On the Design of Foreign Language Curricula

ON THE DESIGN OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE CURRICULA

Discuss the steps involved in planning a general English language course. In designing a syllabus for a group of Greek learners in a public secondary school what factors would you take into account in its development, how would you go about developing it, what would the nature of this syllabus be and why?

Planning a general English language course can be very interesting as you are creating a teaching strategy that helps not only the students but also you, in a very effective way.

Lesson planning is the first step. It includes data such as content, language learning objectives, instructional approaches and procedures, materials required, and criteria for constructing an assessment for the lesson. It is like a map guiding someone to his / her destination through unknown or known paths and places. Lesson planning is a teacher problem solving activity pursuing the answer to the question OF how to most effectively promote and accomplish intended learning outcomes. It is, then, defined as the in advance study of the teaching process intended to implement curricular objective(s).

In summary, lesson planning is needed for a) giving a sense of direction, b) helping students become aware of the lesson objectives and the learning tasks they are asked to perform, c) managing a classroom, d) helping teachers to solve, in advance, teaching problems, and e) reducing anxiety on the part of students and, especially, the teacher.

Teaching approach is the second step. The five factors, which could be applied in the teaching approach of global English, are presented below:

1. LESSON CLARITY

2. INSTRUCTIONAL VARIETY

3. TEACHER TASK ORIENTATION

4. STUDENT ENGAGEMENT IN THE LEARNING PROCESS

TIME

5. MODERATE TO HIGH STUDENT SUCCESS LEVEL

A full lesson cycle includes three phases of duties on the part of the teacher. The lesson phases

are the following:

(I) Pre teaching phase

(II) Interactive phase.

(III) Post teaching phase.

The interactive phase takes place during the allocated lesson time; the pre teaching phase, usually, takes place before the lesson starts or /and at the beginning of the lesson. The post teaching phase follows the end of the interactive phase and, usually, post teaching duties are performed after allocated lesson time.

THE PRE TEACHING PHASE

Lesson planning at the pre teaching phase includes making decisions and acting before the interactive phase takes place. The pre teaching phase, as previously defined, takes place before the lesson starts or at the very beginning of the lesson.

Pre teaching duties before the lesson starts include, among others, the setting of lesson objective(s), study and consideration of student data, content selection and organization, selection of teaching methods, techniques, activities and learning tasks, preparing and / or selecting materials, student work evaluation, and preparation of group work.

Pre teaching duties at the beginning of the lesson include, among others, reporting on previous student assignment, collecting student work, distribution of student papers, and homework evaluation.

THE INTERACTIVE TEACHING PHASE

The interactive teaching phase of a lesson, mostly, represents the implementation of the planning of the pre teaching phase during the regular time allocated for the English lesson. During the interactive phase major student - student and teacher- student interactions take place. Although the planning phase of a lesson is of vital importance, planning per se produces no effects. It is at this interactive teaching stage, that plans are put in action and language learning and acquisition take place.

The interactive phase consists of seven steps: student's attention, informing lesson objective, recall of required prior knowledge, presentation of new content, guided practice, consolidation and evaluation.

THE POST TEACHING PHASE

Post teaching tasks are exercised just before the official ending of the lesson, after the last step of the interactive phase, or, especially, after the allocated lesson time is over.

Post teaching duties before the lesson ends include, among others, the setting of lesson objective(s) for the next lesson, collecting student written work, student testing, homework assignment, extra reading or writing assignment, singing, playing a game promoting English language learning, student reports, and individualized student work.

Post teaching duties after the lesson is over include, among others, report on student previous assignment(s), collecting student work, distribution of student papers, homework evaluation, evaluation of student work, analysis of test results, and redirecting the unitÒ' s objective (s).

Evaluation of the lesson plan

Post teaching duties include the evaluation of the lesson plan, as well. The most important areas that evaluation, at this phase, should deal with are the following:

(a) How far the work has developed as planned.

(b) Particularly good aspects of the work: For example, things in which the students showed unusual interest; marked cooperation on the part of the children; particularly useful material or equipment; outstandingly good work.

(c) Particularly bad aspects of the work: For example, things in which the children showed very little interest; behaviour difficulties; inadequate provision of material or equipment; unforeseen difficulties; outstanding bad work; low level student success rate.

(d) Assessment of the total situation, suggestions about future work, good points to be followed up, deficiencies, desirable modifications in original program.

(e) Student testing.

Lesson Follow up

The post teaching aspect of lesson follow up refers to action that should be taken soon after the end of the interactive phase, in order to further implement the instructional