Education of the republic of uzbekistan
MINISTRY OF HIGHER AND SECONDARY SPECIALIZED
EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
CHIRCHIQ PEDAGOGICAL STATE INSTITUTE
Course work
Theme: The relation between curriculum, syllabus and textbooks.
Group:XTA19/6
Student: Boʻranova Diyora
Supervisior:Yusupova Muhabbat
Chirchik-2021
Content
Introduction………………………………………………………….3
Chapter.I. The relation between curriculum, syllabus and textbooks.
1.1.What’s the Difference Between Syllabus , Curriculum and textbooks…………………….7
1.2.The Approaches of Syllabus Design and Selection…………………………...…………..12
1.3.The Synthetic and Analytical Approach in Syllabus Design……………………………..13
1.4. Relationship between Curriculum, Syllabus and Textbook……………………………....15
1.5. Ten steps in preparing a practical language teaching syllabus……………………………20
Conculation…………………………………………………………...29
References…………………………………………………………….30
INTRODUCTION
Course materials such as the syllabus and textbook set the tone for a course. Therefore, careful
planning must go into developing a syllabus and choosing a textbook. An effective syllabus can
increase the number of successful students and decrease the number of problems that arise
throughout a course by communicating the instructor’s expectations for students in the course. A
syllabus usually includes standard information like the logistics of when, where, and who; a
well-written syllabus also answers questions like what and why. Student learning correlates more
with the textbook than the instructor; consequently, choosing a textbook is an important aspect of
teaching a course. The most critical component to consider is whether or not the textbook
supports the course objectives. This paper covers these aspects, as well as provides guidelines to
assist in developing a syllabus and choosing a textbook.
In the present context, there are new developments and concerns to which our curriculum at
secondary stage must respond. The foremost among these is the importance of including and
retaining all adolescents in school through a programme that reaffirms the value of each learner
and enables all adolescents to experience dignity and confidence to learn. Instructional design of
the curriculum must reflect the commitment to Universalisation of Secondary Education (USE),
not only in representing cultural diversity, but also by ensuring that learners from different social
and economic backgrounds with variations in physical, psychological and intellectual
characteristics are able to learn and achieve success in school.
The RMSA is committed towards providing quality secondary education to all at
the secondary and higher secondary stage. The focus is on quality interventions meeting the
complex needs in terms of necessary infrastructure to support quality inputs with regard to
curriculum, learning resources, enhancing learning abilities of students passing out class VIII
and continuous academic support/mentoring for teachers and teacher educators as per the
guidelines of the National Curriculum Framework-2005.
Guiding all the states/UTs on quality issues, the RMSA framework strongly
recommends “review of curriculum in States/UTs at the secondary level to meet the NCF-2005
norms”.RMSA framework also states required structures will have to be created in all the
States/UTs to prepare new syllabi and textbooks at the state level. The framework also states that
majority of states are in the process of completing this exercise. Some of them have already
completed this exercise. The states which have not yet completed the exercise of curriculum
reform, preparation of new syllabi and textbooks are expected to complete the task of curriculum
reforms in the very first year of programme implementation. To quote AIDE MEMOIRE as the
NCF 2005 has presented some dynamic areas at the secondary level related to pedagogical
processes, teaching learning methodologies and assessment and evaluation systems, curricular
reform and renewal become major factors to be addressed at the state and school level, with
appropriate orientation and capacity building of the implementation agencies (India, Secondary
Education Project, Preparation of Development Partner Support).
The National Curriculum Framework -2005 has been brought out by the NCERT through a
wide-ranging process of deliberations and consultations. The document was approved by the
Central Advisory Board of Education in September, 2005. The document proposes reform in
various aspects of school education at all the stages in the following areas: Syllabus and
Textbooks; Pedagogic Practices; Time Management in School; Assessment; Learning Resource;
School Ethos including academic monitoring and effective leadership; Arts, Craft, Work, Peace
and Health and Information and Communication Technology.
Realising the connectivity of these reforms with the existing practices the document also
proposes reform in examination and teacher education. Providing broad guidelines for the
development of curriculum, syllabus and textbooks; assessment and evaluation and also for
teacher education the National Curriculum Framework-2005 recommends the following shifts:
1.Change in the design of encyclopedic type of syllabi and textbooks and also a change in social
ethos, which places stress on learners.
2.(As per the document this will enable learners to find their voices, nurture their curiosity-to do
things, to ask questions and pursue investigations, to improve their ability to share and integrate
their experiences with school knowledge-rather than to reproduce textual knowledge)
3.Bringing the arts, work, peace and health and physical education squarely into the domain of
the curricular, infusing them in all areas of learning while giving them an identity of their own at
relevant stages.
4.(This is essential as quality in education includes a concern for quality of life in all its
dimensions. Concern for peace, protection of the environment and a predisposition towards
social change must be viewed as core components of quality, not merely as value premises.
Moreover, For the purpose of strengthening our cultural heritage and national identity, the
curriculum should enable the younger generation to reinterpret and re-evaluate the past with
reference to new priorities and emerging outlooks of a changing societal context. Creation of
citizenry conscious of their rights an duties, and commitment to principles embodied in our
Constitution must be the priority of the school education in regard. Physical development
supports mental and cognitive development, especially in young children. The capacity to think
reason and make sense of the self and the world, and to use language, is intimately connected
with acting and interacting-doing things by oneself and with others. Therefore it is essential to
involve all students).
