Language Curriculum Design

An Overview

Created by

1. Nurul Firdaus

2. Yurieke Nadiya Rahmat

3. Nurul Wilda Sari

FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION

ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM

UNIVERSITAS BENGKULU

2015

Preface

This paper is written to help all readers to know about language curriculum design

generally. This paper is also used to complete the task during the learning process. Then, the

writers are also helped by the lecturer, that has given useful instructions to the writers. The

writers also thank to family and friends who have already helped the writers to complete this

paper.

The writers hope this paper can be useful for all readers. The writers are sure that this

paper still has limitation. Any suggestion and criticism will be kindly accepted by the writers.

Thank you.

Bengkulu, February 2015

The authors

TABLE OF CONTENT

I. Background

Curriculum, or course, design is largely a “how-to-do-it” activity. It can be seen as a kind of writing

activity and as such it can usefully be studied as a process. The typical sub-processes of the writing

process can be applied to curriculum design, but it makes it easier to draw on current curriculum design

theory and practice if a different set of parts is used.

Basically, designing a course could be the most important thing before starting a course in every

single learning process. It is used to help both teachers and students surely in learning process. A good

way to design a course determines the process of learning that could be so effective and appropriate.

There are also several things that should be considered in designing a course. It could be

analyzing the three good terms (principles, environment, needs) involve practical and theoretical

considerations that will have a major effect in guiding the actual process of course production. The term

“circle” would be the main point referring to the steps of designing a course. The circle involves outer and

inner circles that could be explained generally. That’s why this paper will elaborate briefly about an

overview of the parts of the curriculum design process.

II. Content

A. Environment Analysis

Environment analysis involves considering the factors of the situation in which the course will be

used and determining how the course should be take account of them. There are three terms that should be

focused in environment analysis. First, the nature of the learners that can be seen such the characteristic of

the learners themselves. The learners could be children, teenagers, and adults. It depends on the course

that is going to be created by designer. Second, teachers should be the factor considered to be analyzed in

designing a course. It is because teachers could be the facilitator, the monitor, and even the role model in

the learning process in a course. The characteristic of teachers will be the important point determining

whether the course be will successful or not. Third, teaching situation should be considered in designing a

course. For example, the situation between mining company and restaurant could be so different seen

from the situation. The imagination comes when the word ‘mining’ appears is about people who wear

helmet in hot weather and many things, but people who work in restaurant could be seen by wearing

waiter or waitress’s dress and deal with so many foods. Seen from the differences, the environment

analysis should be observed in teaching situation in order to support appropriate course for learners.

In addition, before getting the information about environment analysis, there are also some

instruments needed to get appropriate information in the field such as observation, giving questionnaire,

doing personal interview, arranging test, recording and many others related to gather the data. So,

Environment analysis makes sure that the course will be really suitable, practical, and realistic.

B. Needs Analysis

There are several ways to discover needs could be by testing, by questioning and interviewing, by

recalling previous performances, by consulting employers, teachers and others involved, by collecting

data as textbook and manuals that the learners will have to read and analyzing them, and by investigating

the situation where the learners will need to use the language.

Hutchinson and Waters (1987) make a useful division of learners’ needs into necessities (what

the learner has to know to function effectively), lacks (what the learner knows and does not know

already) and wants (what the learners think they need).

▪ Necessities

It could be related to what the learner has to know to function effectively. Basically, necessities

could determine goals of learning. Whether necessities want “A,” the goals could be “A”. Necessities

also depend on who the course belongs to. It means that the designer will be asked by some people to

design a course for example, head master in Senior High School wants to make students know about

tourism so that the designer will design a course about tourism for the learners.

▪ Lacks

Talking about lacks related to what the learner knows and does not know already. Lacks could be

seen as a gap that should be fulfilled. Lacks can be discovered by identifying knowledge or skill that has

been got before course and goals that would be reached during the course. There must be a gap between

prerequisite and goals. That’s why it could be called as lacks.

▪ Wants

It is related to what the learners think they need. Actually, students always have wants during the

learning process that can be identified to design a course. Whether the students wants to study by using

specific method, skill, or many things requested by the students to make them feel comfortable. It can be

discovered by giving questionnaire, by asking and answering question, by testing, by taking about

personal interest.

