Richards: Chapter 1 Questions
Explain the major steps in curriculum development.
Answer
----------
1. assess the target group
2. define certain goals and objectives
for the group
3. select and organize instructional
content (syllabus design)
4. selection of methodology
5. evaluate effectiveness of program in
meeting goals and objectives through testing
What is the difference between "situation analysis" and "communicative needs analysis"?
Answer
----------
Situation: focuses on the needs & feelings
of learner
Communicative: focuses on the course work
and content required of student
What are curriculum goals?
Answer
----------
general statements of the intended outcomes of
a language program that should represent what
the curriculum planners believe to be desirable
and obtainable based on the constraints revealed
in the needs analysis (p.3)
What is the difference between curriculum goals and objectives?
Answer
----------
Goals: general statements of the intended
outcomes of a language program.
Objectives: specific statements used to
accomplish curriculum goals.
Richards identifies four examples of stating program objectives, including behavioral, skills based, content-based, and proficiency-based. Select one of these examples and discuss its merits and drawbacks.
Answer
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(p. 4-5)
What are some of the justifications commonly made to support the use of behavioral objectives in curriculum planning?
Answer
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1. help teachers clarify their goals
2. facilitate instruction by highlighting
skills and subskills underlying different
instructional content
3. make evaluation process easier
4. provide a form of accountability
What are the five central issues under methodology in helping to clarify assumptions?
Answer
----------
1. approach of philosophy underlying program
2. role of teachers
3. role of learners
4. kinds of learning activities, tasks, and
experiences that will be used
5. role and design of instructional materials
What is the role of the teacher in the learning process?
Answer
----------
(p. 12-13)
What are the four kinds of tests used in conjunction with curriculum development and what do they test?
Answer
----------
1. proficiency: how well a learner can use
a language relative to a specific purpose
before a course of instruction
2. placement: place students in appropriate levels
3. achievement: measure how much someone
has learned in a particular course of study
4. diagnostic: aim to diagnose students'
particular learning problems
What is the difference between summative evaluation and formative evaluation?
Answer
----------
Summative: done at the end of a program;
evaluates how well goals and objectives
were met.
Formative: done during the process of the
program; examines a wide variety of issues
such as the relevance of the objectives
themselves, usefulness of materials,
texts, teacher performance
What is an achievement test used for?
Answer
----------
It is used to measure the gain in learning
in a particular course of study or program
of instruction.
What is the difference between a criterion-referenced test and a norm referenced test?
Answer
----------
Criterion-referenced test: measure a student's
performance according to a particular standard
or criterion which has been agreed upon.
Norm-referenced test: measure how the
performance of a particular student or
group of student compares with the performance
of another student or group of students.
Time & Place
|
Instructor
|
Textbook & Materials
|
Course Objectives
|
Basic Principles
|
Major Learning Activities
|
Course Requirements & Grading Scheme
|
Students with Disabilities
|
Course Calendar
1998 ©
Dr. Lynn E. Henrichsen
Department of Linguistics
Brigham Young University
Last Updated: Saturday, January 24, 1998