5.Significant changes in all the curricular areas in the context of emerging social needs
6.Shift from content based testing to problem solving and competency based testing as content
based testing induces rote learning and promotes conventional methods of teaching, both of
which cause stress during examinations.
7.Use of Educational Technology including ICT to increase the reach of educational
programmes, facilitate management of the system , sharing of information and space for debate
and dialogue on diverse issues related to education as well as help address specific leaning needs
and requirement.
8.Shift in teacher education programmes from teacher centric to learner centric with flexible
designs and processes providing wider social context to learning as well multiple and divergent
exposures.
Salient features of the National Curriculum Framework-2005
Aims of Education: The National Curriculum Framework taking cues from ‘Learning without
Burden’ and seeking guidance from the Constitutional vision of India as a secular, egalitarian
and pluralistic society, founded on the values of social justice and equality, identifies certain
broad aims of education. These include independence of thought and action, sensitivity to others’
well being and feelings, learning to respond to new situations in a flexible and creative manner,
pre-disposition towards participation in democratic processes and the ability to work towards and
contribute to economic processes and social change. Guiding Principles: The fact that learning
has become a source of burden and stress on children is an evidence of a deep distortion in
educational aims and quality. To correct this distortion, the present National Curriculum
Framework proposes five guiding principles for curriculum development: a.connecting
knowledge to life outside the school;
b.ensuring that learning shifts away from rote methods;
c.enriching the curriculum to provide for overall development of children rather than remain
textbook centric, d.making examinations more flexible and integrated into classroom life
e.nurturing an over-riding identity informed by caring concerns within the democratic polity of
the country.
The National Curriculum Framework, while placing the learner as the constructor of knowledge,
emphasises that curriculum, syllabus and textbooks should enable the teacher to organise
classroom experiences in consonance with the child’s nature and environment, and providing
opportunities for all children. Significant changes are recommended in all the curricular areas
with a view to making education more relevant to the present day and future needs in order to
alleviate the stress children are coping with today. The NCF recommends the softening of
subject boundaries so that children can get a taste of integrated knowledge and joy of
understanding.
What’s the Difference Between Syllabus , Curriculum and textbooks?
The curriculum contains the overall content as provided by an education board for a particular
course spanning across a stipulated time period. Whereas the syllabus explains the summary of
different topics covered or units that will be taught in a specific subject or discipline under
that particular course.
Syllabus Vs Curriculum: Key Differences
Syllabus vs Curriculum
Curriculum
Syllabus
Meaning
A set of guidelines of the
different academic contents
and chapters that are
covered during a program
offered by a particular
educational institution.
A document that has all the
information about different
topics or concepts that need
to be covered for a particular
subject.
Nature
Prescriptive
Descriptive
Structured For
Complete Course
Each Subject Under the Course
Changes
Cannot be easily changed
Can be easily changed
Determined By
Administration of College,
Institute or School or the
Government
Exam Board
Scope
Wide
Narrow
Uniformity
Uniform for all the teachers
Different from one
teacher to another
Term Duration
Until the course lasts
A fixed-term,
can also be a year

Curriculum remains prescriptive in nature as its structure needs to be followed in the
specified manner while syllabus is more descriptive and flexible in nature and can be
covered in a non-prescriptive manner.

Curriculum is meticulously designed by the school or college
administration while syllabus gets created by teachers by the educational board.

Curriculum stays the same for every teacher while syllabus can differ and it can be
covered in a distinctive manner as per their own individual teaching style.

Another important point of difference between syllabus vs curriculum is that the
term curriculum originated from Latin “curricule” which means to run or course.
On the other hand, the term syllabus finds its origins in the Greek “sittuba” meaning
title slip or label.

Curriculum encompasses more extensive scope than syllabus. This is
because syllabus remains confined to a particular subject while curriculum provides
the structure for the whole course.

Syllabus is only provided for a year while the curriculum covers the whole course.

Curriculum contains all the subjects and outlines how they will be studied during the
course while syllabus is more detailed version for each subject under the course.
The Differences between Syllabus and Curriculum
What is Syllabus?
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardour and attended to
with diligence.” – Abigail Adams.
In simple terms, a syllabus is a document containing the information about the different
topics or the portion that needs to be covered for a particular subject or a course. This
document is determined by the board of examination and created by different professors.
While forming a syllabus, the professors ensure that the fundamentals of a particular
subject or course are added in a unique combination of theoretical and practical learning
methods. A syllabus is provided to students and teachers at the beginning of an academic
session.Discussing syllabus vs curriculum, it’s important to understand that the syllabus
of a subject is considered as a guide for the subject teacher as well as the students. It
helps the students understand the subject in detail and why it is a part of their course. It
also helps students to anticipate what is expected from them and the consequences in case
of failing the subject. It also contains the general policies, rules, topics to be covered,
instructions, assignments, test dates, projects, etc.
Davidson and Ambrose suggest that a syllabus is similar to a research proposal, in that
they are both written after much thought and planning. Well written materials, whether it
is a syllabus, research proposal, or another course document such as an assignment or
worksheet, demonstrates that the author is organized, committed, and enthusiastic about
the topic. It is important that a syllabus convey these attributes to the students, because
the syllabus serves as a means to introduce the instructor and course to the students. The
syllabus sets the tone for the course and lets students know the standards and
expectations set for them. A well-written syllabus can also make the instructor’s job
easier. Once the students understand what is expected of them, it is easier for the
instructor and students to communicate with one another. An effective syllabus can
improve the student success rate by delineating the instructor’s philosophy and
expectations (University of Minnesota Center for Teaching and Learning Services, N.D.).
