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 Effect of Summarizing Strategy on Reading Comprehension of Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners
Reading comprehension plays a significant role in educational success. In spite of its importance, students still have difficulties in understanding texts. One solution to the problem of poor reading comprehension is the learning of reading strategies. The current study examined the effect of summarizing strategy on reading comprehension of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Sixty-one students were selected and randomly divided into two control and experimental groups. The homogeneity of their proficiency level was established using a TOEFL proficiency test. All students in both groups participated in a reading comprehension test as pretest. The experimental group utilized summarizing strategy three times a week typically 45 minutes in duration for ten weeks. After each two week instruction, an immediate posttest was administered. At the end of the treatment, a post-test was administered to both groups. The findings of the study indicated that summarizing strategy has a significant effect on learners’ reading comprehension.