Module 17

Course Design

What’s Inside

1. Approaches to course design

2. Parameters of course design

3. Balancing parameters

4. Case studies

Approaches to course design

1. Language-centered course design

2. Skills-centered course design

3. A learning-centered approach

Language-centered course design

Identify learner’s target situation

Select theoretical views of language

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

Theoretical views of learning

Analyse skills/ strategies required to cope in target situation

Write Syllabus

Select texts and write exercises to focus on skills/strategies in syllabus

Establish evaluation procedures which require the use skills/strategies in syllabus

A learning-centered approach

Identify target situation

Analyse target situation

Write Syllabus

Write Materials

Evaluate learner achievement

Teach Materials

A Language-centered approach

considers the learner to here

A skilled-centered approach

considers the learner to here

A Learning-centered approach

Must consider the learner at every stage

Analyse learning situation

Parameters of course design

1. Intensive or extensive

2. Assessed or non-assessed

3. Immediate or delayed needs

4. Provider or facilitator of activities

5. 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

What’s Inside

1. Approaches to course design

2. Parameters of course design

3. Balancing parameters

4. 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

What’s Inside

1. Approaches to course design

2. Parameters of course design

3. Balancing parameters

4. 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