The syllabus acts as the table of contents for the course. It informs students about the
purpose and objectives of the course (i.e., the final destination). The syllabus also
indicates how the objectives will be obtained (i.e., the directions on how to get there),
such as what materials will be covered, classroom procedures, assignments and
processes, as well as policies. It presents a plan of topics to be covered based on the time
frame for the course and serves as a contract between the instructor and students. The
syllabus could also describe the role of the course within the curriculum and how the
course content relates to other courses or workforce applications. Another important
aspect of the syllabus is that it requires the instructor to ponder the time limitations for
the course and be realistic in what materials will be covered.
Items usually included in a syllabus are:
a. Heading–This section includes the course number and title, credits, semester, time and
location of the class, the instructor’s name and contact information, as well as office
hours and information regarding teaching assistants, if applicable to the course
b. Course description–The description in the University catalog can be used if it
accurately depicts what will be covered throughout the course.
c. Prerequisites–This sets some expectations of knowledge and skills needed for the
course. This section can also include suggestions on how students can prepare for the
course by reviewing previous class materials.
d. Course goals or objectives–These describe what the students will know by the end of
the semester. Try to list three to five objectives identifying the competencies students will
gain by successfully completing the course.
e. Text and reading materials–Title, author, edition, and publisher of the textbook should
be provided. If other reading materials will be used, details such as where to obtain the
materials (e.g., course packet) and how much it will cost, or how to acquire library
reserves, should be included in the syllabus.
f. Course format and assignments–Tell students the methods that will be used to cover the
topics (e.g., lecture or discussion). Also, describe assignments and activities that will be
used throughout the course (e.g., worksheets, fam tours/field trips, and research projects).
g. Grading or evaluation procedures–Describe what students will be graded on (e.g.,
participation, worksheet) and how (e.g., 5 points for answering a question during class
when called upon). List how many assignments, tests, and activities will be used and the
points for each, as well as the total number of points possible in the course. Also, include
grading procedures, such as whether or not tests will be graded on a curve or if extra
credit is allowed.
h. Course policies–Include a statement regarding attendance (e.g., is it required),
tardiness, and make-up exams (e.g., whether the make-up exam will be the same test or
an alternate format).
i. University policies–Include any policies that the department and/or university
mandates, such as Academic Honesty (i.e., cheating and plagiarism policies) and
accommodation policy (i.e., students who meet the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA) requirements can request appropriate accommodations or assistance).
j. Course schedule–Provide students with a calendar of events for the semester, such as
topics to be covered each day, assignment due dates, test days, and drop/withdraw
deadlines.
k. Caveat–It is recommended that a sentence be included to state that modifications may
be made throughout the semester. For example, “this syllabus outlines a tentative course
schedule, however the instructor reserves the right to make changes as needed.”
l. Other considerations–With the emergence of professional note-takers and students
selling notes to companies, many instructors include copyright statements, such as “the
instructor reserves all copyrights to the content of this course. Reproduction of class
notes for monetary gain or commercial purposes is prohibited”. Also, remember to be
creative (e.g., use color and pictures) and try to motivate the students by using exciting,
active language. Students have diverse learning preferences, so by including visuals such
as pictures and charts , the syllabus may appeal to more students and actively engage
them in the learning process.
It is up to the instructor to choose what s/he wants to include. However, by including
more information, it is likely to have less questions by students. This can be important in
more populated classes or classes with multiple sections where consistency is important,
or in online classes where there might be limited communication between the students
and instructor. When developing a course syllabus, instructors can get ideas from the
department, peers, and sources like the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and
Institutional Education (iCHRIE) Special Interest Groups (SIGs). For example, at the
58th Annual iCHRIE conference (Palm Springs, CA) the Lodging SIG handed out a
booklet with compiled syllabi from several hospitality academics.
How to Write a Syllabus?
Bill and Gower suggested some guidelines of the process of writing syllabuses and
materials. In the Pre-Writing Stage, the teaching situation and the intended learner group
should be analyzed. Then, Decisions should be made on the type of assessment,resources/
staffing available should. Next, the syllabus designer should have intensive information
about the learners’ needs, their age, level, interests, and purpose of their learning English,
their weaknesses and their strengths. This information can be obtained by administering
placement tests and need analysis, and surveying students’ descriptive analysis.Another
important factor to consider in the initial steps is to state the learning objectives based on
the information obtained in the first stage. These can be written in terms of 'can
do'statements, such as the learner can talk about likes and dislikes; the learner can narrate
a story in
the past tense. Next, the designer starts to create activities taking into consideration
theimportance of having balance of skills Vs grammar and vocabulary, deciding on the
outcomes, and the suitability of topics. The last stage is piloting the new syllabus on one
class and making sure that teachers are trained on the new syllabus
The Approaches of Syllabus Design and Selection
Yalden indicated that there are different approaches of designing ESL/EFL Syllabi and
that all indicate similar conceptual poles: formal-functional, structuralcontextual,grammatical-communicative, linear-spiral, difficulty approach, utility
approach, synthetic-analytic, top-down versus bottom up. Difficulty Approaches to the
Syllabus - easier things are taught first, more difficult things are taught later. The Linear
Syllabus - content is sequenced one item after another.
The Spiral Syllabus - the same item is returned to repeatedly and treated in more depth on
each occasion. Utility Approaches to the Syllabus - based around what is needed,useful,
and urgent for learners e.g. should they learn how to hold a telephone conversation first,
or should they concentrate on managing transactions when shopping.
