Skill-based syllabus

What is skill?

INTRODUCTIONThe term “skill” in language

teaching is used as a specific way of using language that combines structural and functional ability but exists independently of specific settings or situations. In the other hand, skill is the ability that people must be able to competent enough in language, rather independently of the situation or context in which the language use can occur.

Reading skills • skimming and scanning

Writing skills • writing specific topic sentences or

writing memos, reportsSpeaking skills

• giving instructions • personal information• asking for emergency help over the

telephoneListening skills

• getting specific information• listening to foreign radio for news• talking orders in a restaurant

EXAMPLES

The ability to use language in specific ways is partially dependent on general language ability, but partly based on experience and the need for specific skills. Efficiency and relevance of instruction are major strengths of skill-based syllabus.

In skill-based syllabus, the content of the language teaching involves a collection of particular skills that may play a role in using language

The primary purpose of skill-based instruction is to teach the specific language skill that may be useful or necessary in using language. Skills are things that people must be able to do to be competent in a language. Unlike situational syllabi where functions are grouped together into specific language use settings, 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, specific purpose writing, and so forth. 

SKILL-BASED SYLLABUSIn skill-based

syllabus, the content of the language teaching involves a collection of particular skills that may play a role in using language.

In skill-based syllabus, the content of the language teaching involves a collection of particular skills that may play a role in using language

The primary purpose of skill-based instruction is to teach the specific language skill that may be useful or necessary in using language. Skills are things that people must be able to do to be competent in a language. Unlike situational syllabi where functions are grouped together into specific language use settings, 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, specific purpose writing, and so forth. 

PURPOSE OF SKILL-BASED SYLLABUSThe primary purpose

of skill-based instruction is to teach the specific language skill that may be useful or necessary in using language.

EXAMPLES OF SKILL-BASED SYLLABUSThere are some examples of the way to apply skill-based

syllabus such as:Guessing vocabulary from context             scanning or non prose materialReading for the main idea                          Using affixes as clues to meaningInference                                                    More scanning of non prose materialSummarizing readings                                More work on affixesDictionary work                                         Restatement of informational contentMore inference work                                  More affix workMore statement                                           More inferenceAnalysis of paragraph structure                  Critical reading skillUsing context clues                                    Using expectations

Competences That Must Be Had By The Students

Students will be able to identify common food items from each food group

Students will be able to read name and price label

Students will be able to identify coins by name and amount

Students will be able to give correct change Students will be able to identify family

members by name and relationship Students will be able to write name, address,

telephone number, and age in appropriate place form.

POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF

SKILL-BASED SYLLABUS1. Skill-based content is most useful when learners need to master specific types of language uses. 2. It is possible to predict at least what material that students really need.2. It is possible to predict at least what material that students really need.

3. Relevance on student-felt needs or wants .

NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF

SKILL-BASED SYLLABUSUnder the right circumstance, the skill based

syllabi has few drawbacks. Up till now, there is a theoretical question about this kind of syllabus. That is about the whether the degree to which ability to perform specific in language is dependent overall language proficiency or not.

Besides that, there are different opinions about this syllabus related to the relationship between skill instruction ad general language proficiency. One side believes that skill based syllabus will be helpful because someone learns language specifically. But other side said that this syllabus will limit some one’s general language proficiency.

NEGATIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF

SKILL-BASED SYLLABUSSocial and philosophical question also rise about

the social values that are contained in many skill instructional based program. Skill based instruction that is too limited in scope can program students for particular kinds of behavior (e.g. obedience in a work setting) or isolated them from achievements and ambition that the competencies do not prepare them for (e.g. education rather than entry-level employment).

APPLICATIONS• Skill-based instruction is most appropriate when learners

need specific skills, and especially when these skills are well-defined and the learners have little need for global language ability.

• Skill-based instruction is probably more appropriate for adults that for children, for whom emphasis on concrete content is more appropriate.

• Skill-based instruction is not appropriate, in large amount, at least, for general purpose or beginning level language programs in which the need of the learners are broad or yet to be defined. In such case, focusing on narrow skill-based applications will take instructional time away from content that is more likely to address their need for overall language proficiency.