Syllabus design.

Caganova, Dagmar

1. INTRODUCTION

In the Twenty--First century political and social change is typical at the global level. There is a great need for foreign language instruction in the modern world. In teaching foreign languages there is a strong tendency towards a communicative approach and an expansion of information technologies and e-communication. Computerization influences all aspects of the teaching and learning process. The Faculty of Materials Science and Technology (MtF), as one of the seven faculties of the Slovak University of Technology of Bratislava (STU), provides complete training for experts in the production, surfacing, and testing of metallic and non-metallic materials. In addition to this training, students must learn a foreign language. Due to their language competence and training in core curriculum, our graduates have the ability to find a position in the labor market. The aim of our research was to illuminate the new demands on graduates and recent changes in our curriculum, and consequently the necessity to prepare a new syllabus corresponding with the demands of the future employers of our graduates.

In this paper the author tries to summarize their own process of course design.

2. COURSE DESIGN PROCESS

From the authors' point of view, course curriculum is primarily a topic/content form of education.

The author's approach to the course design process is learning centered one focusing on the needs of the individual student.

The objectives are as follows:

* To examine the practical needs of students' and graduate's in the academic environment

*--To create a a relevant questionnaire

* To process the questionnaires and evaluate the results

* To design a course curriculum (syllabus)

* To choose materials

* To design appropriate materials

* To decide on a suitable methodology

* To sort materials into a logical (units)

* To rehearse

* To revise

* To prepare a final version of the course curriculum syllabus

* To implement the course curriculum into the teaching-learning process.

2.1 Course curriculum content

General English (GE) combined with English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

* English for Specific Purposes (ESP)

* Flexible; based on skills, tasks, functions

* Proportional amount of relevant questions

To ensure that future engineers are properly prepared, the author believes it is appropriate to combine the two basic components of General English and English for Specific Purposes-into the syllabus. General English will be used on two levels, intermediate and advanced, and English for Specific Purposes will focus on technical and business English. General English will enable students to obtain skills for everyday communication, while technical and business English will be useful in their professional careers.

The flexible content of a syllabus, with its openness to systematic fine-tuning, is endorsed by author/educator Janice Yalden (1987). The syllabus is an instrument for synchronizing the various aspects of teaching languages. It shouldn't be rigid and static, but flexible and dynamic. Its themes should be reviewed systematically by means of class feedback.

2.2 Methodology

According to assoc. prof. Gadusova (1997, p. 481), the term methodology has different meanings for different users, and she cites several interpretations: Rives (1968) defines methodology as the universal technique of teaching various linguistic materials within a specific skill, e.g. presentation, practice and production.

Cohen (1990) defines methodology as the diversified teaching techniques of basic language skills such as reading, listening, speaking, and writing.

According to Richards and Rodgers (1986), methodology is the description of various certified methods and instructions such as Direct method, Suggestopedia, Silent method, etc.

Rivers (1981) characterizes methodology as an eclectic collage of techniques reflecting the ideologies of varied teachers.

Freeman (1992) sees methodology as intentionally modeling the practices of experienced teachers.

For teachers, the term methodology indicates how the teacher organizes the teaching-learning process in the classroom.

Holliday (1994) identifies three basic types of foreign language methodology:

* methodology of procedures and methods (as regards the teacher's activities in the classroom and how they were trained for their profession)

* syllabus design (its preparation and realization)

* acquiring information regarding the social context in which foreign languages are taught (the aim of this methodology is ethnographic action research)

However, Gadusova (1998) mentions that on the basis of various criticism in 90s there is evident shift of methods from methodology. Brown (1994) declares the end of methods. Woodward (1996) persuades that "teacher researcher" is in accordance with contemporary post-method thinking. Nowadays it is favourite eclectic method i.e. contemporary element connection of different methods together.

The authors intention is to find an inspiration in particular methods, to choose positive elements and suitable effective style of educational process.