The Synthetic Approach in Syllabus Design
Syllabus types can be divided into two superordinate classes, synthetic and analytic
Wilkins defines synthetically-designed syllabus as “one in which the different parts of
language are taught separately and step by step so that the acquisition is a process of
gradual accumulation of the parts until the whole structure of the language has been
built.” In designing syllabuses based on this approach, the language items to be taught are
ordered into a list of grammatical structures and lexical items.
Analytical Approaches to Syllabus-Design
Using Wilkins’ terminology, this is the approximation of the learners’ own linguistic
behavior, the language being presented in an unanalyzed whole.”.Nunan defines the
analytic syllabuses as those which present the target language whole chunks at a time,
without linguistic interference or control.” They rely on
(a) the learners' assumed ability to perceive regularities in the input and to induce rules
(or to form new neural networks underlying what looks like rule-governed behavior),
and/or
(b) the exposure of learners to natural samples of the L2. Procedural, process, and task
syllabuses are all examples of the analytic syllabus type.
What is Curriculum?
A Curriculum is basically a set of guidelines for different academic contents and chapters
that are covered in a specific program offered by a particular school or college. However,
it covers the attitude, manner, knowledge, behaviour, performance, manner and the
different skills that students will develop throughout the academic period. Also, for the
differences between syllabus vs curriculum, the latter deals with different teaching
methods, assignments, lessons, mental and physical exercises, assessments, presentations,
learning objectives, test series, etc.
Generally, a curriculum is well-planned and carefully designed by educational
institutions or the government. Focusing on the overall learning experience provided by a
course, it emphasizes essentially on the mental and physical development of the students.
What is Textbooks?
Why does an instructor use a textbook? It provides a reference for students and an outline
of the material that will be covered throughout the course. Research has indicated that a
major influence on student learning is the text; research also suggests that the text has a
greater impact than the instructor . Therefore, choosing a textbook or reading materials
can be a critical component of teaching a course. Before choosing a textbook, check with
the department chair or other faculty members. Some departments may have a policy that
dictates the textbook to be used, especially when multiple sections are taught by various
faculty members. If a textbook has not been pre-determined, the following guidelines can
assist with choosing a textbook or reading materials for a course. Many publishing
companies (e.g., Wiley & Sons and Prentice Hall) send free sample textbooks (i.e., desk
copies) for an instructor to review.
These companies can be contacted through sales representatives who are often available
at conferences or through their respective websites. After reviewing sample textbooks,
check with peers within the department to get their input and recommendations. When
choosing a textbook (or reading material), the most critical question to consider is
whether or not it fits with the course objectives . An instructor should also evaluate a
textbook based on the readability, organization, cost, visual appeal, relevancy, and
currency. If the reading level is too easy, it will not maintain the students’ attention; yet if
it is too difficult, it will frustrate students. It has been recommended that introductory
textbooks be equivalent to a ninth or tenth grade reading level .
This is the level of reading of most magazines and newspapers. Along with readability is
the organization of the book. A well organized book allows students to see how the
information is outlined, and they can easily identify the major concepts. If the students
have to spend a lot of time understanding the format or outline, they will have less time
for applications. As tuition increases, students are more price-conscious. If a textbook is
too costly, some students may elect to not purchase it or try to share with other
classmates, which could hinder their ability to complete assignments. Textbooks that are
visually appealing with color charts and pictures can motivate and stimulate students to
learn more about the topic. Relevant and up-to-date information is also important in
stimulating students’ desire to learn more.
If the textbook offers examples that students are likely to face in the workplace and
information that is current, they are more likely to be interested in the subject. Based on
the difficulty of finding one textbook that meets all these criteria, course packets and
customized textbooks are becoming more common. Course packets can provide more
timely information and several view points , which can motivate students to think about
topics in different ways. Customized textbooks allow an instructor to choose chapters
from different books and have them bound together as one book.
The advantage of this option is that students will Tips for Teaching Assistants and New
Instructors get information from various sources without having to purchase several
books. The availability of so many textbooks makes choosing one arduous. However, by
consulting peers and using trial-and-error methods, choosing a textbook will hopefully
become easier with experience. An instructor who desires to improve will continuously
make changes to his/her syllabus and always seek out the textbook that best fits his/her
course. This drive for professional development is what makes successful instructors
Relationship between Curriculum, Syllabus and TextbookThere is a close and
interrelated relationship between Curriculum, Syllabus and Textbooks because these
three are essential component of an academic session. Let’s understand this relationship
in further detail:
o
Curriculum defines the intricate structure of how the syllabus, teaching periods
and prescribed study materials would be, syllabus includes all the chapters and
topics in detail along with the reference books, study guides and further academic
instructions and then textbook follows all the essentials mentioned in both
curriculum and syllabus for an academic semester or year.
o
Lesson plans for a certain subject are part of the curriculum, but detailed in terms
of chapters and topics in a syllabus while further studied through textbooks.
o
The more structured a curriculum is, the syllabus will be more simpler and easy to
cover with the help of textbooks.
o
When it comes to formulation of these three, the curriculum and syllabus are
constituted by the education board and teachers while textbooks are created by
academic authors and publishers as per the curriculum and syllabus.
o
The curriculum is provided for a whole year, the syllabus is for a certain academic
session like a semester and textbooks differ as per the syllabus for each session as
well as the curriculum for each year.
o
What is the difference between syllabus and curriculum?
