Research proposal

For PhD Thesis

Syllabus Design: Objectives Evaluation of the English Language

Course of the Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education
Peshawar at Secondary Level
 Table of Contents

Introduction
Literature Review
Research Mathodology
Data Analysis
Conclusion
Bibliography
 Introduction
A course syllabus is a vital part of any class as it provides a framework for the instructor and the
student on what is expected from each party. All educational institutions are encouraged to have a
syllabus for the courses they teach. A syllabus is essentially the first material that students receive
on the first day of class and it gives all members of the course clear information about what is
expected. It is essential that a course syllabus contains information pertinent to the instructor(s),
policies, and curriculum.

Etymologically syllabus means a "label" or "table of contents." The American Heritage Dictionary
defines syllabus as outline of a course of study. We agree that a syllabus should contain an outline,
and a schedule of topics, and many more items of information. However, the primary purpose of a
syllabus is to communicate to ones students what the course is about, why the course is taught,
where it is going, and what will be required of the students for them to complete the course with a
passing grade.

THE PLACE OF THE SYLLABUS

A language teaching syllabus involves the integration of subject matter (what to talk about) and
linguistic matter (how to talk about it); that is, the actual matter that makes up teaching. Choices of
syllabi can range from the more or less purely linguistic, where the content of instruction is the
grammatical and lexical forms of the language, to the purely semantic or informational, where the
content of instruction is some skill or information and only incidentally the form of the language. To
design a syllabus is to decide what gets taught and in what order. For this reason, the theory of
language explicitly or implicitly underlying the language teaching method will play a major role in
determining what syllabus is adopted. Theory of learning also plays an important part in
determining the kind of syllabus used. For example, a syllabus based on the theory of learning
espoused by cognitive code teaching would emphasize language forms and whatever explicit
descriptive knowledge about those forms was presently available. A syllabus based on an
acquisition theory of learning, however, would emphasize unanalyzed, though possibly carefully
selected experiences of the new language in an appropriate variety of discourse types.

The choice of a syllabus is a major decision in language teaching, and it should be made as
consciously and with as much information as possible.There has been much confusion over the
years as to what different types of content are possible in language teaching syllabi and as to
whether the differences are in syllabus or method. Several distinct types of language teaching
syllabi exist, and these different types may be implemented in various teaching situations.

SIX TYPES OF SYLLABI

Although six different types of language teaching syllabi are treated here as though each occurred
"purely," in practice, these types rarely occur independently of each other. Almost all actual
language teaching syllabi are combinations of two or more of the types defined here. For a given
course, one type of syllabus usually dominates, while other types of content may be combined with
it. Furthermore, the six types of syllabi are not entirely distinct from each other. For example, the
distinction between skill-based and task-based syllabi may be minimal. In such cases, the
distinguishing factor is often the way in which the instructional content is used in the actual
teaching procedure. The characteristics, differences, strengths, and weaknesses of individual
syllabi are defined as follows:

1. "A structural (formal) syllabus." The content of language teaching is a collection of the forms and
structures, usually grammatical, of the language being taught. Examples include nouns, verbs,
adjectives, statements, questions, subordinate clauses, and so on.

2. "A notional/functional syllabus." The content of the language teaching is a collection of the
functions that are performed when language is used, or of the notions that language is used to
express. Examples of functions include: informing, agreeing, apologizing, requesting; examples of
notions include size, age, color, comparison, time, and so on.

3. "A situational syllabus." The content of language teaching is a collection of real or imaginary
situations in which language occurs or is used. A situation usually involves several participants who
are engaged in some activity in a specific setting. The language occurring in the situation involves
a number of functions, combined into a plausible segment of discourse. The primary purpose of a
situational language teaching syllabus is to teach the language that occurs in the situations.
Examples of situations include: seeing the dentist, complaining to the landlord, buying a book at
the book store, meeting a new student, and so on.

