Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Part I. A. Conceptualizing Content

Mind Map Draft

Mind Map with Proposed Recommendations

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Mind Map Rationale
Then vs. Now.
The mind map was initially carried out based on the program given to the students
about the specific course they will be taking. Nevertheless, the program in general is
actually kind of vague because it does not mention many aspects that are part of the
course. There are characteristics left out that are part of the developing of the course and
hence should be included explicitly in the program that is given to the students. The
program mentions the use of linguistic forms to express language functions, but it does
not specify them.
On the other hand, with the proposed recommendations to the program, it would
include more specific objectives wherein the language functions will be explicitly
mentioned. Also, the program mentions some aspects about the course evaluation and
the methodology used. As suggested in the recommendations, I believe that the use of
ICT should be included as part of the methodology employed as well as the addition of
cultural aspects and ludic activities within the dynamic of the class.
Focus.
The program of Level II suggests that the focus, of how content is conceptualized,
is on language through communicative functions. Nevertheless, it cannot be simplified
just like that because it includes more aspects that should definitely be considered. For
example, the way the program is stated is based on communicative functions, but it
should be mentioned that the speaking skills is part of the focus of how those functions
will be used since that is the nature of the course, conversational. Also, situations are part
of the focus since the functions are actually going to be used in specific circumstances.

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Moreover, within the communicative functions that are covered throughout the course,
some lexicon is use; hence, the focus might tend to be topic or theme based. Finally, the
focus of the course is not only in language since the learner and learning as well as the
social context are part of it as well because it does include interpersonal and sociocultural
skills. Definitely, one of the focus might be more predominant than the other but it does
not make it the exclusive focus of a course.
Other components.
The course program should also incorporate other features that are inherent of the course
like the textbook. I say that the textbook is inherent of the course because it has to be
covered since students do have to buy the book and it needs to be covered throughout
the course time. Besides, the way such textbook is organized is actually influential on the
way the course is developed because it makes it topic based for the reason that it the
course should cover four main units of the book. Those units include the different topic
that will studied. For example, the unit Going Away is about traveling and the preparation
that must be had when going on a trip. The use of modals in order to give
recommendations when going to specific places is a great example of how the course is
focused communicative functions. Finally, another component that I consider important
to include is that the evaluation could very well embrace assessments with ICT in order
to promote the oral skills out of classes, instead of the recurrent use of oral presentations.

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Part I. B. Evaluating Goal and Objectives
The objectives found on the program both general and specific respectively are
the following:
Objetivos Generales
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario:
1. Ampliar sus conocimientos del idioma ingls.
2. Desarrollar estrategias para comunicarse oralmente en ingls con mayor fluidez
y coherencia, en situaciones comunicativas reales de carcter formal e informal.
Objetivos Especficos
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario estar en capacidad de:
1. Comprender material auditivo
2. Desarrollar los siguientes parmetros fonticos:
a. Reduccin de did you
b. Acentuacin de palabras compuestas
c. Reduccin de to
d. Reduccin de palabras con funcin gramatical
e. Pronunciacin de los fonemas /uw/, //, /b/ y /k/
3. Utilizar las formas lingsticas apropiadas para expresar las siguientes funciones
del lenguaje:
a. Hablar sobre eventos significativos y recuerdos en general de la infancia y
la adolescencia
b. Describir lugares en un pueblo o ciudad
c. Pedir y dar direcciones
d. Hablar y aconsejar sobre paseos, vacaciones y preparativos de viaje
e. Identificar y dar la ubicacin exacta de los diferentes tipos de objetos y
muebles en una casa
f. Hablar sobre hbitos y rutinas en el hogar
Framework
The framework that will be used in order to evaluate the goals and objectives is
Browns which includes several components that need to be taken into account when
creating objectives. These are the components that will be used for the examination of
the objectives:
Subject: who will achieve the objective.
Performance: what the subject will be able to do
Conditions: the way in which the subject will be able to perform
Measure: the way the performance will be observed or measured
Criterion: how well the subject will be able to perform

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Checklist based on Browns framework