C. The Application of the Principles

Principle is a pedagogical perspective, focusing on curriculum design and teacher training. On

curriculum design process, research on language teaching and learning should be used to guide decisions

on course design. The teacher or course designer can use research findings or research results to help

them on course design processes to choose the appropriate principles that can be implemented in a course.

Curriculum design should make the connection between the research and theory of language

learning and the practice of designing lessons and courses. Research is a systematic attempt to answer

difficult enough questions or to solve difficult enough problems on an important topic. Many researchers

do research that related to language teaching and learning. They try to find the problems in language

teaching and learning and try to find the solutions to solve the problems. In doing a research, of course the

researchers use theory of language learning that can help them in doing the research.

As a result, there is considerable research on the nature of language and language acquisition which

can guide the choice of what to teach and how to sequence it and there is also a lot of research on how to

encourage learning in general and learning in particular which can be used to guide the presentation of

items to be learnt.

From the research, the teacher or curriculum designer can find the principles that can used in

designing a course. The principles itself include principles on the importance of repetition and thoughtful

processing of material, on the importance of taking account of individual differences and learning style

and on learner attitudes and motivation. So, it is very important to make a connection between the

research and theory of language learning and the practice of designing lessons and courses. There is a

tendency if there is no connection between them, the courses will not be beneficial for the learners.

Principles have three sub divisions : (1) Content and sequencing, (2) Format and presentation and

(3) Monitoring and assessing. In each of these groups, the principles have been ranked in order of their

importance, so that the first principle in the group is the most important of that group, the second

principle in the next most important and so on.

Because the principles must be based on research and theory, they must be general enough to

allow variety and flexibility in their application to suit the wide range of conditions in which language is

taught. The principles are also not an exhaustive list and is based to some degree on the personal

prejudices of the writers. So, in designing courses, the teacher or course designers have not to implement

all of the principles in their course. They can chose the appropriate principles that can be implemented in

course based on the conditions in which English is taught.

D. Goals

Goals are the result of the process of analyzing environment, need and the application of principles

combined and supported by the research and theory of language learning and practical designing lessons

and courses. Goals are very important because it is essential to decide why a course is being taught and

what the learners need to get from it.

Having a clear statement of goals is important for determining the content of the course, for

deciding on the focus in presentation and in guiding assessment.

The teacher or course designer set goals after they have finished three sub-processes in

curriculum design. In environment analysis, the teacher needs to analyze the factors that will have a

strong effect on decisions about the goals of the course. They are learners, teachers and situation. After

environment analysis, the teacher or course designers try to discover the need of the learners, it include

necessities, lacks and wants. After that, the teacher or course designer should choose the appropriate

principles that can be implemented in a course. Finally, the teachers can set the goals of the course or

lesson. ( The example of how to discover goals can be seen in powerpoint’s slide; English for Hotel Staffs)

E. Content and Sequencing

In course design, content is concerned with what goes into a language course or what the teacher

wants to teach. The content consists of the language items, ideas, skills and strategies that meet the goals

of the courses. Contents should related to the goals and support the learners, for example in “ English for

GOALSEnvironment AnalysisNeed AnalysisThe Application of Principles

Hotel Staff “ ( See Appendices ; Course Content English for Hotel Staffs). There are many chapters that related

to hotel staff’s job that can support them to be able to speak English.

Besides that, even the selection of content for a course is based on topics, themes, or situation, it is

useful to check to see that the language items that are covered are the most useful one. Making sensible,

well justified decisions about content is one of the most important parts of curriculum design. If poor

content is chosen, then excellent teaching and learning result in a poor return for learning effort.

After the teacher or course designer has done with the contents, the next step is sequencing the

content. Sequencing is the order in which the language items appear in the course. The contents should be

arranged from the easiest until the hardest one. Course designer also should make the combination

between verbal and non verbal material.

The aims of these principles are to make sure that the learners are gaining something useful from

the course. It is possible to run a language course which is full of interesting activities and which

introduces the learners to new language items, but which provides a very poor return for the time invested

in it. This poor return can occur because many of the lessons do not contain anything new to learn,

because the new items have very little value in the ordinary use of the language, or because they set out

interference conditions which result in a step backwards in learning rather than a step forward.

