Module 17

Course Design

Whats Inside
1.
2.
3.
4.

Approaches to course design

Parameters of course design
Balancing parameters
Case studies

Approaches to course design

1. Language-centered course design
Simplest kind: drawing connection between analysis of target
situation and the current of ESP course
1. Skills-centered course design
(theoritical) Iceberg theory, underlying any language are skills
and strategies used by learners to produce or understand
discourse
Thus SCA will combine the performance and Competence when
presenting its learning objective
(Pragmatic), based on goal oriented and process oriented
course (widdowson, 1981)

SCA general
SCA is not about achieving set of goals
It lets the learners achieve what they can with own experience
and time constraint
It is a (continuum process) which means there is no cut of point of
success and failure
Learner will simultaneously learn and develop degree of
proficiency.
SCA: conclusion
Take more of learners into account than LCA
Still take the learner as the user of language instead of a learner
Still concern with the process of language use not of language
learning

Learning centred approach

Focuses on studetns learning
Determined by the teacher
Builds on prior knowledge and skill
5 practices that need to be changed to achieve learning centred approach
(weimer 2002)
The functin of content
The role of teacher
The responsibility of leaning
The processes and purposes of evaluation
The balence of power

Language-centered course design

Select theoretical
views of language

Identify learners
target situation

Identify linguistic features of target situation

Create Syllabus
Design materials to
exemplify syllabus items
Establish evaluation procedures tp
test acquisition of syllabus items

Skills-centered course design

Theoretical views
of language

Identify
Target
situation

Analyse skills/
strategies required
to cope in target
situation

Theoretical views
of learning

Write
Syllabus

Select texts and

write exercises
to focus on
skills/strategies
in syllabus

Establish
evaluation
procedures
which
require the
use
skills/strate
gies in
syllabus

A learning-centered approach
Identify target situation

Analyse target situation

Analyse learning situation

A Language-centered approach
considers the learner to here

A skilled-centered approach
considers the learner to here

Write Syllabus
Write Materials
Teach Materials

Evaluate learner achievement

A Learning-centered approach
Must consider the learner at
every stage

Parameters of course design

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Intensive or extensive
Assessed or non-assessed
Immediate or delayed needs
Provider or facilitator of activities
Broad or narrow focus

6. Pre-study or pre-experience or run parallel with

that study or experience.
7. Common-core or specific
8. Homogenous or heterogeneous
9. Worked out by the language teacher or be
subject to a process of negotiation with the
learners

Module 18
Course Design

Whats Inside
1.
2.
3.
4.

Approaches to course design

Parameters of course design
Balancing parameters
Case studies

Balancing the parameters:

In planning a course, ESP teachers should
first be aware of the options and of the
limitations arising from institutional and
learner expectations

Therefore, it is generally important that the

ESP teacher has a good deal of
experience in both teaching, and materials
provision and writing. It is also important to
have a range of materials available.

Case study 1:
Residential intensive non-assessed EOP
Course GEC Management College,
Dunchurch

Case study 2:
An extensive, repeated assessed EAP
course for students at the Jordanian
University of science and technology
(JUST), Irbid, Jordan

Case study 3
Extensive EAP specific course for
students studying international banking
and finance at MBA level, University of
Birmingham (non-assessed)

Case study 4:
An intensive one-off EOP course for
research scientists, India

Module 19
Course Design

Whats Inside
1.
2.
3.
4.

Approaches to course design

Parameters of course design
Balancing parameters
Case studies

Balancing the parameters:

In planning a course, ESP teachers should
first be aware of the options and of the
limitations arising from institutional and
learner expectations

Therefore, it is generally important that the

ESP teacher has a good deal of
experience in both teaching, and materials
provision and writing. It is also important to
have a range of materials available.

Case study 1:
Residential intensive non-assessed EOP
Course GEC Management College,
Dunchurch

Case study 2:
An extensive, repeated assessed EAP
course for students at the Jordanian
University of science and technology
(JUST), Irbid, Jordan

Case study 3
Extensive EAP specific course for
students studying international banking
and finance at MBA level, University of
Birmingham (non-assessed)

Case study 4:
An intensive one-off EOP course for
research scientists, India