Designing Syllabus – Types, Principles, Steps, ELT Notes | PGTRB, NET

Designing Syllabus – Principles, Types, Steps & ELT Relevance

Syllabus Design is a major component of curriculum development in ELT. It involves selecting, organizing and sequencing language content to help learners achieve specific learning outcomes. A well-designed syllabus acts as a roadmap for teachers, learners and institutions.

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1. What is Syllabus?

A syllabus is an outline of the content to be taught in a course. It specifies what learners should learn but not necessarily how to teach it (which is the job of ‘methodology’).

• It lists topics, vocabulary, grammar, skills and tasks.
• It reflects the goals of a course.
• It forms the basis for teaching, testing and evaluation.

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2. Difference Between Curriculum & Syllabus

Syllabus	Curriculum
What to teach	Why, how and what to teach
Content-focused	Includes aims, methods, evaluation, materials
Narrow scope	Broad scope
Teacher-level document	Institution-level planning

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3. Principles of Syllabus Design

• Needs Analysis – Understand learner needs, goals and backgrounds.
• Learnability – Content must be appropriate for proficiency level.
• Gradation – Move from easy → difficult, simple → complex.
• Relevance – Content must be meaningful for real communication.
• Balance – Equal focus on skills, accuracy and fluency.
• Flexibility – Should allow changes based on learner progress.
• Validity – Items must reflect course goals.

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4. Steps in Designing a Syllabus

1. Conduct Needs Analysis
   – Identify learner goals, language background, future needs.
2. Decide Course Aims & Objectives
   – What should learners achieve by the end of the course?
3. Select Content
   – Grammar, vocabulary, skills, functions, topics.
4. Organize & Sequence the Content
   – Based on complexity, frequency, usefulness.
5. Choose Syllabus Type
   – Structural? Functional? Task-based?
6. Develop Materials
   – Texts, exercises, tasks, assessments.
7. Evaluation and Revision
   – Collect feedback; improve syllabus.

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5. Types of Syllabi in ELT

1. Structural (Grammatical) Syllabus

• Focus on grammar structures.
• Sequence: tenses → articles → modals → clauses.

2. Lexical Syllabus

• Focus on vocabulary, collocations, word chunks.

3. Situational Syllabus

• Organized around real-life situations.
• Examples: At the bank, At the airport, Shopping.

4. Functional Syllabus

• Based on language functions.
• Examples: Requesting, Apologizing, Suggesting.

5. Notional–Functional Syllabus

• Combines notions (concepts like time, quantity) + functions.

6. Topic / Content-Based Syllabus

• Organized around themes (health, environment, culture).
• Used widely in CLIL/CBI.

7. Skills-Based Syllabus

• Focus on reading, writing, speaking, listening.
• Often used in academic English courses.

8. Task-Based Syllabus

• Organized around tasks rather than language items.
• Examples: Interviews, presentations, surveys.

9. Hybrid / Eclectic Syllabus

• Combines multiple types to suit learner needs.

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6. Factors Affecting Syllabus Design

• Learner factors – age, level, background.
• Institutional policies – duration, exams, materials.
• Teacher expertise.
• Available resources – labs, textbooks, time.
• Socio-cultural context.

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7. Syllabus Evaluation

A syllabus must be evaluated based on:

• Achievement of objectives
• Learner performance
• Teacher feedback
• Classroom practicality
• Relevance to real needs

Regular revision keeps the syllabus effective and current.

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8. Summary

Designing a syllabus is a scientific and systematic process that includes needs analysis, content selection, sequencing, implementation and evaluation. A well-designed syllabus supports meaningful learning, ensures progress and guides both teachers and learners effectively.

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