Lynn Gein DESIGNING LANGUAGE COURSES: A GUIDE FOR TEACHERS 2.¥ Kathleen Graves School for International Training S A TeacherSource Book Donald Freeman Series Editor a Heinle & Heinle Thomson Leseniag™ ound Ueavenpo ~ 200 a 79161 Senior Editor, ESLIELT: Eek Gundersen Market Development Director: Charlone Searcy Prodaction Services Coordinator: Mike Burggren Assistant Developments! Editor: Jill Kinkade Manufacturing Coordinator: Mary Beth Henacbury Project Management, Text Design, and Composition: Jessica Robison; Imageset Production Manager: Su Wilson Cover Design: Ha D. Nguyen Printer: Webcom ‘Text acknowledgments are found on page 308. COPYRIGHT © 2000 by Heinle 8 Heinle Publishers A Division of Thomson Learaing™ For permission to use material from this text, contac: uth web sewwy fax 1-900-730-2215 phone 14800-730-2214 Ree Printed in Canada 45678910 Haale Heinle blisbers Jaeernasional Thomson Eaioeee 20 Park Plaza Senaze, 53 Boston, MA 02316 ‘Colenis Polanco 11560 México DE. México lacernational Tacmsn Publishing Europe Insertional Thomsen Publishing Asis Berkthire House (60 Albers Suet #35403 168-173 High Holbom: Albers Compiee| Leadon, WEIV TAA, United Kingdocs Singapore 169968 Nebo ITR, Anscalis Iernaional Thomson Poblching Japan 102 Dodds Sexe awa-cho Kyows Building, 3 Souck Melboore - 22-1 Hirskawaco, Chodai ‘Visodia 5205 Asmrala ‘Tokyo 102, fapan Nelson Cenade Intersaional Thomson Publishing ‘Souther Aftica 1120 Birchmovar Road Building 18, Constanca Sqeare Scarborough, Onearo 138 Sserth Road, BO. box 2459 Canads MIX SCs Halfway House, 1685 South Aéea All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereoa may be ‘reproduced or used in any form or by any mesns-—graphic, elecreonie, or mechanical, including phovocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and eexrieval sysemt—without the wrinen permission of che publishec ISBN 0-8384.7909-X ‘This book is printed on acid free recycled popen.Dedication T: my father, Thomas Graves, whose belief in the power of education has been a source of inspiration and support. Devtcation:+ ifThank You “The seis editog authors and publisher would lke to thank the following individuals who ‘offered many helpfl insighss chroughous the development ofthe TeacherSource serie, JoAnn Aebersold Linds Lonon Biancon “Toramie Brazel J Burton Masgare B, Cassidy Florence Decker Sila G. Diss Marge Downey David E. Eskey Alvi Fassist Sandea Frade Jecey Gebhard Feed Genesee Seacy Gideason Feamene Gordon Else Hamayan Satah Hudelzon Joss Jamieson Ellice L. Jude Donalé S. Lersoa ‘Numa Maske Denice E Marray ‘MecedichPike-Baky Sara L,Sancers, Lis Sevove Donsa Sievers Roth Spack Leo vas Liee Eascemn Michigan Univecsity Universy of New Osieans New Mexico School for the Deaf Universiy of South Australia. Branleboro Union High School, Vermont ‘Universiey of Texas ax El Paso. ‘Dade Counry Pabiic Schools, Frida Boron Universicy ‘Universi of Souther California Shoo fo International Training Universi of Misi Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Univesity f Calforaa at Davis Colorado Stace Universicy ines Resource Center lino Resource Ceaser “Arizona Seate Universicy Nerchem Arizona Univesicy Univesicy of Minas ar Chiezgo Bethel College, Minnesota (Emeritus) ‘Universiy of Hlinois at Urbana Champaign San Joes Stare Unvecricy Universiy of California at Berkeley Coan Caroline Univericy Indiana Universe of Pennsylvania Garden Geove Unified School District, California “Tate Universioy Monterey insvve of Inzernatonal SediesTABLE OF CONTENTS Depicanor ACENOWLEDOMENTS . Senses Eprvon’s PREFACE. Ciusren 1: A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO CoURsE DESiGN... (CHAPTER 2: DEFINING THE CONTEXT. (CHarren 3: ARTICULATING BELIES.. (CHARTER 4: CONCEPTUALIZING CONTENT... (CHarren 5: FORMULATING Goats aND OsjECtIves (CHAPTER 6: ASSESSING NEEDS . (Ceagrer 7: ORGANIZING THE COURSE (Cuazrer &: DevELOrING MATERIALS... Cuarren 9: ADAPTING a TEXTBOOK. CHAPTER 10: DESIGNING AN ASSESSMENT PLAN nn Taste oF CONTENTS *¥ACKNOWLEDGMENTS “This book isthe cesule of extensive collaboration with many language reaches, espcially the twenty-eight teachers who took my course design semima in 1997. While aoc all of cheis voices are feasured in che book, they all worked wich me co areulae the kinds of things = teacher nzeds co know and be able to do in oedar co design 2 course: Kay Alcorn, Dylan Bate, Toby Brody, Iris Beoudy, Michelle Cars, Chris Conley, keri Fujimoco, Jessica Gakm, Michael Garo, Anny Ginsbucg, Decca Grtfths, Jeremy Hétge, J.D. Klemens, Jon Kmem, Carole Knobloch, Join Koagwik, Denise Lawson, ‘Ana Leonard, Denite Makeal-Fine, David Markis, Pcieia Naeczeato, ‘All Pahlavaalo, Beooke Palmes, Mary Parea, Sharon Rese-Roch, Jennie Seeele, Cyndy Tharcher-Ferig, and