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A presentation by professor Álvaro Muñoz. Manizales, Colombia
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ORGANIZING THE COURSE
WHAT IT MEANS
Deciding what the underlying systems will be that pull together the content and material in accordance with the goals and objectives and that give the course a shape and structure
It occurs on different levels
The course as a whole
The level of subsets of the whole : units modules or strands
Individual lessons
Organizing the course has five overlapping processes
Determining the organizing principle that drive the course
Identifying units, modules or strands based on organizing principles
Sequencing the units
Determining the language and skills content of the units
Organizing the content within each unit
You may be wondering…
What is a strand?Some courses are organized around strands
rather than units or modules.A course I taught was organized around
three strands: A video series. Specific work with learning strategies and students` projects.
A third of each class was devoted to each strand.
Why organize a course?
Having a negotiated syllabus doesn't mean that you walk into the course with no plan in mind.
“But an emphasis on learner autonomy does not absolve the curriculum designer of his responsibilities to plan the options within which the learner will be encouraged to exercise his judgment.” (Stern, 1992)
A negotiated syllabus works best when there is a conceptual container to support it
How do I decide on an appropriate organization?
It depends on: The course contentYour goals and objectivesYour past experienceYour students` needsYour beliefs and understandingsThe method or text The context
For example
Courses that focus on writing skills are often organized around types of compositions (narrative, argument etc.)A course for integrated basic skills may be organized around themesA content based history course around chronological order, historical themes or periods.A task based course around a series of cumulative tasks
What are the different ways to organize and sequence a course?
I don't advise Grammar or functions as organizing principles because they are better as supporting elements in achieving communicative or analytical skills.
Sequencing
Deciding the order in which you will teach the content: (units and order within each unit)
The common sense of building (step A prepares in some way (provides the foundation for step B.
Let's see more in detail.
A is simpler or less demanding ; B is more complex or more demanding.
(mechanism/process. Past/ present perfect)
A is more controlled; B is more open ended
(summarizing vs. writing an article)
A provides knowledge or skills required to do or understand B (learning vocabulary before role play at a restaurant- then ordering in an actual restaurant.
Individual to home community and larger world.
Recycling (Skills field) and spiraling.
TASK
In pairs, decide the order in which you would teach the items on the list in a way that makes sense to both of you.
Unit organization
Cycle: some elements occur in a predictable sequence and once the sequence is completed, it starts all over again
Matrix: elements are selected from certain categories of content but not in a predictable order
Task
Read Dylan Bates reflection on the curriculum process. Compare it with the process that you followed in order to create your syllabus
Material design
What a teacher uses
Technique : how he uses it
Creating using or adapting and organizing materials and activities so that students can achieve the objectives and the goals
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