Our preference:

* communicative methodology

* learner-centred approach

* problem task solving

* student's project work Theoretically, according to Tandlichova (1995) communicative methodology emphasizes integration of all 4 (or more) skills in teaching English as a foreign language. The focus is put on receptive and productive skills. It is necessary to highlight the fact that aim of skills integration is significant due to language acts as a means of communication via all these channels.

As far as the learner centered approach Nunan, Lamb (1996) characterize learner--centred classrooms as classrooms in which are students dynamically implemented into their own learning process. It is highly appreciated if the students are directly and actively participating on their own learning process. In Nunans, Lambs theory is evident strong connection with experimental teaching, humanistic psychology and problem task solving.

The problem task solving is also supported by Widdowsons (1990) declaration that pedagogical movement in 70s, 80s shows the tendency to assume that meaning is not exclusively signaled by language themselves but it is also reached implicitly. Whatever necessary for the student is implemented in problem task solving.

3. RESEARCH

The research, which was a part of institutional research at MtF STU, was focused on analysis of the needs of students and graduates in practice. From this analysis we should be able to specify the amount and extent of relevant topics needed in foreign language teaching. Also, we should be able to suggest effective methods and approaches to teaching and create standard criteria for both teachers and students. The results of the needs analyses offered a reliable and persuasive argument for implementation of the new model into practice.

Within the research the author tested the following hypotheses:

Hypothesis One

We believe that the quality of the syllabus will be improved through the use of foreign language educational needs analysis.

Hypothesis Two

We suppose that suitable students' project work inclusion will improve independence and autonomy of the university students in a foreign language.

This research was conducted at the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology of the Slovak University of Technology in 2004, and the research sample is comprised of:

110 students before taking ESP course

116 students after taking ESP course

(The questionnaire No. 1 about needs analysis)

107 graduates in practice

(The questionnaire No. 2 about needs analysis)

110 students

(The questionnaire No. 3 about project work)

100 students

(Participants of interview)

All of the data from the questionnaires and interviews have been analyzed and the results of these analyses were given in the form of graphs, pie charts, tables and statistics. Support was found for both of the hypotheses.

4. CONCLUSION

Hypothesis One was supported by three experts, ESP teachers, on the basis of Kotarbinskis (in Svec) features of effective syllabus design. Hypothesis Two was verified by questionnaire in the form of individual and group interviews on the sample of 100 university students. 76% university students consider project work inclusion as supporting and improving independence and autonomy of the university students in a foreign language.

The results obtained from our research can be used in the education of future engineers. The author believes that the new syllabus and also questionnaires about needs analysis can be used, after some adjustments, at other technical faculties and also as an initial stimulus for further research or for modification of existing syllabi. It could be useful to suggest a transparent model of continuous assessment. An interesting fact could be to compare our syllabus with other syllabi existing at particular faculties of the Slovak University of Technology and for example to use content analysis for comparison of topics and subtopics and constantly continue in improving our programme and syllabi.

5. REFFERENCES

Caganova, D.; Ruskova, D.(2002.) Step by step: From needs analysis to project preparation and presentation at the students' scientific conference. In: CO--MAT--TECH 2002. 10. International Scientific Conference, Bratislava

Gadusova, Z. (1997). Methods in Methodology. Zbornik COMAT--TECH 97. 5. medzinarodna vedecka konfere ncia. Trnava

Nunan, D. (1993). Syllabus Design. Oxford University Press.

Nunan, D.; Lamb, C.(1996) The self--directed teacher. Managing the learning process. CUP

Rivers, W. M.(1981).Interactive Language Teaching

Rodgers,(1986) (in: Nunan, D. 1991. Designing Tasks for the Communicative Classroom. CUP

Svec, S. (1989). Theory of didactic planning. In: Paedagogica 6., SPN Bratislava.

Tandlichova, E. (1999/2000). Knowledge Changes. In: Foreign Languages, number 43.

Widdowson, H.G. (1990). Aspects of Language Teaching. OUP.

Woodward, T. 1992. Ways of Training. Longman Group UK Limited

Yalden, J. (1987).Principles of Course Design for Language Teaching. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.