Syllabus DesignThe second of a series of workshops in second-language acquisition and instruction at the Language Training Center North Carolina State UniversityWednesday, December 21, 2011Sponsored by the Institute for International Education and the National Security Education Program

Questions to Ask When Designing a Syllabus

For what purposes do my students want to acquire the target language? (e.g., for travel, for business purposes);

In which setting will my students use the target language? (e.g., office, airline, store);

What role will my students play in the target language and who will their potential interlocutors be? (e.g., traveler, sales person talking to clients, student in instructional setting);

Principle 1: Use Tasks as an Organizational Principle

Don’t organize your syllabus according to grammar topics or texts

Grammar should support the development of communicative skills

Organize the syllabus around the end performance goals

Principle 2: Promote Learning by Doing

Basic premise: a hands-on approach positively enhances a learner’s cognitive engagement

Knowledge tied to real-world events and activities is better integrated into language teaching methods

Allow students to lead; give them control in their learning

Principle 3: Promote Cooperative and Collaborative Learning

Working in groups facilitates learningLearners must hear input and produce speech

(e.g., interact and negotiate meaning)Teacher helps students to reach a potential that

exceeds their current level of developmentIncorporate information-gaps and provide students

opportunities to use their language in context

PLANNING FOR SUCCESS!

Lesson Planning 101

" The only place success comes before work is in the dictionary."

-- May Smith

Learning Objectives, or better..Performance Objectives

Creating Learning Objectives

Performance objectives are the most important part of a LPBegins with ‘Students will be able to (SWBAT)….’Use THEME as a springboard for identifying objectives for a lessonPerformance objectives are MEASURABLE and DESCRIBE what Ss

will be able to do in and with the Target Language in terms of meaningful language use

Objectives focus on Students’ ability to accomplish a language function (e.g., to communicate real information)

Creating Learning Objectives

Performance objectives should be:Expressed in terms of demonstrable/observable student

behaviors (Bloom’s Taxonomy). Expressed in terms of a communicative/culminating activityExpressed as a real-life task or behaviorInteresting and motivating for students

Examples:Vocabulary: directional words (right, left, next to,

across from, etc.)Grammar: asking (and answering) questionsCulture: SpainObjective: Using a street map of Madrid, SWBAT ask

for and give directions to at least 3 popular historic places

Decisions and Considerations in Lesson Planning

Ask Yourself: What do I want my students to learn from this lesson?What are my objectives (measurable goals)?What is the topic or theme of this lesson?What resources (textbook, workbook, music, puppets,

realia, etc.) are available? How will the lesson connect to what students already

know?How will I begin and conclude the lesson?How will I arrange student groupings?

Ask Yourself:What activities will I use?Why should I teach this lesson?How well do I understand the content of the lesson?Do I know exactly what the students have to do during

each activity?Do I know exactly how to set up an activity? How much time will I need for each activity?How will I organize the lesson into stages or sections?What will I do if I have too little or too much time?

Making Decisions about Lesson ContentAsk yourself ‘What do I want students to learn and be

able to do?’Choose your TOPIC or theme (e.g., economy, family,

traveling)Choose the CONTEXT (e.g., classroom environment, in

the shopping center, informal gathering at friend’s house)

Choose the specific LANGUAGE FUNCTIONS needed (e.g. asking and answering question, giving directions, praising)

Making Decisions about Activities/TasksActivities are the ‘building blocks’ of a lessonTextbooks provide general ideas of how to implement

an activity leaving the pedagogical procedure up to the teacher

To make an activity successful, know what you will do and what your students will do

10 Lesson Planning Principles(non-negotiable)

1. Speak (nearly) 100% target language.2. Keep students active and involved.3. Create a theme and performance objective(s) with

non-grammar focus for each lesson.4. Use pair/group work and physical movement.5. Reduce in-class time not directly related to

communication.

6. Use visual & auditory aids.7. Integrate culture into each lesson.8. Keep a brisk pace to the lesson.9. Contextualize all activities.10. Do not be tied to the textbook. Choose

(textbook) activities in a logical progression to lead to mastery of the objective(s).