A course in classroom English for colleges of education

Abstract

Owing to many far-reaching changes that have taken place in education in South Africa, English has become the generally suggested medium of instruction (ANC, 1994). Many teachers, however, are not proficient in the language and feel themselves inadequate and unequipped for their task. This study argues, therefore, that a specific course in Classroom English for second language speakers needs to be given a central place in the curricula of Colleges of Education. In order to propose an outline for a syllabus in Classroom English this study investigates the characteristics of Classroom English, the language needs of a second-language speaker who has to teach through medium of English and the types of syllabuses available to the course designer. An overview of the types of syllabuses available indicates the task-based syllabus as the most viable option for syllabus design for this particular course. This is in keeping not only with recent developments in curriculum design, but also with the Outcomes-based approach currently advocated by the Department of Education. The outline for a task-based syllabus in Classroom English suggested in this study identifies the general and specific outcomes for such a course, as well as the classroom tasks that lecturers and students may engage in. It also suggests some possible methods for assessment, and a model for lesson design that shows how all the components of the syllabus may be incorporated in a lesson.