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L. M. Kamysheva, MSc,
Senior Teacher of the Natural Science Departments
South Federal University, Russia
According to Long & Richards [quoted in Johnson, 1989: IX] language curriculum
design is regarded as a decision - making process and involves:
Policy making.
Needs assessment.
Product objectives, which are real world objectives connected with the
learners target language proficiency and performance.
Process or pedagogic objectives, which are the experiences the learner will
undergo in the classroom.
Curriculum objectives having been identified, we can specify the learning content
and the means necessary to gain the objectives. These means are usually the
procedures, tasks or learning activities developed in the classroom with the aim of
promoting the target proficiency. The content is usually understood as language
items to be learned (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) organized within the
framework of the topics.
The problem is that although the second stage turns out to be the most important,
it is at the same time the least understood, and the main difficulty here consists in
achieving a coherent, logical relation between the objectives and the process
developed in the classroom. The coherent language curriculum is believed to be
that one which is based on a logical and coherent relationship between the ends
and the means.
Evaluation usually deals with the learners' performance in terms of mastery or nonmastery of language programme objectives, when current performance is measured
versus desired performance by means of testing, using both quantitative and
qualitative criteria. There exist different approaches to evaluation; it can be productoriented (summative evaluation) and/or processoriented (formative evaluation)
[Weir & Roberts, 1994]. It can be quantitative (based on quantitative criteria) and/or
qualitative (based on qualitative criteria). All these types of evaluation are
complementary and not mutually exclusive, their interdependence being of great
importance to obtain valid findings.
3.1. Coherence
A curriculum is considered to be coherent when learners' achievements correspond
to the curriculum aim and when there is logical relationship between the objectives
stated and the process planned and developed in the classroom.
An example of incoherent curriculum may be when communicative language
teaching is designed within the framework of a languagecentered curriculum.
3.2. Permanent change and innovation
It is impossible to design a curriculum once forever; no curriculum can be perfect
and it will always need some improvements, adjustments or "fine tuning" to meet
the learners needs in the best possible way. But it is necessary to keep in mind that
the change of one of the curriculum components will inevitably provoke change in
the other components.
3.3. Different approaches integration
The idea of product (skills-based) and process (procedures or task-based)
approaches integration is of great importance for language programme design. This
principle is connected with the principle of coherence too, because the logical
relationship between the objectives identified and the process developed in the
classroom is presented through the integration of skills-based and procedural
curriculum.
It is worth mentioning that curriculum design is directly connected with syllabus
design, syllabus design being regarded as a contextually diminished view of
curriculum design, implying that all the essential points of curriculum theory, its
approaches, stages and principles, may be applied equally to syllabus design.
Taking into account all the above aspects of curriculum theory it is possible to come
to a conclusion that its application to our teaching practice would result in both
further teacher development and in the improvement of the whole ELT process.
References:
1.
Carne P., Hashemi L. 1989. Cambridge Practice Test for First Certificate.
Cambridge: CUP.
2.
Johnson R. K. 1989. The Second Language Curriculum. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
3.
Kamysheva L. ELT and Curriculum Theory Evolution. "English News" Journal.
Spring 1999.BETA and the British Project for ELT Improvement in Bolivia. Sucre,
Bolivia.
4.
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7.
Reid J. 1994. Change in the Language Classroom. Process and Intervention.
ETF.32.1
8.
9.
10.
Addine F. 1997. Didctica y Curriculum. Anlisis de una experiencia.
Universidad Pedaggica Enrique Jose Varona. Habana, Cuba.
11.
Kamysheva L. Proyeccin Estratgica del Rediseo Curricular de la Mencin
Ingles (Carrera de Lingustica e Idiomas de UATF). Tesis en opcin de ttulo de
Master en Educacin Superior. Curso Internacional de Maestra. Potosi, Bolivia.