A syllabus (pl.

syllabi or syllabuses; from Latin syllabus "list" probably of Gr

eek origin), is an outline and summary of topics to be covered in an education o
r training course.A syllabus is often either set out by an exam board, or prepar
ed by the professor who supervises or controls the course quality.
A syllabus usually contains specific information about the course, such as infor
mation on how, where and when to contact the lecturer and teaching assistants; a
n outline of what will be covered in the course; a schedule of test dates and th
e due dates for assignments; the grading policy for the course; specific classro
om rules; etc.
Within many courses concluding in an exam, syllabi are used to ensure consistenc
y between schools and that all teachers know what must be taught and what is not
required (extraneous). Exams can only test knowledge based on information inclu
ded in the syllabus.-wikipedia.org
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ESP is English for specific Purposes. it is quite different with the general Eng
lish who consider english learners in general into the categories of elementary,
intermediate, advance etc. the simple examples are; english for medical studies
, english for teaching, english for industrial engineering, english for pilot/av
iation etc
--------------
Approaches to course design
Data about learning need is interpreted in order to produce an integrated
series of teaching-learning.
A. Language-centred course design
It is process aims to draw as direct a connection as possible between the
analysis of the target situation and the content of the ESP course.
B. Skills ±centred course design
The skills ±centred approach still approaches the learners as a user of
language rather than as a learner of language.it is with this distinction in
mind that we turn to the third approach to course design.
C. A learning-centred approach
The learner-centred approach is based on the principle that learning is
totally determined by the learner. The learner is one factor to consider in
the learning process, but not the only one. We must look beyondthe
competence that enables someone to perform, cause what we really want
to discover is not the competence.
The syllabus
In this first chapter on the application of course desgn model.
A. What do we mean by a syllabus?
A syllabus is a document which says what will be learnt. This stems from
the fact that the statement of what will be learnt passes through several
different stages before it reaches its destinationin the mind of the learner
like :
y
The evaluation syllabus
y
The organizational syllabus
y
The materials syllabus
y
The teacher syllabus
y
The classroom syllabus
y
The learner syllabus
B. Why should we have a syllabus ?
There are also acknowledged and hidden reasons for having a syllabus :
y
Language is complex entity
y
In addition to its practical benefits,
y
Particular importance when there are commercial sponsors involved
y
Returning to our analogy of learning as a journey
y
A syllabus is an implicit statementof views the nature of language and
learning
y
A syllabus provide a set of criteria for materials selection and/or
writing
y
Is one way in which standardization is archieved
C.O n what criteria can a syllabus be organized ?
y
Topic syllabus like the rig, fishing jobs, natural flow etc
y
Structural syllabus
y
Functional syllabus like a properties, location, and shapes
y
Skills syllabus like an organizing ur studies, taking notes , improving
ur reading.
Situational syllabus like a sales report, a memo, a journey etc
y
Task-based syllabus like a making arrangements, attending meetings
etc
y
Discourse syllabus
y
Ski and strategis
D. What role should a syllabus play in the course design process ?
We can look at this question in terms of the approaches to course design
that we out lined.
y
A language-centred approach
y
A skills-centred approach
y
A learning-centred approach
y
The post hock approach
A syllabus is not divine writ. It is working document that should be
used flexibly and appropriately to maximise the aims and process of
learning.

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