Applied Linguistics 1991 12(1):115; doi:10.1093/applin/12.1.115
© 1991 by Oxford University Press
Readers for Volumes 10 and 11 (1989–90) |
Readers for Volumes 10 and 11 (1989–90)
The so-called ‘communicative’ era of language teaching
has seen enormous development in the area of syllabus design.
The present paper considers the characteristics of a radical
syllabus type known as the Process or Negotiated syllabus. This
type, based on designs proposed much earlier in the field of
general education, takes the basic principles of communicative
language teaching to their logical conclusion. The Negotiated
model is totally different from other syllabuses in that it
allows full learner participation in selection of content, mode
of working, route of working, assessment, and so on. It should
by this means embody the central principle that the learner's
needs are of paramount importance. The present contention is
that the strong version of the negotiated model, involving full
learner participation, would for all practical purposes be unworkable
in any other circumstances than with a very small group or in
a one-to-one situation. Both learners and teachers would have
considerable difficulty in operating such an extreme negotiated
model. However, the concept of negotiation is an extremely valuable
one and it is therefore here proposed that, rather than rejecting
negotiation entirely, anegotiated element might be built into
each component of a syllabus. In this way, learners might be
allowed a degree of choice and self-expression, unavailable
in most existing syllabus types.
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