to have a stoop in favour of the institutions and may overemphasize objective needs atthe cost of subjective needs. It can be argued that syllabuses should specify content (what is to be taught). Or it can be argued that they should specify method (how language is to be taught). Some argue that the ESP coursesshould be as narrow-angled as possible. Others argue that this is not practicaEST is in a parlous state and is being cast away by many tertiary institutions who, like Sultan Qaboos University, found that the English teachers seemed to learn a lot of science, but the students didnt seem to learn much English