Skill-Based Syllabus

1. Skills are things that people must be ableto do to be competent in a language,relatively independently of the situation orsetting in which the language use canoccur

2. The content of the skill-based languageteaching is a collection of specific abilitiesthat may play a part in using language.

3. The primary objective of a skill-basedinstruction is to teach a specific

language skill, such as listening for gist,using proper intonation contours, readingfor the main idea, or using cohesive devicesin writing. These specific skills are immersedwith specific linguistic competencies, such aspronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, anddiscourse

4. The skills-based approach drew itstheoretical roots from behavioral psychology and structural linguistics.Specifically, it is based on the followingprinciples:

5. Advocates of the skill-based approachview language as a collection of separateskills. Each skill is divided into subskills(micro and macro skills).

6. These subskills are gradually taught in apredetermined sequence through directexplanation, modeling and repetition.

7. The mastery of these skills are constantlymeasured using discrete point testsbefore learning a new one.

In skill-based syllabus, the content of thelanguage teaching involves a collection ofparticular skills that may play a role in usinglanguage.

The term “skill” in language teaching isused as a specific way of using languagethat combines structural and functionalability.

Under the right circumstance, the skillbased syllabi has few drawbacks. Up tillnow, there is a theoretical question aboutthis kind of syllabus. That is about thewhether the degree to which ability toperform specific in language is dependentoverall language proficiency or not.

Besides that, there are different opinionsabout this syllabus related to therelationship between skill instruction adgeneral language proficiency. One sidebelieves that skill based syllabus will behelpful because someone learns languagespecifically. But other side said that thissyllabus will limit some one’s generallanguage proficiency

1. Skill-based content is most useful whenlearners need to master specific types oflanguage uses.

2. It is possible to predict at least whatmaterial that students really need.

3. Relevance on student-felt needs orwants .

Generally, skill means an ability to do anactivity or job well. it involves someonewho has had special training and practicingto do it.