Negotiated Syllabus for Second Chance
Schools (SCSs): Theoretical considerations
and the practicalities of its implementation
Valavani Sofia
Second Chance School of Alexandroupoli
Aims of the presentation
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In the context of a flexible curriculum, discuss the
issue of syllabus selection for SCSs
Provide a theoretical basis for the choice of a
negotiated syllabus by drawing on SCS
philosophy, education theories and some research
findings
Suggest the adoption of a negotiated syllabus to
English Language Teaching in SCSs
Propose a framework and offer some suggestions
for its practical realisation
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Second Chance Schools
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Adult Education General Secretariat established SCSs by
Law 2525/1997under the responsibility of the Institute of
Continuing Education for Adults (I.D.E.K.E.)
Flexible and innovative programmes based on trainees’
needs and interests
Emphasise the centrality of the learner and fight social
exclusion
Provide with skills and qualifications necessary for
trainees to meet the needs in social life and labour market
It is important that the second chance be different from
the first chance
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Selecting a syllabus for adult trainees: A look
at some theories of adult education
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Freire’s view of adult education: personal freedom and
development through mutuality with others, participation
and negotiation
Constructivism: learners create their own knowledge
based on their previous experience and social interactions
Progressivism: finds expression in negotiated syllabi and
is concerned with learners’ engagement in selecting
learning activities
Experiential learning: the sort of learning undertaken by
learners who are given a chance to acquire and apply
knowledge in an immediate and relevant setting
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Theories of Adult Education
Adults are active social beings who
construct their teaching world through
participation, interaction and
negotiation
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Why pre-determined syllabi are
not appropriate for SCSs
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All “external” synthetic syllabi seem flawed and
negate the SCS philosophy since they leave the
learner out of the learning process
One-way flow of information
Lack of negotiation and consultation
Trainees are regarded as passive acceptors of
language and not as flexible negotiators
Not creatively involved in the design of the
pedagogical programme
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Pre-determined syllabi
The idea, therefore, of just one pre-determined
syllabus being a panacea for language teaching
and learning in SCSs seems extremely
improbable
7
Evaluating past course with pre-determined activities
Very
satisfied
a. Achievement of
personal objectives
your
b. Materials and handouts
10%
c. Tasks and activities
Satisfied
Not
satisfied
20%
80%
10%
80%
20%
80%
d. Projects
50%
50%
e. Group work
80%
10%
10%
f. Teacher’s involvement
20%
80%
g. Your involvement
10%
90%
h. Visits
50%
50%
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Useful decisions in a SCS class
Very
useful
a. Working in groups/pairs.
80%
b. Following teacher’s suggestions about
the English course
Not
Useful
useful
20%
20%
c. Bringing your own materials in class.
80%
d. Discussing your individual
needs/interests with your trainer.
100%
e. Expressing personal opinions about
topics and ways of working
80%
20%
f. Designing your own activities
70%
30%
g. Checking your progress.
70%
30%
80%
20%
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Concluding remarks
The data retrieved reveal that SCS
trainees need to “have a voice” and get
involved in the teaching procedure,
participating in classroom decisions.
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The negotiated syllabus
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According to Breen and Littlejohn (2000:29),
negotiated syllabus seems to distinguish itself
from conventional content syllabi by identifying
classroom decisions as potentials for negotiation
It identifies:
The “negotiation cycle” (range of decisions open
to negotiation and the steps of the procedure)
The “curriculum pyramid” (levels in the
classroom curriculum to which the negotiation
cycle can be applied)
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The curriculum pyramid: levels of focus for the
negotiation cycle (Breen and Littlejohn2000:286)
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A negotiated syllabus (Breen and Littlejohn 2000:287)
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Tools for a negotiated syllabus
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Negotiating purposes
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Initial questionnaires to trainees
Learning contracts
Weekly planning of sessions
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Sample of initial questionnaire to trainees
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Sample of a learning contract
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Negotiating content
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Learning plans jointly developed by a
trainer and trainees
Trainee-designed activities
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Sample of imaginative writing: Poems
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Evaluation of outcomes
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Daily/Weekly/Monthly retrospective accounts
Reflection charts
An assessment (can-do) card
Work diaries
Reflective learning journals
Peer interviews
Portfolios
One-to one consultations
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Suggested Daily/Weekly/Monthly
retrospective account
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Suggested Reflection Chart
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Sample of an assessment (can-do) card
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A suggested structure of a work diary
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Implications and challenges for
future research
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Negotiated syllabus should not replace trainer decisionmaking. Trainers remain at the heart of the process
Trainers are not committed to trainees sharing in
determining aspects of the syllabus
We have not systematically recorded trainee reactions to
these processes
It seems a challenging but difficult undertaking for
trainers and trainees
A lot more practical experimentation seems essential in
order to expand our understanding of the negotiation
process
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Conclusion
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Such a proposal offers significant opportunities for
developing basic skills and qualifications in SCSs
It triggers processes of self-discovery, shared decisionmaking and responsibility
The unpredictability of the target group and trainers’
thinking from one year to the next is part of the challenge
and excitement of a negotiated syllabus
It seems to represent one of the most significant practical
and theoretical developments in language teaching in
recent years
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Useful Websites
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http://eclass.gunet.gr/courses/TELEGU181/
(English Literacy for SCSs: a web space for
English teachers supported by Bessie
Mitsikopoulou)
http://www.ideke.edu.gr/SDE/ (Second Chance
Schools in Greece)
http://www.eap.gr/lib/ (Library of Hellenic Open
University)
http://www.eaea.org (European Association for
the Education of Adults)
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