Syllabus

Course: Studies on Course Design and Materials Evaluation (Fall 2009)

Instructor: Yi-Ping Huang
Email: yiphuang@nccu.edu.tw Website: www3.nccu.edu.tw/~yiphuang
Phone: 88101 Office: Research Building 715
Office Hour: 2:00-5:00pm Thursday & By Appointment (in advance)

Course Description

This course aims to provide students with a general understanding of the major approaches, theories, and issues of
language curriculum and materials evaluation. Topics to be covered include (1) the definition and evolution of second
language curriculum, (2) needs and situation analysis, (3) different syllabus designs, (4) curriculum theorizing, (5)
curriculum implementation, (6) materials adaptation, selection, & evaluation, (7) hidden curriculum & morality, (8)
curriculum inquiry (research approaches), & (9) curriculum evaluation. These concepts will be taught by a discussion-
based & task-based teaching method; we will discuss the above abstract topics by connecting them to our own
experiences, conducting research projects of our interests, and examining different English language
syllabus/curriculum/course designs and various kinds of English teaching materials. By so doing, this course aims to
equip students with the ability to critically analyze, design and evaluate a language program/course and/or teaching
materials.

Goals
1. Students can critically analyze language curriculum/syllabus/course and teaching materials.
2. Students can critically select, analyze and evaluate teaching materials.
3. Students can articulate and develop their own theories/philosophy of language curriculum designs &
materials evaluation.
4. Students can write a scholarly academic paper presentable at a national or international conference.

Tentative Schedule
(The schedule is subject to adjustments based on needs. Negotiation is possible.)
W Date Topic Assigned Reading Assignment
1 09/16 Introduction White 1; Nunan 1
2 09/23 Definition of curriculum Marsh & Willis 1
Evolution of Language Curriculum Development Richards 1, 2
The Origins of Language Curriculum Development
From Syllabus Design to Curriculum Development
3 09/30 Frameworks for Language Curriculum Johnson; Grave 2
4 10/07 Curriculum Planning Richards 3, 4
Needs & Situation Analysis
5 10/14 From Needs Analysis to Goal Setting Richards 5 (120-142) Critique #1
Discussion: Critique 1 Grave 3, 4
6 10/21 Course Planning Richards 6 (145-152)
Syllabus Design (see also Richards 6,
Product-oriented syllabus 152- )
Structural/Grammatical syllabus Nunan 3
Situation syllabus
Functional-notional syllabus Van Ek
7 10/28 Proportional syllabus Yalden 7
Communicative syllabus Yalden 6,8
8 11/03 Task-Based syllabus Long & Crooke
Content-Based syllabus Snow et al.
ESP Widdowson
1
9 11/10 Discussion: Analysis of Syllabi TBA Critique #2
Curriculum Implementation Richards 7
Discussion: Critique 2
10 11/17 Curriculum Theorizing Richards (112-120) Determine the
Marsh & Willis 4 topic for your
Curriculum Inquiry: Research Methods Short (TBA) final term paper
(參考黃光雄、楊龍立)
Ramanathan et al.
11 11/24 Materials Selection & Evaluation (I) Richards 8 (-260)
-Selecting & analyzing course books Cunningworth 1, 2
-Hidden Curriculum Sheldon (checklists)
Discussion: Group Project Cunningworth 7
12 12/01 Materials Selection & Evaluation (II)
-Designing communicative course books Cummingworth 10
-Designing ESP materials Cummingworth 11
-Authenticity Breen
-Adapting materials Clarke
13 12/08 -Materials development Edge & Wharton
Teaching English as an International Language McKay ( cf. 廖柏森)
Moral Aspects of Curriculum Johnston 2
14 12/15 Faculty Development Pennington Outline of your
Or Guest Speaker’s Lecture (TBA) Freeman & Johnson term paper
15 12/22 Curriculum Evaluation Richards 9; Grave 6
Wrapping up
16 12/29 Oral Presentation: Group Project X Project report
17 01/05 Oral Presentation: Final Term Paper X
18 01/12 Final Term Paper Due X Final Term Paper

Textbook &Assigned Readings

Richards, J. C. (2001). Curriculum Development in Language Teaching. Cambridge University Press. (文鶴/政大書城)

Selective readings can be downloaded from my website.

Ramanathan, V., Davies, C. E., & Schleppegrell, M. J. (2001). A naturalistic inquiry into the
cultures of the two divergent MA-TESOL programs: Implications for TESOL. TESOL
Quarterly, 35, 279-305.
Freeman, D. & Johnson, K. E. (1998). Reconceptualizing the knowledge-base of language
teacher education. TESOL Quarterly, 32, 397-417.
McKay, S. L. (2003). Toward an Appropriate EIL Pedagogy: Re-Examining Common ELT Assumptions.
International Journal of Applied Linguistics, 13 (1), 1-22.
Graves, K. (2001). Teachers as course developers. Cambridge: Cambridge University press.
Cummingsworth, A. (1995). Choosing your coursebook. Heinemann.
Nunan, D. (1993). Syllabus design. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
White, R. (1993). The ELT curriculum: design, innovation, and implementation. Blackwell.
Yalden, J. (1987). The communicative syllabus: evolution, design and implantation. Prentice-Hall.
Breen, M. (1985). Authenticity in the language classroom. Applied Linguistics, 6 (1), 60-70.
Clarke, D. F. (1989). Materials adaptation: why leave it all to the teacher? ELT Journal, 43 (2), 133-141.
Sheldon, L. E. (1988). Evaluation ELT textbooks and materials. ELT Journal, 42 (4), 237-246.

