CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

The formulation of a new type of syllabus became inevitable when

dissatisfaction was targeted to the Grammatical Syllabus. Even though the
Grammatical Syllabus has been used with considerable success over a long period
of time, many modern linguists have come to see grammar as the wrong
organising principle for a syllabus, since effective language use cannot be ensured
unless it is contextualised, involving ample social interaction. Therefore, the most
commonly proposed alternative is to take situational needs as the starting point
and thereby to construct a Situational Syllabus to replace the Grammatical
Syllabus. The Situational Syllabus did a lot to fill the vacuum that was caused by
the drawbacks of the Grammatical Syllabus. The Situational Syllabus, however, is
not as firmly based as the Grammatical Syllabus on any well formulated view of
language. Nevertheless, like its precursor the Grammatical Syllabus, it has also
proven its importance as being the most extensively used component for the Multi
Syllabuses.

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 CHAPTER II

DEFINITION OF SYLLABUS and SITUATIONAL SYLLABUS

1.1 Definiton of Syllabus and Situational Syllabus

1.1.1 Definition of Syllabus

Syllabuses are the ways of organizing the course (plan, organize, sequent) and
materials. According to Richards (2001) syllabuses can be defined as a
specification of the content of a course of instruction and lists what will be taught
and tested. Also according to McKay (1978) a syllabus provides focus on what
should be studied along with a rationale for how the content should be selected
and ordered. There many different types of syllabuses which have different focus
of contents, selection of contents according to the approach which is chosen to
teach a language. Hence, syllabuses which are compatible to the approach i.e.
Communicative Language Teaching are Situational and Functional syllabuses.
These syllabuses can be used to teach language when CLT approach is adopted.1

The formulation of a new type of syllabus became inevitable when

dissatisfaction was targeted to the Grammatical Syllabus. Even though the
Grammatical Syllabus has been used with considerable success over a long period
of time, many modern linguists have come to see grammar as the wrong
organising principle for a syllabus, since effective language use cannot be ensured
unless it is contextualised, involving ample social interaction. Therefore, the most
commonly proposed alternative is to take situational needs as the starting point
and thereby to construct a Situational Syllabus to replace the Grammatical
Syllabus. The Situational Syllabus did a lot to fill the vacuum that was caused by
the drawbacks of the Grammatical Syllabus. The Situational Syllabus, however, is
not as firmly based as the Grammatical Syllabus on any well formulated view of
language. Nevertheless, like its precursor the Grammatical Syllabus, it has also

1
https://www.academia.edu/12959943/Communicative_language_teaching_method_and_Situationa
l_and_functional_syllabus

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 proven its importance as being the most extensively used component for the Multi
Syllabuses.2

1.1.2 Definition of Situational Syllabus

Situational Syllabus offers the possibility of selecting and sequencing

different real life situation rather than different grammatical items, vocabulary
topics, life situation ( Hammer 2003:298) In other words, it is designed in such
away to provide realistic situation based on broadly communicative view of
language and experimental theory of learning. The situation are presented to the
students in form of dialog (usually at the beginning of the lesson, and it includes
listening, memorization as well as provides the students models for student
improvisation) and role plays (which are the students expected to create, supply or
fill in much of the language that occurs in the situation) the content of situation
can be created by materials writer or teachers or taken from real life.

1.2 Characteristics of Situational Syllabus

1.2.1 Positive
Compared to other syllabus, it can read more directly to learner’s ability
to communicate in specific setting Situation provide context of discourse
in which form and meaning coincide the use of situations can provide
some social and cultural information about the language and its users in
non didactic way.
1.2.2 Negative
Too great use of predetermined and artificial situations can lead to lack of
transfer, because students are lead to prelearned routines and patterns of
language use rather than creative and negotiated uses of language. It’s
difficult to create authentic language instructional purposes. A reliance or
situational setting do not want cultural values to accompany the

2
http://tanvirdhaka.blogspot.co.id/2010/02/situational-syllabus.html

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 language. Like other syllabi, this syllabus also presents sequencing
problem.

1.3 Theoretical Assumtion of Situatonal Syllabus and Component

1.3.1 Theoretical Assumtion of Situatonal Syllabus
 Syllabus A situational syllabus is often defined as one in which
the contents are organized according to in which certain
language is likely to be employed (Richards, et al, 1985:260; Ur,
2000:178; Schulz, 2005).
 That is, the fundamental principle for the organization of the
contents is situation, instead of grammar items, although which
will also appear in the syllabus (Kaur, 1990; Wilkins, 1976).
 Another theory underlying the Situational Syllabus is the
problematic assumption that the learner can cope with all
situations in the life by putting together the learning of language
patterns appears in each single situations. Wilkins believes that
this assumption on the learning process is a “behavioral” one in
nature which we think is appropriate (Wilkins, 1976: 21).
 interpreted the notion “synthetic syllabus” as “…syllabus relies
on learners' assumed ability to learn a language in parts (e.g.,
structures and functions) which are independent of one another,
and also to integrate, or synthesize, the pieces when the time
comes to use them for communicative purposes. (Further, Long
and Crookes 1992).3

3
https://wenku.baidu.com/view/d42b0bec81c758f5f71f6701.html

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 1.3.2 Components Situational Syllabus

A situational syllabus include the following elements:

 The physical context in which the language event occurs (such as finding a
room, ordering a meal, buying stamps, or getting around town).
 The channel of communication.
 The language activity.
 The number and the character of the participants.
 The relationships between the participants and the type of activity.

