Curriculum vs Syllabus Design: Needs Analyses

What is the difference between curriculum and syllabus. Although the two are used interchangeably in some contexts, it is important to note the distinction. Curriculum is a much broader term than syllabus. It is an administrative piece of work that includes all the relevant information about the course such as aims and objectives, rationale for studying L2, learners and their proficiency level, content of curriculum (syllabus), implementation of curriculum (method), assessment and evaluation, the role of parents, administrators etc. So, curriculum includes a syllabus as well. Syllabus, on the other hand, refers to a more specific subject area. There are two types of syllabuses. Narrow syllabus is basically identifies what will be taught in classroom, the content of language to be taught. Broad syllabus identifies which methodology to use as well as the content of new language to be taught. Syllabus is usually assessed and assessment criteria is usually part of curriculum.

So, as a teacher, we have been given a group of students who need English for certain reasons. You have to develop a syllabus. Or we have been asked by an Institution to develop a curriculum to be adopted by this specific Institution in this specific situation. Yes, I am heading towards ESP here. However, weather it is a ESP or general English course, we always have to base our rationale of teaching on some kind of syllabus/curriculum. Where do we start? We start from identifying goals and objectives of a course. But where do we find out the information? Yes, we go back to the learners. Here comes Needs Analyses.

Today, in Materials Development module, we have talked about 4 different types of needs analyses.

• Target Situation Analyses- in which situations learners use the target language most? Over the telephone, delivering presentations, meetings, hotel reception. What do they need L2 for?
• Learning Situation Analysis- in which style learners have been taught before? structural, procedural, communicative. What is the best way to get Learners to L2 target level?
• Present situation Analysis- where the learners are now proficiency wise? Give them a test and diagnose their level of proficiency in reading, writing, listening and speaking
• Means Analysis- what resources they have, what learning styles they are used to, what are their class dynamics etc

We have referred to following literature during our discussion in class.
Brindley, 1989, "The role of Needs Analysis in adult ESL programme design"
Graves, 2001, "Teachers as Course Developers", CUP
Munby, 1978, "Communicative Syllabus Design" CUP
Hutchinson & Waters, 1996, "ESP a learning centred approach" CUP