F. Format and Presenting Material

Format material means how we set the appropriate material in order help the learners in

learning. Format of the material must be suitable . The material in a course needs to be presented

to learners in a form that will help learning . This presentation will involve the use of suitable

teaching and procedures.

Format material can be provided such as exercise ( what the instruction that must be

provided to learner ) . Our group take an example a format material like this :

The example of a set format for lessons (appendixes : chapter 1)

▪ Dialogue

▪ Vocabulary

Useful Expression

▪ Practice

Activity 1

Practicing Expressions of getting and leave- taking

Activity 2

Practicing How to great Guests

Activity 3

Practicing the expressions

Based on the example above we can know that the first setting from dialogue, the second

is emphasized in vocabulary especially useful expression and the last is practice that means we

can practice based on the instruction. So that format material can help us to make the material

can be systematic and the material can be systematic .

There are several advantages to have a set format for lessons. The lessons are easier to

make because each one does not have to be planned separately. It also makes the course easier to

monitor and it makes the lessons to learn because the learners can predict what will occur and

familiar with the learning procedures required by different parts of the lesson.

The lesson format needs to be checked against the environmental analysis of the course to

make sure that the major environmental factors are being considered.

Presenting material can be provided with communicative and integrative material . It

means that we can provide the material not only in one skill like speaking but also in the other

skills like reading , writing , and listening . Our group give an example a material about English

for Hotel Staff. We can make an instruction to make a dialogue in order to practice speaking

skill and we can make instruction to write useful expression that will increase writing skill . The

material must be integrated in order to make we are able to understand not only in speaking skill

but also in writing , listening and reading skills. .

G. Monitoring and Assessing

Monitoring means we measure whether the goals are suitable or not . The function of

monitor is to cover three small circle such as contents , goals, format and presentation .

Assessing means that how we measure whether a course has achieved its goal, content and

sequencing, format and presentation. The aim of assessing is to monitor the progress of learners.

It means that from an assessment we can know the ability of learners whether progress or

decline. We can assess with kinds of test . Assessing generally involves the use of tests such as

1. Proficiency tests

Proficiency test is a test that measure what a learner knows of the language. For example

TOEFL test

2. Achievement tests

Achievement test is a test that measure what has been learned from a particular course.

Achievement tests are closely related to course and the items in the tests are based on the

content of the course and the learning goals of the course . For example mid-examination

3. Placement tests

Placement test is a test to see if the course is suitable for a prospective learner or to see

where in the course the learner should begin . This test doesn’t preparation . It means

that we do not prepare a material that will be tested . In placement test , we can do a test

based on the level of language . for example intermediate level , pre-advanced level ,

advanced level , etc .

H. Evaluating a course

An evaluation of a course can have many purposes, the main ones being to continue or

discontinue the course. It means that a course can continue with a mistake that can be a notes

from need analysis , environment analysis and principles . Here , goals can be reached in order to

make course can be continued .

Course is discontinued if course have many mistakes not only in need analysis ,

environment analysis and principles but also in the goals of course . The goals are not reached ,

so that the course is discontinued . Information gained from assessment is a useful source of data

about the effectiveness of a course.

Assessment and Evaluation are different . the definition of Assessment is a way to

assess just three small circles such as goals , content , format and presentation. We can assess

three small circles in order to know what are the mistakes from goals , content , format and

presentation.

Evaluation is a way to evaluate all of parts the curriculum design process from

environment analysis , needs analysis ( needs, lacks and wants ) , principles , goals , content and

sequencing, format and presentation. It means that if course design has some mistakes from all of

parts the curriculum , we can evaluate the mistakes in order to make a good course.

III. ConclusionThere are some things that should be underlined in this overview as follows :

1. No matter what teaching situation may be, the nature of learners and teachers always

determine the way of designing a course because those three aspects of environment

analysis together support the process of designing a course.

2. The better needs that you analyze the better result of designing a course that you will

get as a designer.

3. When designing a course, you may take appropriate principles needed to create a

course in order to support your course to reach its objectives.

4. From the question and answer section in the class, there is no obstacle appears during

the process of designing a course if it uses appropriate ways.

5. Assessment here is to assess whether content and sequencing, format and presentation,

and goals go together or not.

REFERENCES

Macalister, John and Nation, I.S.P. Language Curriculum Design. Routledge Taylor

and Francis Group: New York and London.