Syllabus and curriculum both are important terms used in reference to an educational
program but they have different meanings. A curriculum is a combination of topics,
subjects or activities that are to be included in an educational program. Whereas, the
syllabus covers portions of topics in a particular subject.
• Syllabus refers to the program or outline of a course of study. Curriculum, on the other
hand, is a word that refers to the subjects that are studied or prescribed for study in a
school or in a college. This is the main difference between syllabus and curriculum.
• Syllabus is the portions of study that should be covered in a subject. This subject can be
a part of a course. What the whole course should cover, including different subjects and
their relevant study areas are all included in the curriculum. So, syllabus is a subset of the
curriculum.
• The plural of syllabus can be syllabi or syllabuses. The plural of curriculum can be
curricula or curriculums.
• A syllabus is descriptive. This is because the syllabus is formed to create an
understanding between the teacher and the student. A syllabus, therefore, explicitly
describes what areas will be covered in a subject. A curriculum is prescriptive or specific.
It is a guide the institution follows for the course as long as the course lasts.
• A syllabus is usually for a year. A curriculum can be as long as the course lasts. For
example, think about a three year degree program. The syllabus will be for each subject
that is covered throughout the period of three years. Let us say English is one subject. So,
there will be different syllabuses that are followed for different sub-units under the
subject called English for the three year period. American English will have one syllabus.
Shakespeare will have one syllabus. However, when it comes to curriculum, it is the
whole degree experience. That means it includes all the subjects that are covered in the
three year period. This will contain all the objectives of the whole degree course.
• Syllabus is for a subject while curriculum is for a course.
This is the difference between syllabus and curriculum.
What type of curriculum is syllabus?
Here is the origin of both these words:
Syllabus
Syllabus is a Greek term
It is a set of a subject
It is descriptive in nature
It’s scope is narrow
Curriculum
Curriculum is a Lain term
It is a set of a course
It is Perspective in nature
It’s scope is wide
o
What is curriculum and syllabus design?
o
Syllabus design and curriculum development are the 2 terms used in language
teaching. The syllabus is a specific set of the content of course and list of topics
which are to be covered in a subject. While syllabus design or curriculum is the
process of development of the entire syllabus.
Student Factors Affecting Syllabus Choice and Design
Facts about students also affect what instructional content can be used in an instructional
program. The major concerns here are the goals of the students, their experience,
expectations, and prior knowledge, their social and personality types, and the number of
students in a given class.Ideally, the goals the students themselves have for language
study will match the goals of the program. When this is so, the question of goals is easy
to settle. Sometimes, however, programs and students have different goals. For example,
one instructional program was designed to teach the English of the broadcasting
profession at a vocational school.The program administrators assumed that the students '
language learninggoals were tied to the professional training they were receiving.
Manystudents, however, were more interested in attaining general Englishproficiency to
pre-pare them for even better positions than they were being trained for. One way to meet
both sets of goals would be to increase the amount of general functional, situational, and
skill content provided along with the specialized skill and structural content that was
being taught.
D. Combining and Integrating Syllabus Types
Throughout this monograph, syllabus types have been discussed more or less ideally and
independently, treating each as if it were the sole type being used in instruction. In
practice, however, few instructional programs rely on only one type but combine types in
various ways.
A distinction exists between combination and integration,although it is not absolute.
Combination is the inclusion of more than one type of syllabus with little at-tempt to
relate the content types to each other. For example, a lesson on the function of
disagreeing (func tional)could be followed by one on listening for topic shifts (skill) in
which the function of disagreeing has no significant occurrence. Such combination
frequently occurs in language teaching when various communica tive or "fluency"
activities (i.e., skills, tasks) are added on to a structural,functional, or situational syllabus.
Little or no attempt is made to relate the content of the two types of
instruction.Integration is when some attempt is made to interrelate content items. For
example, if, after a structural lesson on the subjunctive,students were asked to pre-pare
stories on the theme, "What I would do if"I were rich, the two types of instruction would
be integrated.Integration is obviously more difficult and complex to undertake than
combination. Integration may seem to be the preferred way to use different syllabus or
content types, and in some ways this perception is accurate. Instruction that reinforces
and relates various syl labus andcontent types is probably more effective than instruction
that is divided into discrete compartments. On the other hand, again, when specific
knowledge and behavioral outcomes are desired, discrete combinations may be preferable
to fully integrated syllab i . F o r example, if it is true that instruction in form is directly
usable by learners mostly for Monitoring , then it may be that structural or formal syllabi
should make up, as Krashen suggests, a limited but separate part of the overall
curriculum, with the objective of enabling students to use the structural knowledge in
test-taking and editing settings, and not of enabling them to gain active control over the
use of the structures in discourse.Another argument in favor of combination stems from
the finding that much of early second language behavior is a combination of formulaic
language use (use of memorized chunks of language for particular functions) and more
creative and synthesized applications of rules .
It may be that some situational or Functional content can be included with the objective
of providing the learners with the formulas and routines they need for immediate and
specific communication, and other types of instruction can be used to foster their overall
language acquisition.
E. A Practical Guide to Syllabus Choice and Design
The resources available for actual language teaching syllabi have been described in this
monograph, along with some of the constraints on choosing and combining them. By
now it is clear that no single type of content is appropriate for all teaching settings, and
the needs and conditions of each setting are so idiosyncratic that specific
recommendations for combination are not possible. In addition, the process of designing
and implementing an actual syllabus warrants a separate volume.
