Approaches to Course Design

Names:
1. Kharisma Zahrotul Afdhil Aini (13020084016)
2. Ricka Mega Pratiwi (13020084028)

English for Specific Purpose / A

 The process by which the raw data about a
What is “Course learning need is interpreted to produce an
Design”? integrated series of teaching-learning
experiences.

The Purpose

To lead the learners to a particular state of

knowledge.
“Course Design” Language-centred
course design

Skills-centred course
design

A learning-centred
approach
 Language-centred
1.
course design

To draw as direct a connection as possible between the

The Aim analysis of the target situation and the content of the
ESP course.
The Process

Identify learners’ Select theoritical views of language

target situation

Identify linguistic features of target situation

Create syllabus

Design materials to exemplify syllabus items

Establish evaluation procedures to test acquisition of syllabus items

Weaknesses

1. It is not learner-centred, but learner restricted.

2. It is a static and inflexible procedure.

3. It engenders the false belief that learning is systematic.

4. The language-centred model gives no acknowledgement to

factors which must inevitably play a part in the creation of any
course.

5. The language centred analysis of target situation data is only

at the surface level.
 Skills-centred course
2.
design

Founded in 2 fundamental priciples:

Theoretical Pragmatic

Goal- Process
Performance oriented oriented
Skills and strategies courses courses

Learning Objectives:

e.g. Competence
General Objective (performance level):
The student will be able to catalogue Concentrating on
To achieve strategies and
books written in English
what they can processes of
Specific Objectives (competence level): within the making students
-extract the gist of a text by skimming given aware of their
through it. potential, and
-extract relevant information from the constraints. moivate them.
main parts of a book.
 To make the learners into better processors of
The Aim
information.

The role of needs analysis in this approach:

1. It provides a basis for discovering the underlying competence that enables

people to performin the target situation.
2. It enables the course designer to discover the potential knowledge and
abilities that the learner bring to the ESP classroom.

The Skills-centred approach:

 It views language in terms of how the mind of the learner processes it rather
than as an entity in itself.
 It tries to build on the positive factors that the learners bring to the course,
rather than just on the negative idea of ‘lacks’.
 It frames its objectives in open-ended terms, so enabling learners to achieve
at least something.
 Skills-centred model

Theoritical
views of
language

Establish
Analyse skills/ Select texts and evaluaion
strategies write exercises procedures
Identify target
required to cope Write syllabus to focus on which require
situation
in target skills/strategies the use of
situation in syllabus skills/strategies
in syllabus

Theoritical
views of
learning
 A Learning-Centred
3.
Approach

Learning is totally determined by the learner.

The Learner-centred
approach Learners learn is determined by the learners
alone.

It is not just a mental process

Learning It is a process of negotiation between

individuals and society
Society sets the target (in the case of ESP,
performance in the target situation) and the
individuals must do their best to get as close to
that target as is possible (or reject it)

Learning Centred Approach

A language-Centred
Approach

This is the nature

of the target A Skills-Centred
situation Approach
performance and
that will determine That’s not enough.
We must look behind A Learning-Centred
the ESP course.
the target Approach
performance data to That’s not enough
discover what either. We must look
processes enable beyond the
someone to perform. competence that
Those processes will enables someone to
determine ESP perform, because
course. what we really want
to discover is not the
competence itself,
but how someone
acquires that
competence.
The Relationship between
the Three Approaches

A language-centred
Identify target situation approach

Considers the learner to

Analyse target situation here

Analyse learning situation A skills-centered approach

Considers the learner to

here
Write syllabus

Write materials

Teach materials

Evaluate learner achievement A learning-centred

approach

Must consider the learner

at every stage
 Course design is a
negotiated process

The Implication
Course design is a
dynamic process
 Can we only learn to read effectively by
reading or can the other skills help the
learners to become better readers?
What are the implications for methodology of
having a mono-skill focus?
Will it lead to a lack of variety in lessons or a
limited range of exercise types, which will
soon induce boredom in the learners?, etc.

How will the students react to doing tasks

involving other skills?
A Learning-Centred Will they appreciate?, etc.
Approach
Do the resources in the classroom allow the
use of other skills?, etc.

How will the learners react to discussing things

in the mother tongue?, etc.

How will learners’ attitudes vary through the

course?, etc.

How do the learners feel about reading as an

activity?, etc.
 Conclusion

 The course design should be much more dynamic and

interactive.
 Factors concerned with learning must be brought into play
at all stages of the design process.
 It is “a learning-centred approach” – an approach with the
avowed aim of maximising the potential of the learning
situation.