David Thomson. ‘When I was in Sio Pavlo, Manica Camargo, Simone Camillo, Eliana Pinro, Andces Porchia, Rosa Siva, Wagner Vellacd, and Lauro Gisto Xavier vere some of the eacly testers of the ideat in the book. Thad the good forcune to be Sally Cayanough's ouside evaluatoc for her M.A. the= sis on learnercentred asiessmenc. I wish I could have used moce of Carolyn Layzee and Judy Shackey’s mareial—next book! I was pleased 10 Saally use some of Valacie Bares’ wock. ‘My spsing 1998 independent seudy group used the book in draft form and asked me numerous question, not all of which I have been able ro answer! Thanks to Meredith ‘Askey, Kate Carney, Mark Haasen, Tom Kuch, Jennifer Meese, Joanae Ricbmaa, Dan Riney, Roshani Sen Gupta, Leigh Anne Sippel, Weady Weo,and Pam Woodward. would lice ro thank the teachers at Queensiaad Usivesity of Technology who so ‘graciously agreed co review the frst deat of the book and gave me insightful feedback: Melizs Apostolos, Jule Bact, Kim Grifin, Sicley Marcio, and Bella Sanden. ‘Thanks to Macks Greuemana for bis feedback on Chapter 9 Five ceviewers, including series edizor Donald Freeman, gave me valuable feedback on the book. I would like shank the evo anonymous reviewers for their encouraging com ‘ments I would especially ike o thaak Peasy McKay for ber thorough and thoughrful ceview of the book. At I cevised, [fle thac I was in 2 profesional dialogue with her. [ ‘would also lke co thank Kazen Johaton for hee suggestions and particularly hee timely help with Chapee 9 Ackwowuspoments + HiFinally { would like to thank my daughters, Emily and Laura, for being willing v0 wade chrough a vary messy snudy to get to thelr email. They have promised to remind me to “write my nest book during « sabbatical, And a lasting thank you to Donald Freeman, spouse and colleague, for convincing me that I ceally did wane to write this hook. + DESIGNING LANGUAGE CouRSEs: A GuIDE FoR TEACH!SERIES EDITOR'S: PREFACE ) ‘As was deving jas south of Whice River jonas, te stow had sated fling nearest. Tre igh wat posible to dine ash dhe highway in he geay-whive swing sow Icumed on the cada, pay a8 adi oneeneate on he road bead che anseuncer was talk r alchough ic was midmmocning, making ic almose i action and party co help ig abou che snow, “The state highway depaciment advives moto ‘caution and go drive wich theiz headlights 0a 0 ensuze maximum visibilig,” He wene on, his cone shifting sfighdy, “Ray Bure, the sate highoray sopecriso, just called eo say hat fone of the plows almost hie a eae just south of Exit 6 because the person deiving hadn'e sucned on his lights. He really wanes people ro pur theic headlights en because itis very tough 10 see in chie suf” I checked, almose cflexively, co be sure chat my headlighs 32,23 deove into the churning snow. How can information serve those who heat or eead itis making sense of their own worlds? How can it enable them eo eeason about what they do and to take appropriate accions based oo that reasoning? My experience with the radio in the snow sromm ius ‘mates rwo differene ways of providing the same message: the need ro use yous headlights when you drive in heavy snow. The irs offers dispassionate information; che second tells the same content in a personal, compelling story. The Bre disguises its poins of view; the second explicitly grounds the general informason in a pariular time and place. Each means of giving information bat is role, br believe the second is ulimately more use ful in kelping people make sense of what chey ace doing. When I heard Ray Bucke’s story about the plow, I made suze my headlights were oa. In what is weirea about caching, itis rare to Gnd accounts in which the author's ‘experience and point of view aze central. A point of view is 20 simply an opinion; ne ther isi «whimsical ot impressionistic claim. Rather, a poin of view lays out what the author chinks and why; to borrow the phease from writing teacher Natalie Goldberg, “is ssers down the bones.” The peoblem is chat much of wha is available in professional development in langvage-reachec education concentrates on ting eather than on point cof view, The selling is preseiptive, like the cadio andouncer' Gist statement. fr emphs- sizes what is imporcane to know and do, what is current in theory and research, and therefore what you—ar a practicing teacher—should do, Bur shis telling disguises the celles it hides the poine of view that can eqable you ro make sense of what is told. “The TeacherSousce series offecs you a point of view on second/foreign language reach ing. Each author in this series has bad co lay out what she or he believes is central so the topic, and how he or he has come to this underseanlng. So asa reades you will ind ‘Seaczs Eorron’s PREtace +