Instructor: Kathryn Harris
Course number and title: Ling 4/575: Curriculum Design and Materials Development
Course description: In this course, we examine principles of curriculum design in ESOL
as well as materials development. We focus on four dimensions in particular: needs
assessment, syllabus design, lesson and materials development, and evaluation of the
syllabus, lesson(s), and materials. The primary syllabi formats we examine are:
structural, notional, communicative, task-based, and content-based.
Each student in this class will identify a particular group of students or a context on
which to focus. The class readings, activities and assignments are designed to assist you
as you develop a general understanding of both theoretical and practical issues in
curriculum design and materials development, as well as for developing a more specific
understanding in relation to your target group/context.
Spring term 2010 will include an option to develop an online curriculum in the Learner
Web environment.
By the end of this course, it is expected that you will be able to:
 Have an understanding of the current options in ESL/EFL curriculum design
 Conduct a needs analysis for a group of ESL/EFL learners
 Develop a curriculum with syllabus, lesson plans, and materials for ESL/EFL
learners
 Evaluate and modify existing materials for your curriculum
Prerequisites: This may be taken concurrently with Ling 4/577 TESOL Methods I or
after completing Ling 4/577 TESOL Methods I.
Major assignments: Initial Curriculum Design Work (group project); Lesson plan and
materials (individual project)
Required Texts:
 Nation, I.S. P. and Macalister, J. 2010. Language Curriculum Design. New York:
Routledge (isbn 0-415-80606-0)
 Murphy, J. and Byrd, P. 2004. Understanding the Courses We Teach: Local
Perspectives on English Language Teaching. Ann Arbor: U of Michigan Press
[isbn: 0-472-06770-2)