A book critique on Nunan’s book.  

            The selected book for this critique belongs to one of the most important researcher and author in the English Language Teaching area. This piece of work has been entitle “Syllabus Design” by David Nunan. It was first published in 1998 by Oxford University Press and it is part of  a series of books called, Language Teaching: A scheme for teachers education. In this significant book, the author aims to help graduate teacher with their professional development; particularly in a complex area of language teaching. Not only does he provide definitions and theoretical explanations, but also he provides the reader with tools to evaluate modify and adapt syllabuses. In the author’s words, “the purpose of this book is to provide teachers with tools and techniques for analyzing and subjecting to critical scrutiny the syllabuses with which they are working” (Nunan, 2010, p.vii).

            Regarding organization, the book is divided into three sections; each of which has a purpose and they are interconnected. Section one provides all the background information about syllabuses and curriculum. Concepts, such as objectives, goals, among others, are explained. The most remarkable trends of language teaching are explained as well as their positions towards the topic. In other words, this section explains and examines the main concepts and their implications. Following this line, section  two complements section one by providing clear practical situations and implementations of the concepts previously presented. The main purpose is to exemplify the concepts by providing resources and materials.

            Section three is intended to be used as an implementation of the ideas developed by the reader in sections one and two. Connections, between theory and real classroom practices, are intended. This aim is taken into practice through practical tasks which the reader has to solve. Particularly, this section aims to help the readers develop critical thinking and analysis of their teaching programme and “to help them identify ways in which they might modify, adapt, or improve the syllabus or syllabuses with which they are working” (Nunan, 2010, p.vii). It might be said that the author seeks to present the topics in an integrative approach by connecting theory with practice and by integrating all the relevant concepts.

            All in all, especially noteworthy is the author’s intention to connect theory and practice, by presenting the concepts in company with tasks. Nunan (2010) seeks to make the readers think critically on the basis of their own teaching reality and how these crucial concepts can positively modify their practices. Furthermore, all approaches to syllabus design are presented and explained, which also help the readers have a general overview and allow them to make choices and decisions. However, the book is clearly aimed at graduate teachers with some background knowledge and background experience in the classroom. It could have been better if the author had taken into account other audiences, such as undergraduate teachers at college.

References

Nunan, D. (2010). Syllabus Design. In Candlin,C.N. & Widdowson, H.G.(Ed) (2010). Language teaching. A scheme for teacher education. Oxford, Ox: Oxford University Press.