The following checklist should allow the revision of the objectives both general and specific that are included in the
course. Also, it can allow the opportunity to suggest improvement in such objectives.
Objectives

General Objectives
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario:
1. Ampliar sus conocimientos del idioma
ingls.
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario:
2. Desarrollar estrategias para comunicarse
oralmente en ingls con mayor fluidez y
coherencia, en situaciones comunicativas
reales de carcter formal e informal.
Specific Objectives
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario estar en
capacidad de:
1. Comprender material auditivo
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario estar en
capacidad de:
2. Desarrollar los siguientes parmetros
fonticos:
a. Reduccin de did you
b. Acentuacin de palabras compuestas

Subject:
who will
achieve
the
objective.

Performance:
what
the
subject will be
able to do

Conditions:
the way in
which
the
subject will be
able
to
perform

Measure:
the way the
performan
ce will be
observed
or
measured

Criterion:
how well
the
subject
will
be
able
to
perform

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

c. Reduccin de to
d. Reduccin de palabras con funcin
gramatical
e. Pronunciacin de los fonemas /uw/, //, /b/ y
/k/
Al finalizar el curso, el usuario estar en
capacidad de:
3. Utilizar las formas lingsticas apropiadas
para expresar las siguientes funciones del
lenguaje:
a. Hablar sobre eventos significativos y
recuerdos en general de la infancia y la
adolescencia
b. Describir lugares en un pueblo o ciudad
c. Pedir y dar direcciones
d. Hablar y aconsejar sobre paseos, vacaciones
y preparativos de viaje
e. Identificar y dar la ubicacin exacta de los
diferentes tipos de objetos y muebles en una
casa
f. Hablar sobre hbitos y rutinas en el hogar

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

Checklist based on Graves questions

CRITERIA
Goals are general, but not
vague.

Yes
( X )

COMMENTS
The objectives are general and
should be more specific in some
cases, but they are not all vague
Well, there is an objective that
includes phonetic symbols and it
might not be clear what they for
the students when they read it for
the first time.
The course can be effective if the
objectives are reached.

Goals are transparent (Dont

use jargon).

Goals are reached for making

the course effective.

( X )

Goals are realistic (time).

( X )

They are, but time cannot be

wasted in order to reach them.

Goals are relatively simple.

They are neither simple nor

complex, they are as they are
supposed to be according to the
level of the students.
They mostly do.

Goals
address
aspects.

Objectives are more specific

than goals.

( X ) They are kind of general.

Objectives are related to goals.

Objectives and goals are in a

cause-effect relationship.

( X ) I think the goals are too general

and the specific objectives are
still general.
( X ) In this case, the goals would
need to be more specific.

courses

No
( )

( X )

10 Objectives are focused on

what students learn not simply
on the activity.
11 Objectives are short term.
Goals are long term.

( X )

They do focus on what students

will learn.

( X )

I think they are fine on this

criterion.

12 Objectives
goals.

than

( X )

to

( X )

are

more

13 Objectives are limited

specific language skills.

Section 3. English Language Curriculum Overview. Antonio Mora G.

14 Goals and objectives give a
sense of the course syllabus.

15 Goals provide the basis for the

evaluation of the course.
Objectives give the basis for
the assessment of the student
learning.

Maybe they would be better if

they mentioned

( X ) Not really.

Rationale
The general and specific objectives stated in the program that is handed out to the
student of the course Level II are not completely misleading when it comes to the whole
purpose of the course itself. Nevertheless, they do lack specificity when it comes to stating
the way in which the students will be able to perform as well as the way in which such
performance will be observed or measured. Besides, the there is no statement of how
well the student will be able to perform once the objective is achieved.
Also, there are some objectives that include a kind of language that might not be
really clear to students since they use terminology such as phonetic symbols. Moreover,
it can be seen how the objectives might not provide any indication as to how the
evaluation of the course may be carried out. Overall, I believe the specific objectives can
be more specific about the one aspect that makes reference to the nature of the course
Level II, and the rest of the courses in the program, and that is the fact that the abilities
or language functions that the students will use are focused on the speaking skill