Ten steps in preparing a practical language teaching syllabus:
1) Determine, to the extent possible, what out-comes are desired for the students in the
instructional program. That is, as exactly and realistically as possible, define what the
students should be able to do as a result of the instruction.
2) Rank the syllabus types presented here as to their likelihood of leading to the outcomes
desired. Several rankings may be necessary if outcomes are complex.
3) Evaluate available resources in expertise (for teaching, needs analysis, materials
choice and production, etc.), in materials, and in training for teachers.
4) Rank the syllabi relative to available resources. That is, determine what syllabus types
would be the easiest to implement given available resources.
5) Compare the lists made under Nos. 2 and 4 Making as fewadjustments to the earlier
list as possible, produce a new ranking based on the resources constraints.
6) Repeat the process, taking into account the constraints contributedby teacher and
student factors described earlier.
7) Determine a final ranking, taking into account all the information produced by the
earlier steps.
8) Designated one or two syllabus types as dominant and one or two as secondary
9) Review the question of combination or integration of syllabus type and determine how
combination will be achieved and in what proportion.
10) Translate decisions into actual teaching units.
This guide is intended as a general procedure to follow in making syllabus decisions for
specific instructional programs. It is expected that quite different designs will emerge for
each application, and this is as it should be.What is important in making practical
decisions about syllabus design is that allpossible factors that might affect the
teachability of the syllabus be taken into account. This can be done only at the program
level.
What is the difference between curriculum syllabus and scheme of work?
o
These 3 terms are highly interlinked and interdependent. Scheme of work is
derived from syllabus and syllabus is derived from the curriculum. A curriculum
enlists the topics, activities and subjects covered in an academic program. These
topics and activities become the syllabus for a particular subject and then gets
divided into terms or semesters. The subtopics you cover in a particular term are
actually scheme of work.
o
Thus, educational terms like syllabus and curriculum seem similar but have
different elements and definitions. Once you comprehend the key points of
syllabus vs curriculum, you will see the academic plan of a program or a course in
an entirely different manner. If you are confused about any other educational
terms or are looking for career guidance, Leverage Edu experts can assist
through every step from profile and interest analysis to help you settle down in
the country of your choice. Call today for the best career advice.
details of what is to be done in the classroom. Thestructure suggested above requires
workable principlesand criteria in most of the slots and not detaileddescriptions or lists.
For example, it demands ‘principles’on the basis of which content could be selected
andorganised for students but does not require ‘selected andorganised content’ that is to
be taught. However, workingin a classroom most definitely requires selected
andorganised content and detailed ways of interacting withthe children and classroom
organisation. One needs actualteaching learning material and not only the criteria
onwhich it could be developed or chosen, which means thatfurther detailing on the basis
of this curriculum would beneeded to complete the picture.On the basis of ‘stage-specific
objectives’ and‘principles of content selection and organisation’, a selectionof wellconnected concepts, information, principles ofknowledge construction, validation criteria,
skills, values,attitudes, etc. could be made and formed into an organisedbody of
knowledge suitable for the particular stage forwhich it is being planned.
Thus, a syllabus for a particularstage could be generated from a given/accepted
curriculum.It must be emphasised here that what is to beincluded and what is not to be
included in the syllabuswill also be informed by the methods of teaching thatare going to
be used, or in other words, decisions onmethods of teaching would have to be
madesimultaneously with the choice of content.
But then,there can also be occasions when it might seem to bedesirable that a particular
topic should be taught (onthe basis of implication of objectives and/or principlesof
content organisation) at a certain stage, andsubsequently one looks for selection of
appropriateways of teaching it. If there is a situation where a topicX is seen as desirable
to be taught at stage Y, but thereare no appropriate methods available to introduce it
tothat age group of children, then perhaps the bettercourse of action would be to wait for
development ofappropriate methods rather than insisting onintroducing the topic.In a
similar manner, actual teaching would requiredetails of methods, a variety of teaching–
learningmaterial, and a suitable evaluation system. The newpicture would be somewhat
like the diagram below:
CURRICULUM DETAILS
Recommended classroom practice
Textbooks and TLM
Evaluation schem
Details of syllabus
Stage Specific objectives
Aims education
Principles of evaluation
Criteria for good methods
Principles of content selection and organisation
Criteria for good material
CURRICULUM CORE
The curriculum details provide the teacher withactual tools of classroom practices, while
the curriculumcore provides a rationale, up to a certain extent, foradopting those
practices. Thus, the classroom practicescan be connected with the larger goals of
education. It could be plausibly argued that this conceptual structureenables the teacher to
create a dynamic ‘discourse’between theory and practice, and between educationalideals
and educational practices.
When a teacher starts working with children inclassrooms, he/she has some ‘content’ that
he/shewants to teach them. They also have, at least in theirminds, some ‘methods’ of
teaching. They also use somematerial, minimal or elaborate, and have some ideaabout
what it would mean to ‘have learnt something’and what would be the appropriate
indicators of thatlearning. In other words, they have a syllabus,appropriate methodology,
a set of teaching–learningmaterial, and a system of evaluation. That is theminimum
academic preparation to embark uponteaching.
However, that does not mean that each one ofthese components of classroom practices is
welldefined and clear in the teacher’s mind. Very often, theonly thing a teacher has is the
textbook. The textbook becomes an embodiment of syllabus—all that is in ithas to be
taught, and that is all that is to be taught. It becomesa methodological guide—has to be
read and substantialportions memorised through repeated reading. It also becomesthe
evaluation system—questions at the end of each chapterhave to be answered orally and in
writing, reproducing the textfrom the book itself. Here the textbook is an embodimentof
the syllabus and of all aspects of classroom practices.
