Developing a curriculum Developing a curriculum according toaccording to

Job RequirementsJob Requirements

Elias PapadopoulosElias Papadopoulos

Instructor of English as a foreign language. Examiner of Instructor of English as a foreign language. Examiner of officers and non-commissioned officers of the Hellenic Army, officers and non-commissioned officers of the Hellenic Army, Navy and Air Force. National representative of the Hellenic Navy and Air Force. National representative of the Hellenic navy at the BILC conferencesnavy at the BILC conferences

Learning is “acquiring or getting of Learning is “acquiring or getting of knowledge of a subject or a skill by knowledge of a subject or a skill by study, experience, or instruction”study, experience, or instruction”

Similarly, teaching may be defined as Similarly, teaching may be defined as “showing or helping someone to learn “showing or helping someone to learn how to do something, giving how to do something, giving instructions, guiding in the study of instructions, guiding in the study of something, providing with knowledge, something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand”causing to know or understand”

But the teaching of English is in a constant But the teaching of English is in a constant state of flux, with new theories, practices, state of flux, with new theories, practices, and materials erupting all over the world on and materials erupting all over the world on an almost daily basis. So, a lot of factors, an almost daily basis. So, a lot of factors, according to the teaching/learning according to the teaching/learning environment, contribute to a successful environment, contribute to a successful acquisition of a foreign language. Some of acquisition of a foreign language. Some of these factors are:these factors are:

1. LANGUAGE CURRICULUM 1. LANGUAGE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENTDEVELOPMENT

Curriculum development in language Curriculum development in language teaching can be concerned with the teaching can be concerned with the following practices and activities following practices and activities (Richards 1984)(Richards 1984)

Determining the needs a particular Determining the needs a particular group of learners has for English group of learners has for English instructioninstruction

Developing objectives for a language Developing objectives for a language course that will meet those needscourse that will meet those needs

Selecting teaching and learning Selecting teaching and learning activities and experiences that will activities and experiences that will enable those needs to be realizedenable those needs to be realized

Evaluating the outcomeEvaluating the outcome

2. ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS2. ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS

If a course is being designed for foreign If a course is being designed for foreign students about to enter Military academies, students about to enter Military academies, needs analysis will focus both on needs analysis will focus both on determining the demands that will be made determining the demands that will be made on first-year students in terms of reading, on first-year students in terms of reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills and the writing, listening, and speaking skills and the learners present abilities with respect to learners present abilities with respect to those demands.those demands.

Students should also be given step-by-step Students should also be given step-by-step instruction until they reach the level of instruction until they reach the level of fluency and communicative proficiency fluency and communicative proficiency necessary not only to pursue technical or necessary not only to pursue technical or professional training in schools conducted professional training in schools conducted by the Department of Defense, but also to by the Department of Defense, but also to meet the specific needs in joint exercises meet the specific needs in joint exercises and international assignmentsand international assignments

3. GOAL SETTING AND SYLLABUS 3. GOAL SETTING AND SYLLABUS DESIGNDESIGN

The results of the procedures of needs The results of the procedures of needs analysis enable goals to be set for a analysis enable goals to be set for a language program.language program.

What facilities are available? What facilities are available? Who will the teachers be and what is the Who will the teachers be and what is the

degree of their training and competence?degree of their training and competence? Who is responsible for implementing and Who is responsible for implementing and

monitoring change? monitoring change? How much time is available?How much time is available? What are the limitations of the existing What are the limitations of the existing

program?program?

The process by which increasingly The process by which increasingly specific goals are identified for a specific goals are identified for a course of instruction is known as the course of instruction is known as the setting of objectives (D.Pratt 1980)setting of objectives (D.Pratt 1980)

Objectives define the ends that the Objectives define the ends that the curriculum is designed to bring about, curriculum is designed to bring about, that is, the changes in knowledge and that is, the changes in knowledge and ability that the curriculum is expected to ability that the curriculum is expected to accomplish in learnersaccomplish in learners

The process by which content is The process by which content is selected for a course of instruction in selected for a course of instruction in language teaching is generally referred language teaching is generally referred to as syllabus design (Wilkins 1976)to as syllabus design (Wilkins 1976)