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Tomlinson, B. (2005). Materials development in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Edge, J. & Wharton, S. Autonomy and development: living in the materials world (295-311)
Long & Crooke. (1992). Three approaches to task-based syllabus design. TESOL Quarterly,
Johnston, B. (2003). Values in English language teaching. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Widdowson, H. G. (1987). English for specific purposes: criteria for course design. In M. H. Long, & J. C.
Richards, (1987). Methodology in TESOL: A book of reading. Singapore: Harper & Row.
van Ek, J. (1987). The threshold level. In M. H. Long, & J. C. Richards, (1987). Methodology in TESOL: A
book of reading. Singapore: Harper & Row.
Marsh, C. J. & Willis, G. (1999). Curriculum: Alternative approaches, on-going issues.
Johnson, R. K. (1989). Second language curriculum. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pennington: Faculty development for language programs

Course Requirements

1 Attendance & Participation 10%

2 Oral Presentation (Leading Discussion) (2 times) 20%
3 Group Project (GP) (2-3 students) (Oral Presentation with brief summary & outline) 20%
Analyze two sets/volumes of English textbooks
4 Summary & Critique (2 pages) (2 times) 20%
5 Final Term Paper (TP) (12-15 pages) on one of the following topics: 30%
(1) Conduct a needs survey with a particular group
(2) Design a language program/workshop/course for a particular group of students
(3) Evaluate a language program or a teacher education program
(4) Other topics
Note that the topic of your term paper should earn the instructor’s permission and that the final
product should be a presentable paper at a national or international conference.

Attendance, Discussion, & Participation

Your attendance, participation, and contribution are highly valued by all of us. We’ll miss you if you miss the
class. Also, you are required to contribute to the weekly discussions by being a leader or participant. The
prerequisite is to actively read the assigned readings and bring your comments and questions to class.

Leading Discussion

This class relies heavily on cooperative learning with proactive attitudes. In order to practice professional
leading and presentation skills, you are required to lead discussion on (a) types of syllabus designs and (b)
materials selection. The reading assigned to you will form a basis for the discussion. In the discussion, you will
briefly summarize the important points for the class and pose a few questions for class discussion. A handout
for your audience is required. As to discussion methods, you are encouraged to be creative.

Final Presentation & Paper

This final research project is a like a capstone for your learning. In particular, it aims to cultivate your
professional thinking and writing skills by tailoring to what intrigues you pedagogically. You are required to
write a term paper (12-15 pages) on one of the following topics:
(1) Conduct a needs survey with a particular group
(2) Design a language program/workshop/course for a particular group of students
(3) Evaluate a language program
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 (4) Explore curricular issues via evaluating two sets of teaching materials and curricula and/or reviewing literature
(5) Other topics
In order to help you write a scholarly-like paper, you will need to …
(1) write two critiques (2 pages), which will help you search for a research topic.
(2) determine a topic and earn the instructor’s permission
(3) submit an outline of your term paper with relevant document (e.g., references, syllabi, etc.)(1 page)
(4) share with the class your topic, critiques, and term paper.

Writing format: American Psychological Association, 2002. Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association, 5th ed. Washington, DC: Author

Teaching Materials Evaluation

This is a group project that requires 2-3 students to critique two volumes/sets of teaching materials by using
your own evaluation checklist. Oral presentation with brief summary is required.

Academic Dignity

Please note that no plagiarism is allowed in this class.

參考資料
Brown, J. D. (1995). The elements of language curriculum: a systematic approach to program development. Heinle &
Heinle.
Dubin, F. & Olshtain, E. (1997). Course design: developing programs and materials for language learning. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Grant, N. (1987). Making the most of your textbook. Longman.
Hunchinson, T. & Waters, A. (1987). English for specific purposes: a learning-centered approach. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Ellis, R. (1997). The empirical evaluation of language teaching materials. ELT Journal, 51 (1), 36-42.

Journals
TESOL Quarterly; ELT Journal
RELC Journal; Applied Linguistics
International Journal of Applied Linguistics
Systems; English for Specific Purposes
Annual Review of Applied Linguistics; Foreign Language Annals
Journal of Pragmatics; Intercultural Pragmatics
Journal of Second Language Writing; Language Culture and Curriculum
Language Learning; Modern Language Journal
Studies in Second Language Acquisition; World Englishes
Research in the Teaching of English; Second Language Research
Harvard Educational Review; Teachers College Record
Journal of Curriculum Studies; Curriculum Inquiry
Journal of Teacher Education; Teaching & Teacher Education
教育研究集刊; 英語教學; 課程與教學季刊