Syllabus Jurisprudence in the Algerian EFL Classroom
While the concept of the syllabus has long ago developed to include mainly the course description, the instructor’s contact information, the course objectives, approach, and methodology, the required or recommended materials and readings, the course outline, the grading system, and the course policy, Algerian teachers are still stuck at the raw etymological definition of the syllabus as derived from Greek “syllibos,” meaning the course outline. To remedy for the pedagogical sin of depriving students from an invaluable pedagogical document, this article outlines steps to crafting effective course syllabi with a sample syllabus and practical recommendations for the benefit of faculty.
Best practices in syllabus writing: contents of a learner-centered syllabus.
This article presents an overview of syllabus structure for faculty members and administrators who would like to develop and evaluate their syllabi. A brief overview about syllabus contents and a checklist is provided.
The Syllabus as a Teaching Tool
But this isn't the only reason to create good syllabi. A good syllabus--one that is well constructed and then referred to repeatedly throughout the semester--can be an essential teaching tool. We have gone beyond the days when a syllabus was merely a calendar or a list of texts or chapters to read, problems to do, or assignments to hand in. To help students get a coherent and comprehensive education, it's necessary that we explain to them the rationale for our courses and what they should expect to get out of them.