W2 - Principles of Instructed Second Language Learning // Syllabus & Curriculum Design Flashcards
implicit theory
intuitive ideas that influence countless instant decisions that must be carried out to accomplish the lesson
explicit theory
a set of principles on how to best promote learning in their students that informs their actions
Second Language Acquisition (SLA)
A subdiscipline of applied linguistics; the process by which people learn a second language (L2) and the scientific discipline of studying that process.
applied linguistics
The linguistic subfield that applies what is known about the structure, meaning, and use of language to identify, investigate, and offer solutions to language-related problems that occur in the real world.
computation model of learning
Model that views acquisition as taking place in learner’s minds as a result of attending to and processing the input to which they are exposed (Lantolf, 1996); forms the bulk of research on instructed language learning.
syllabus
a written plan that contains information about what will be taught in a course, i.e., its content. It can include a range of information depending on factors specific to the learners and teaching context
curriculum
a dynamic system of interconnected, interrelated, and overlapping processes which includes 1) planning, 2) enacting (also called implementing), and 3) evaluating
Grammatical, Formal or Structural syllabus
Focus: Organized around the grammatical structures and patterns of the language
Ex. verb tenses, question formation, and types of clauses
Criticized by some practitioners because of the focus on learning about the language and its system and not on how to use the language to communicate (Breen, 1987)
Notional-Functional syllabus
Focus: Organized around the communicative purposes (also called functions) of language (Wilkins, 1976)
Ex. apologizing, obtaining information, and communicating time and space
Important to find out about learner’s needs for using the language
Basis for the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR; Council of Europe, 2001)
Task-Based syllabus
Focus: Organized around tasks, where learners negotiate meaning and acquire language by doing tasks together (Breen, 1987; Nunan, 1989)
Ex. real-world, pedagogical, and open-ended tasks
Skills-based approaches
Focus: Organized around using the four macro skills of speaking, listening, reading, and writing in context so learners can learn authentic language(Omaggio Hadley, 2001); macro skills are further broken down into micro skills and strategies
Ex. situations and communicative interactions and tasks that enable learners to learn macro and micro skills and strategies
Lexical syllabus
Focus: Organized around a spoken and written mini-corpus of high frequency language items and patterns
Ex. lexical items from the corpus are included in authentic texts so that learners work inductively to understand patterns of usage and learn large amount of useful vocabulary
Genre or Text-Based syllabus
Focus: Organized around text-based genres that are structured in ways to achieve particular social purposes and selected according to learners needs (Burns, Joyce & Gollin, 1996; Feez 1998, 2001)
Ex. written texts, recounts, lectures, and critical reviews
Learners analyze texts to identify particular linguistic moves and specialized vocabulary to produce or participate in these texts effectively
Project-Based Language Learning
Focus: Organized around using projects as a way to get learners to engage in individual or collaborative investigative and production-based tasks (Beckett, 2006; Stoller, 2006)
Ex. research report, performance, or a presentation
Projects are typically self- or group-directed with the teacher as a resource.
Content-Based Instruction (CBI) & Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)
Focus: Organized around subject-specific content either in addition to or as a means of learning language(Lopriore, 2009; Snow & Brinton, 1997; Stoller, 2002)
Ex. History or science
Approaches vary depending on the emphasis on content or language.