Military Academies and Language Military Academies and Language schools should design a curriculum that schools should design a curriculum that would provide military personnel with would provide military personnel with practice in the English Language skills, practice in the English Language skills, knowledge and terminology they will knowledge and terminology they will require to participate in multinational require to participate in multinational operationsoperations

Briefing skillsBriefing skills Group discussionsGroup discussions

Reading technical materialsReading technical materials Writing and delivering reportsWriting and delivering reports

Learners need to obtain information Learners need to obtain information about certain topics including NATO, about certain topics including NATO, NATO STANAGS, NATO formats, the NATO STANAGS, NATO formats, the UN, peacekeeping efforts, and UN, peacekeeping efforts, and interoperability issuesinteroperability issues

Both general knowledge and specific Both general knowledge and specific terminology will be helpful to staff terminology will be helpful to staff officers in military exercises with officers in military exercises with multinational forces under the auspices multinational forces under the auspices of the UN. of the UN.

The need for multinational forces has The need for multinational forces has emphasized the need for emphasized the need for standardization, not only in equipment standardization, not only in equipment but also in the whole range of military but also in the whole range of military activitiesactivities

Appropriate texts should be chosen to Appropriate texts should be chosen to help military personnel understand the help military personnel understand the levels of standardization: compatibility, levels of standardization: compatibility, interoperability, interchangechability interoperability, interchangechability and commonalityand commonality

4.CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 4.CHARACTERISTICS OF THE STUDENT POPULATIONSTUDENT POPULATION

The successful implementation of a The successful implementation of a language program may depend on how language program may depend on how well it matches the expectations, well it matches the expectations, learning styles, and values of learnerslearning styles, and values of learners

The variety of situations in which The variety of situations in which English is taught around the world English is taught around the world surpasses classification.surpasses classification.

It is not unknown for students to be in It is not unknown for students to be in a language class under duress at the a language class under duress at the order of some higher authority or order of some higher authority or seeking only a formal prerequisite for seeking only a formal prerequisite for some other course of study.some other course of study.

5.TESTING AND EVALUATION 5.TESTING AND EVALUATION PROCEDURESPROCEDURES

Testing is a vital component of Testing is a vital component of curriculum development and evaluationcurriculum development and evaluation

Testing instruments must have Testing instruments must have adequate diagnostic and prognostic adequate diagnostic and prognostic capabilities, and provide reliable data capabilities, and provide reliable data on student progresson student progress

6. LANGUAGE LEVELS6. LANGUAGE LEVELS

The problem with these levels is that The problem with these levels is that they mean different things to different they mean different things to different people. What one education system people. What one education system calls advanced may be more like calls advanced may be more like intermediate to some other teachersintermediate to some other teachers

7. PROVIDING CULTURAL INSIGHTS7. PROVIDING CULTURAL INSIGHTS

Foreign language learning is often Foreign language learning is often second culture learning second culture learning

Culture is the context within which we Culture is the context within which we exist, think, feel and relate to others. It exist, think, feel and relate to others. It is a “glue” that binds a group of people is a “glue” that binds a group of people togethertogether

John Donne wrote: “No man is an John Donne wrote: “No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the piece of the continent, a part of the main”.main”.

A good acquisition of a foreign A good acquisition of a foreign language will help people learn to language will help people learn to perceive those differences, appreciate perceive those differences, appreciate them, and above all to respect, value, them, and above all to respect, value, and prize the personality of every and prize the personality of every human being.human being.

8.TEACHERS’ ROLES8.TEACHERS’ ROLES Twenty years ago, Pennycook Twenty years ago, Pennycook

(1989:613) reminded us that teachers (1989:613) reminded us that teachers are “transformative intellectuals” who are “transformative intellectuals” who must see themselves “as professionals must see themselves “as professionals who are able and willing to connect who are able and willing to connect pedagogical theory and practice to pedagogical theory and practice to wider social issues, and who work wider social issues, and who work together to share ideas, exercise power together to share ideas, exercise power of the conditions of their labor, and of the conditions of their labor, and embody in their teaching a vision of a embody in their teaching a vision of a better and more humane life”better and more humane life”