Examples :

The Learner has to practice the dialogues and memorize useful expressions
that occurs in different situations. Examples of the situational syllabus are

 At the hotel.
 At the bank.
 At the restaurant.
 At the airport.4

1.4 Important Characteristics

Situational syllabus has constructed on the analysis of situations and

behaviors. In a situational syllabus the content is either real or imaginary situations
where language occurs. This language is in dialogue form or in conversations.A
Situational syllabus is more efficient than a grammatical syllabus. It emphasize the
practical use than abstract usage. However, grammar and vocabulary also plays an
important role. Main aim of the situational syllabus is to teach the language of a
particular situation.A situational syllabus is probably most appropriate for short-term
special-purpose courses as in giving prospective tourists survival skills or preparing
4
http://xpresi-riaupos.blogspot.co.id/2009/12/situational-syllabus.html

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service personnel, such as waiters or waitresses, to deal with routine requests or fire
fighters to handle emergency situations. It has limited potential for the language
learner interested in acquiring global language proficiency.5

1.5 Advantage and Disadvantages

1.5.1 Advantage

Situational Syllabus offers guidelines for organising language teaching

materials on a relatively limited scope, yet it has proven to be beneficial in several
ways:
 Explicit attention is paid to the influence of social factors on language choice,
especially toregisteral variation (i.e. when to be formal versus informal).
 It may motivate learners to see that what they are learning is “real-life”
language that actuallymeets their most pressing everyday communication
needs.
 Wilkins considers this type of syllabus more efficient and more motivating
than the Grammatical Syllabus because it hinges round practical needs rather
than abstract analysis.
 It is a learner-centred syllabus, since it takes account of the learner and his
needs.
 It enables the learners to behave appropriately in various social contexts.
 It pays more attention to learners’ speaking ability in contrast to the
Grammatical Syllabus.

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 1.5.2 Disadvantage

Even though the Situational Syllabus is widely used as a replacement for the
Grammatical Syllabus to organise language teaching materials, there is still strong
criticism against this model:
 The main disadvantage of the Situational Syllabus is that it is less
appropriate for the students of general English, since it tries to teach
language in the context of some specific linguistic situations, which
cannot be considered as an all-encompassing yardstick for fulfilling the
learners’ general language needs. That is, because it is difficult to
guarantee that one specific situation will be useful in another.
 Although some situations have a predictable script, unanticipated things
can happen in any situation, requiring a change of script or topic. Wilkins
points out, that a physical situational setting such as “At the Post Office”
or “In a Restaurant” does not necessarily predict the language forms that
will be used. One may go into a restaurant not to order a meal but to ask
directions to a nearby museum or to change money for a telephone call.
While certain language functions will most likely occur in certain
situational settings, physical setting cannot really predict language use. It
depends on who the students are and where they are learning. Thus
determining the appropriate list of situations for a general class is difficult.
 Grammar is dealt with incidentally, so the Situational Syllabus may result
in gaps in learners’ grammatical knowledge.
 The Situational Syllabus does not provide us with clearly defined criteria
for the sequencing of teaching items. Little is known about the language
used in different situations, so selection of teaching items is typically
based on intuition.
 The Situational Syllabus is probably most appropriate for short-term
special-purpose courses: giving prospective tourists survival skills or
preparing service personnel, such as waiters or waitresses, to deal with

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 routine requests or fire fighters to handle emergency situations. It has
limited potential for the language learner interested in acquiring global
language proficiency. For this reason it is generally used as the component
of a Multi Syllabus rather than as the central organising principle for a
general language syllabus design.6

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https://wenku.baidu.com/view/d42b0bec81c758f5f71f6701.html

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 CHAPTER II

2.1 CONCLUSION

Therefore, functional and situational syllabuses are compatible to the

Communicative Language Teaching as they help in language teaching and learning
through communication process and activities which help to learn the functions and
language of a particular situations. Although having different characteristics,
strengths and weakness they are able to incorporate the CLT approach and make the
learners learn the target language and functions. I also believe that Communicative
Language Teaching approach is very important and an essential approach as it enable
the students to communicate which improve the language proficiency of the learners.
This helps the students to understand the language which later help them to put in
words too. Therefore, any approach adopted to teach language and the syllabus which
corporates the focus of the content help to motivate the students to learn the language
as it engages the interest of the students because they communicate and learn in the
real- world situations.