Grammatical Syllabus
is a synthetic syllabus and its contents are product-oriented. It is the most
common syllabus type in which syllabus input is selected and graded according
to grammatical notions of simplicity and complexity. The most rigid grammatical
syllabus introduces one item at a time to the learners and requires mastery of
that item before moving on to the next. The transmission from lesson to lesson
is intended to enable material in one lesson to prepare the ground for the next
and conversely for material in the next to appear to grow out of the previous
one.
Assumption Behind
Gram. Syllabus
1)
Language consists of a finite set of rules
which can be combined in various ways to make meaning.
2)
These grammatical rules can be learned one
by one, in an additive fashion; each item can be mastered on its own and later incorporated
into learner’s pre-existing stock of knowledge.
3)
The principal purpose of language teaching
is to help the learners to “crack the ode” i.e. to deduct the structural
properties of a language, learn them break and incorporate them again.
4)
Once
the learner has internalized the formal aspects of the target language, they
will automatically be able to use it in genuine communication outside the
classroom.
One difficulty
the grammatical designers pointed out that, it is difficult to isolate and
present one discrete item at a time, particularly if one wants to provide some
sort of context for the language. Nunan suggests a solution that, learners
would be exposed to naturalistic samples of text which were only roughly
graded, and which provided a richer context, but learners would only be
expected formally to master those items which had been isolated, graded and set
out in the syllabus.
Pieneman
and Johnstone has given a model for teaching grammatical items
Stage 1-
Single word and formula
Stage 2-
Standard order. For English Sub+V+Obj
Stage 3-
Initialization and Finalization: Final elements can be moved into
initial position or vie versa. E.g-Words such as adverbs can be added to the
beginning or end of the clause.
Stage 4-
Semi-internal permutation: Internal elements can be moved to initial or
final position. e.g- words can be moved from inside the clause to the beginning
or end of the clause.
Stage 5-
Fully Internal Permutation: Items can be moved about within a clause.
Criticism
(1)
Grading
(Simple->Complex)
Grading
contents according to grammatical notions of simplicity and complexity is
defective because what is grammatically simple will not necessarily be that
which is easy to learn.
(2)
Finite Rules
The
assumption at language is a finite set of rules is wrong because there are
other aspects of language. The grammatical syllabus highlights only one aspects
of language that is formal grammar and not the total complex-phenomenon,
language.
(3)
1-to-1 (Form Function)
There is
no one-to-one relationship between form and function. One form can be used to mean many functions and
samely one function can be served in many forms. This 1 form-many function; 1
function-many form increases complexity.
(4)
In-Built Syllabus
When
learner’s “in built syllabus” differs from grammatical syllabus, it will not be
helpful for learners. Grammatically structured syllabus doesn’t always conform
to learner’s “inbuilt syllabus” –by which he will organize the aspects of
learning for himself.
(5) Input as Chunk, Globally (Not step by step)
Learner’s
input is not step by step taken. It is globally taken. Learners don’t learn or
intake items as separate or discrete. They take the whole chunk of the input.
Because it is impossible to expose a learner step by step to a particular
structure of grammar in real life communication or class room. So grammar
should be process based, not product based.