ESP DID PDF - Lecture 01: Course Design

Lecture 01: Course Design (01) 1. Teaching EFL for Specific Purpose One of the principal tenets of the communicative goal to language teaching and learning is that both the practitioners and the learners are involved in actual interaction in the classroom. It is our most targeted aim in h...

Lecture 01: Course Design (01) 1. Teaching EFL for Specific Purpose One of the principal tenets of the communicative goal to language teaching and learning is that both the practitioners and the learners are involved in actual interaction in the classroom. It is our most targeted aim in highlighting the importance to attribute the new trend of getting the language to be taught and learned and to serve special needs and purposes at the same time. This is why this interaction must be meaningful and involve an authentic use of language in order to stimulate the teachers and the learners, to manipulate their foreign language skills and linguistic knowledge as well as their spontaneity and interest The simplest obvious distinction between ESP and GE lies in the roles performed by ESP and GE teachers. In fact, ESP teachers are called ESP Practitioner (Swales, 1988) as it covers a range of roles including: course designer and material provider, ‘researcher, collaborator and evaluator. Given the fact that ESP courses are built around learners’ needs, ESP practitioner have to design the suitable courses that cope with the learners’ need identified through collaboration with subject specialist teachers and. In so doing, ESP practitioner conducts different searches to select the suitable material. Evaluator is basically the ignored role by many ESP practitioners. Only few who evaluate both students and courses’ effectiveness. 2. ESP Course Design  In ESP, course design is an integrated series of teaching-learning experiences, whose ultimate aim is to lead the learners to a particular state of knowledge (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987). In other words, designing a course is fundamentally a matter of planning and structuring a course through asking questions in order to provide reasoned basis subsequent processes of syllabus design, materials writing, classroom teaching and evaluation. ESP courses aim to enable learners to communicate effectively in the target situation through equipping them with specific skills and vocabulary needed in their own field of specialism. 3. Approaches to ESP Course Design Hutchinson and Waters (1987) highlighted three main approaches to course design: language-centered, skills-centered, and learning centered. A. Language -centered Approach is prevalent in ESP. It draws direct connection between target situation and the content of ESP course focusing on developing the linguistic competence needed by learners to perform effectively in the in target situation. In simpler words, the creation of the syllabus is based on identifying the linguistic features of target situation through the identification of the learner’s target situation and the selection of the theoretical view of language. Based on the syllabus created, materials are designed and evaluation is established. Although this approach seems logical and straightforward, it has a number of weaknesses: 1. It is a learner-restricted approach. The role of the learner is to locate the restricted area of knowledge needed; i.e., the learner is simply used as a means of identifying the target situation. 2. It is a static and inflexible procedure; it lacks feedback channels and error tolerance built.  3. It is not systematic, as it appears to be. The systematization in analyzing and presenting knowledge does not imply the systematization learning. This approach ignores an important aspect in learning which is how the mind creates its internal system of knowledge. 4. It ignores important factors in the creation of the course. Data is not important in itself. 5. The language-centered analysis of target situation data is only at the surface level. It reveals very little about the competence that underlies the performance. B. The Skills–centered Approach aims to get away from the surface performance and focus on the skills and strategies. This type of courses present its learning objectives in terms of both performance and competence. In simpler terms, the emphasis is not achieving a particular set of goals, but on enabling the learners to achive what they can withing the given constraints. Although, his approach take the learners into account than the earlier mentioned approach, still, it approaches the learner as user of language rather than as a learner of language. C. The learning –centered approach is grounded on one simple idea, learning a language is a process determined by a learner. It focuses on the way of acquiring a competence that enables one to perform effectively in the target situation; i.e, students are responsible for their own learning using different strategies. Unlike the previous approaches, the learner is present in every single step in the process of designing the course as it is illustrated in the following figure. Figure.1 Learning-centred Approach (Hutchinson and Waters, 1987, p.73) Djillali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes Module : ESP Faculty of Letters , Languages and Arts Level : M2 Did Department of English Teacher : Dr. ZAIMI Lecture 01: Course Design(02) 1. Factors Affecting ESP Course Design Before embarking in designing courses, teachers should draw a clear picture on the several factors that contribute to the process of ESP course design. Hutchinson and Waters (1987) highlighted three main factors that affect ESP course design: Language descriptions, Learning theories, Needs analysis. Figure 2. Factors Affecting ESP Course Design (Hutchison and Waters, 1987, p.22) As illustrated in the above figure, ESP practitioners should have a clear vision of the language description which refers to the language system broken down and described for the purposes of learning; for example, notional, functional, structural. These distinctive theoretical views of language facilitate the selection of the syllabus for the ESP Practitioner, what to teach. The learning theory provides theoretical basis for methodology as they explain how people learn not only language, but also any kind of knowledge. The third factor is identifying the target situation and the learning needs. Learners’ needs are placed at the heart of the ESP course. Needs analysis is a set of procedures for specifying the parameters of a course of study. 2. Steps In ESP Course Design Course design is a process that consists of several steps. In this vein, Robinson (1991, p.34) believes that course design is the product of a dynamic interaction between the results of Needs Analysis, the course designers’ approach to syllabus and methodology, and existing materials. Designing a course can seem like a daunting task, so we break it down into a few easy steps to help you navigate creating a structure that's engaging and fun for your students. Begin the process early, giving yourself as much time as you can to plan a new course. According to Graves (2000), a systematic course design consisting of six steps that are: 1. Conducting needs assessment and needs analysis 2. Determining the goals and objectives of the course: Determining the goals for the course will clarify what you want the students to learn and accomplish. Be as specific as you can and make sure that the goals define learning in ways that can be measured. Consider the following questions: What do you want your students to remember from your course ? How should taking your course change students? What skills should students gain in this course? How does this course relate to other courses in the discipline? How, then, might you define the course goals accordingly (e.g., for an introductory, fundamental, or advanced course in the discipline)? In addition, you should learn about the students who typically take the course (their level of preparation, their majors or academic interests, etc.) in order to think about how your course will help this group of students build their knowledge and understanding of the topic. 