But this undistinguished way of looking at thetextbook and teaching is totally
unreflective. It becomesa very binding, routine, and mundane activity, whichhas very
little to do with growth of children’sunderstanding and their capabilities. All because
theconceptual model that guides teachers’ practices isincapable of helping them to learn
from their ownexperiences, to connect their activity of teaching tohuman life, and to take
into consideration children’sexperiences.
It is a necessary (only necessary, notsufficient) condition for the teachers to understand
thenature and purpose of their activity to liberatethemselves and their students from the
oppressivetyranny of the mundane routine imposed by such anunreflective use of
textbooks. Then only can theybecome dynamic decision makers in the classroom andcan
be able to engage not only with the textbook butalso with the children’s minds.
Understanding that the textbook is only a tool, aconvenient organisational mechanism to
collecttogether at one place what the children are expected tolearn, and awareness of the
conceptual differencebetween the syllabus and the textbook are the twoimportant
conditions that enable the teacher to lookbeyond the textbook. The possibility of
experiencesof children being considered within the classroom getsa little boost with this
distinction.
In turn, the possibilityof choice between the textbook and other experiences/resources
encourages reflection on the choices madeand, eventually, on the possibility of an
improvedtextbook itself. Similar arguments could be madeconcerning conceptual
distinction of teaching methods,evaluation, and between textbook and other material.
The point being deliberated here is development ofreflective teaching practices is a
necessary condition for learningfrom one’s own experience. Reflective practices
necessarilyrequire theoretical models to organise experience intoknowledge that can be
shared, publicly examined, andused in situations other than in which this
knowledgearises. It can also be argued that there is no teacherwho does not have the
ideas of syllabus, pedagogmaterial, and evaluation.
But there are very few whohave them well articulated, rigorously examined,
andreasonably justified on the basis of more general andwidely shared principles and
assumptions. Also, thereare very few teachers who have rigorously worked
outimplications of the ideas held by them for classroompractices. The teachers are neither
expected to makethese distinctions nor provided with any opportunityto do so.
Introduction of theoretical models, of whichthere is a variety, is a potent way of
engenderingreflective practices and encouraging autonomy of theteacher. The question is
not what particular model doesone have; it is whether the model an educator has canbe
shared with others and debated about.However, linking classroom practices with
syllabus,pedagogical choices, variety of teaching–learningmaterial, and evaluation
system is just the first steptowards reflective practices. What is being taught, how,with
what material, and how the learning shall beassessed can be explained and reflected in
terms ofsyllabus, etc.
But what forms the basis for the choicesmade in syllabus, pedagogical decisions,
textbooks, etc.?We have seen that what we called curriculum shoulddetail the reasons for
these choices. But those reasonsthemselves may require further explanations andgrounds
for accepting them. Even at the cost ofreiteration, let us take an example to understand
thisissue.
Suppose we want children at the upper primarylevel to notice, as part of their social
sciencescurriculum, the difference in treatment meted out togirls and boys in their
village. And we want it to be‘learnt’ through an active engagement with observingparents
when they interact with their children andinterviewing children themselves.
Suppose one asks theteacher: Why do you want the children to notice this differenceand
then keep this information in mind?
Dialogue A
Answer: Because it is written in the syllabus, and shall formpart of the examination.
Question: Why should it be part of the syllabus at all?
Answer: So that the children can understand the disadvantagesgirls face in their bringing
up and social living.
Question: Why, as teachers, are we interested in whatdisadvantages girls face?
Answer: Because this will become the basis of children’s furtherunderstanding of issues
of social justice, equity, and their socio-economic reasons.
Question: Why is this knowledge and understanding supposedto be of interest?
Answer: Because it seems to be a reasonably effective way of developing sensitivity to
issues of social justice, a commitment toequity and capability to act to correct the
balance.
Of course, one can carry on the dialogue by further demanding: Why should we bother
about sensitivity to socialjustice, commitment to equity and capability to act in favour
ofthese values? But this brief series of questions andanswers is enough to illustrate the
points that need tobe made here. One, in order to justify a small piece ofcontent (it is only
a way of elaborating, there can be nopiece of content disconnected from the whole
bodyof knowledge) in syllabus one has to refer to broaderprinciples and values.
These principles and valueswould point towards the kind of society considereddesirable
and how one thinks human beings shouldlive. Looking from the other side, if education
issupposed to contribute to actualisation of certain valuesin society, the curriculum
framework would need tobring forth their connections to bear upon the selectionof
content. Two, a teacher who is aware of theseconnections should be able to make better
choicesabout what route to take for development of suchvalues and abilities.
Teaching-learning Material and Textbooks
Textbook-dominated Classroom Practices
The present day classroom practices are, in almost allschools of the country, totally
dominated by textbooks.All premises of flexibility of the curriculum and syllabusand
freedom of the teacher are completely forgottenby the time an educational plan reaches
the classroom.The teacher is seen as either incompetent or unwillingor both, the school is
seen as devoid of all learningmaterial, and the environment is seen as of no use inthe
child’s learning. The textbook emerges as the singlesolution to all these problems. It is
sought to collect allthe knowledge that a child is supposed acquire at agiven stage or class
and is planned so that the childnever needs to look beyond it. Thus ‘teaching thetextbook’
becomes the whole of education.As a result of this undue importance given to
thetextbook, it has acquired an aura of supremacy and astandard format. It has to be
completed from coverto cover in a strict sequence, has developed a languageof its own
that is difficult to comprehend, and is ladenwith dense concepts. (The recent attempts in
certainstates to tackle this problem have led to writing rathervacuous textbooks with very
little conceptual contentto understand.) It has become a symbol of authoritydifficult to
ignore or disobey.