4. "A skill-based syllabus." The content of the language teaching is a collection of specific abilities
that may play a part in using language. Skills are things that people must be able to do to be
competent in a language, relatively independently of the situation or setting in which the language
use can occur. While situational syllabi group functions together into specific settings of language
use, skill-based syllabi group linguistic competencies (pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and
discourse) together into generalized types of behavior, such as listening to spoken language for the
main idea, writing well-formed paragraphs, giving effective oral presentations, and so on. The
primary purpose of skill-based instruction is to learn the specific language skill. A possible
secondary purpose is to develop more general competence in the language, learning only
incidentally any information that may be available while applying the language skills.

5. "A task-based syllabus." The content of the teaching is a series of complex and purposeful tasks
that the students want or need to perform with the language they are learning. The tasks are
defined as activities with a purpose other than language learning, but, as in a content-based
syllabus, the performance of the tasks is approached in a way that is intended to develop second
language ability. Language learning is subordinate to task performance, and language teaching
occurs only as the need arises during the performance of a given task. Tasks integrate language
(and other) skills in specific settings of language use. Task-based teaching differs from situation-
based teaching in that while situational teaching has the goal of teaching the specific language
content that occurs in the situation (a predefined product), task-based teaching has the goal of
teaching students to draw on resources to complete some piece of work (a process). The students
draw on a variety of language forms, functions, and skills, often in an individual and unpredictable
way, in completing the tasks. Tasks that can be used for language learning are, generally, tasks
that the learners actually have to perform in any case. Examples include: applying for a job, talking
with a social worker, getting housing information over the telephone, and so on.

6. "A content-based-syllabus." The primary purpose of instruction is to teach some content or

information using the language that the students are also learning. The students are
simultaneously language students and students of whatever content is being taught. The subject
matter is primary, and language learning occurs incidentally to the content learning. The content
teaching is not organized around the language teaching, but vice-versa. Content-based language
teaching is concerned with information, while task-based language teaching is concerned with
communicative and cognitive processes. An example of content-based language teaching is a
science class taught in the language the students need or want to learn, possibly with linguistic
adjustment to make the science more comprehensible.

In general, the six types of syllabi or instructional content are presented beginning with the one
based most on structure, and ending with the one based most on language use. Language is a
relationship between form and meaning, and most instruction emphasizes one or the other side of
this relationship.

The Nature of the Problem

In all parts of the country secondary education is the basis for further education. But it is very
unfortunate that the students who pass their matriculation examination can hardly speak or write a
few correct sentences in English language. Most of the students, who want to take their future
courses in English, are usually not sufficiently prepared to carry on their studies because of the
difficulties faced in the medium of instruction. The reason for this weakness is obviously the
insufficiency or inappropriacy of the courses that they have taken during their secondary courses.

The Role of English Language in Pakistan

Pakistan is a one among those countries which are under development. There are many factors
which contribute to the development of a country. No doubt, Social and political stability, vibrant
economy and educational set up plays a vital role in the development of any country. But all these
efforts towards making progress will be futile if there is no fast and speedy communication system
in the country. Language is that important element that not only binds the different sections of the
society within the country but it also links it to the out side world.

With the inception of the British Raj in the subcontinent, English was introduced as the official
language of the country. There had been great resistance form the natives against making English
as the official but they could not see the great advantages that English was offering them by
becoming the language of the world speedily. In spite of the great resistance, English became the
official language and from that time onwards, the people had to learn it if they wanted to survive
and get special favors from the British Government. At that time, it was felt by some of the
intellectuals of the country that it was imperative for the people of India to learn English Language if
wanted to convey their demands to the government and therefore, they urged the people to learn it.
As a result, English became popular among the masses as a forceful means of communicating
their minds to the British government.

The British left India in 1947 and as a result, the two states of Pakistan and India came into being.
But the English language left deep marks on the Indian politics and culture. The first constitution of
Pakistan was drafted in English. Despite of the fact that Urdu was the national language, English
became the official language of the country and those who did not know it could not perform the
official duties well. Moreover, every day new things are invented and most this modern technology
requires English language if one wants to use it properly; otherwise, the development process will
be severely hindered. The major source of higher studies and research work is English language
and those who aspire for such intellectual gymnastics must have a good knowledge of English
language, otherwise, they will lag for behind from the rest of the world.

Realizing the importance and necessity of this language, most of the educational institutions in
Pakistan have introduced English as a compulsory subject in the national curriculum from primary
to graduate level.

Literature Review

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