3. Conceptualizing the content:  Select the major topics and determine the order in which you will teach them. Select the main topics to be covered. To obtain an initial list of course topics, look in current textbooks or the current literature (for a special-topics course). Pare down and refine your initial list of topics. Instructors often plan initially to teach more material than they can cover in the allotted time. Determine the structure of the course; arrange the topics in a logical order. 4. Selecting and developing materials and activities: Once you have determined the course goals and content, think about how you will present the content. Select and develop teaching methods and tools that are 1) appropriate for the size of the class and 2) consistent with the course goals. Consider the following questions and suggestions: What is your teaching style? How will you apply or adapt your style to suit the course goals, the size of the class, and the types of students who are likely to enroll? Which types of teaching methods will best fulfill your course goals? When deciding whether or not you will use technology in your teaching, identify specific goals that technology will help you reach. Plan carefully to determine how you  will integrate technology with more traditional teaching tools, such as the chalkboard. Whenever possible, use a variety of approaches, taking into account that students use a diverse range of learning preferences. Plan to use teaching methods that will require and measure active student learning. 5. Evaluating: Plan assignments and exams. The evaluation must go hand-in-hand with course goals. For example, if one course goal is to improve problem-solving skills, the exam should not contain only questions that ask students to recall facts; it should contain questions that ask students to solve specific and well-chosen problems, Djillali Liabes University, Sidi Bel Abbes Module : ESP Faculty of Letters , Languages and Arts Level : M2 Did Department of English Teacher : Dr. ZAIMI Lecture 02: Syllabus Design 1. What’s the Purpose of a Syllabus? The most effective syllabi not only act as a reference guide for students, but also function as an invitation to learning (Bain, What The Best College Teachers Do, 2004, p. 75). They set the tone for the course as they communicate with students about what they can expect from you, why they should take a course, and what they’ll have the opportunity to learn and learn to do while engaging in it. In this way, the syllabus acts as a “promise” as much as it is a contract. It provides students with a compendium of information that they will consult throughout the course, including: logistical information, prerequisites, the instructor’s contact information, course policies, due dates and requirements, a list of resources, and grading criteria. It outlines clearly what a student must do to be successful in the course. 2. Constructing a Syllabus: A Checklist The syllabus checklist below outlines the important sections of effective, learner-centered syllabi. Since you are new to syllabus design and you are looking for suggestions on how to design your syllabus, you may consider the following template’s elements to be included in an effective syllabi; a. General Course Information Department/institution, Class Meeting Time(s) and Location(s),,Semester Course Title and Course Number and Section(s) Other Considerations: Consider adding a description of your mode(s) of instruction: In-person, online, hybrid, b. Course Description and Course Goals Provide a course description consistent with that which appears in the course listings as well as any prerequisites for taking the course. You may also provide more detailed information about the course that will help students feel “invited” into the learning experience. You might answer the following questions: 1. How will taking the course prepare students for future learning and/or professional work? 2. How will the learning they will engage in during this course connect to their lives outside of the course? 3. How will the course prepare students to be an engaged citizens of the world and their local communities? Consider student-centered course goals or learning objectives. Objectives generally answer the question: What should your students learn or be able to do as a result of participating successfully in your course? Identify modes of thinking and transferrable skills when possible. The best constructed goals are specific, measurable, and attainable. c. Texts, Materials, and Supplies 1. List all required materials or equipment and where to find these items. 2. Include information about any required field trips or class events that have an additional cost or that will occur outside of regular class time.  3. Note how students should plan to access any digital course content. 4. Consider a free or reduced-cost softwares that exist for obtaining course materials. Further, encourage students to speak with you if they experience logistical challenges in obtaining materials or participating in required experiences, d. Grading 1. Provide a statement of your grading approach or philosophy that explains why you grade the way you do and offers some detail about how you will assess student work. 2. Provide a grading scale (e.g. 0-20 ) and a breakdown of how much each individual assignment or group of assignments is worth in terms of the overall grade. Make it clear to students if you are using a points system or percentages. 3. Indicate your policy on late work, missed exams. 4. Provide a statement on academic integrity. This might include pertinent definitions (e.g. plagiarism), information about when collaboration is authorized, information about what appropriate collaboration looks like for various activities or assignments, and expectations for where and when content from the course is to be shared or not shared. Also consider including information about the consequences for an academic integrity infraction e. Assignments and Homework Describe each graded component in enough detail that students reading will have a general understanding of the amount of and type of work required. Include information about the assignment’s purpose. f. Attendance, Participation, and Classroom Climate  Describe your attendance policy. Particular attention should be paid to describing how illness/quarantine will be handled. Describe the function of classroom participation within the context of your course as well as your expectations for how students should participate. Explain whether participation is required and how it will be assessed.