Moving from Textbook to Teaching–learning Materials.
In this paper, we have been talking of a curriculumframework that enables schools and
teacher to makechoices and move towards greater autonomy. Such amovement towards
school autonomy is seen in apositive light by all major policy and curriculumdocuments.
It has also been well recognised that thechoices at the level of school and teacher could
bemade possible only within an accepted framework ofbasic principles. We have talked
about these principlesin connection with the general aims of education(nationally
accepted), stage-specific objectives (acceptedstate and district level in agreement with the
nationallevel standards for the final stage of school education),and selection of content (at
district and school level, inguidance of, perhaps, a state-level syllabus).
When wecome to decisions regarding methods of teaching, paceof learning, material, and
concrete examples to be used,we reach the level of school and the classroom. Theseare
concrete decisions that can be made only for specificclassrooms and children, as the
actual learning happensonly in the child’s mind and depends totally on whathas been
learnt earlier. Therefore, the reinterpretationof the content, methods, and materials are
completelywithin the sphere of practical decisions to be made bythe teacher.Clearly, in
the light of this argument, what is neededis not a single textbook but a package of
teaching–learning material that could be used to engage the childin active learning. At an
early stage, it may containconcrete objects that help formation of concepts (i.e.,shapes,
counting objects, etc.), equipment to helpobservation, and charts and cards to illustrate,
play with,and so on. At a later stage of school education, it couldmean a variety of books
on the relevant issues. The textbook as part of this package becomes one tool toengage
the child in learning. The teacher in classroompractices can use a variety of activities,
concrete learningmaterial, as well as textbooks.What is to be learnt is planned as per the
objectivesand the syllabus; what is to be evaluated is decided onthe basis of stagespecific objectives. There have beenseveral successful initiatives both in state-run
schoolsystems and the NGOs where a package of teaching–learning materials is used and
the textbook is either notused at all or used only as one of the materials available. The
textbook itself, as part of such a package, willhave to change both in form and function.
A textbookmay not necessarily cover the entire syllabus of oneclass/stage and it may not
necessarily be for the wholeyear. Any good textbook should lead the child to interactwith
the environment, peers, other people, etc. ratherthan be self-contained. It should function
as a guide toconstruct understanding through active engagement withtext, ideas, things,
environment, and people rather than‘transferring knowledge as a finished product’.
Context and the Teaching Learning Material
A package of teaching–learning material that relateswith the child cannot be developed
only with the child’scontext in mind. No single package, however well andprofessionally
designed, can address all the contextualsituations in a country as large as India.
Therefore, alarge number of packages should be developed at stateand district levels with
adequate provision for clusterand school-level modifications and
supplementarymaterials.In addition to squarely contextualising theeducational processes,
the production of TLM packageat local levels will also increase avenues for
teacherparticipation at a hitherto unprecedented large scale.This should significantly
enhance the quality of local-level educational discourse, and is likely to improveupon the
ownership of material and methods by the teachers.
Multiplicity of Teaching Learning Material.
Further, there is no reason why each district or blockhas to have only one TLM package.
Availability of anumber of alternative TLM packages, all of approvedquality, would
certainly increase the choice of theteachers. Such packages could be developed
andpublished by private publishers. Each school or teachershould be able to choose the
package of her liking,given that she is committed to achieve the requiredlearning levels
and all available packages are of provenquality. Freedom to choose methods and
materials islikely to enhance the teacher’s self-image andresponsibility.
Process of Development of Teaching Learning Materials IncludingTextbooks
State-run institutions alone cannot develop a largeumber of TLM packages and
involvement of privatepublishers would become inevitable. If a large numberTLM
packages are to be made available all overthe country involving both private and state
bodies, itwould be important to develop clearly outlinedmechanisms of quality control
including theestablishment of some standards for the very processof development. The
government institutions likeDIETs should lead the way in developing andestablishing
such standards. For example, trialling oftextbooks and other TLM in a certain number
ofschools and for a certain time period can be mademandatory for any TLM package that
is to be sold inthe open market or implemented in a large number ofschools. Another
such condition could be theparticipation of practicing teachers in the
developmentprocess. The DIETs and other government agenciescan take lead in finetuning and establishing such norm.
Conculation
This paper has elucidated different aspects concerning ELF/ESL Syllabi: definitions,
types, advantages and shortcomings of each type, stages of syllabus design, an
exploration of the relationship between syllabus design and methodology, the various
approaches in syllabus design. The writer of the current article believes that no syllabus is
better than the other if it serves the purpose it is designed for. The integrated-syllabus,
namely using chunks of all syllabi types in our teaching will help students to learn better
structures, notions, and functions more communicatively. The writer of the current article
also believes that students’ needs-analysis should be conductedbefore applying any
syllabus. It would be essential that no syllabus should be imposed on individual teachers
as the teacher himself can design his syllabus based on the students’ needs and the course
requirements.
Curriculum and Syllabus are the terms of education, imparted to the students by teachers.
It means the knowledge, skills or qualifications that are passed on from one generation to
another. A subject syllabus is a unit of the curriculum. The two terms differ in a sense
that curriculum is a combination of some factors which helps in the planning of an
educational program, whereas a syllabus covers the portion of what topics should be
taught in a particular subject.
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