How to Design an

Effective Syllabus
and Optimize
Learning Outcomes
July 2024
Liana
BERKOWITZ

Celestina CARDOZ
Agenda

01 Introduction

02 Elements of a syllabus

03 Learning Outcomes – Assessments - Instruction

04 Threefold approach to Syllabus Design

05 Authentic Materials

06 Q&A
The first point of
interaction between
faculty and students.

4
 Inclusive Syllabus
Rhetoric
Inclusive and motivational
language

Centered on student learning

from “what the course will teach” to
“what the student can learn".

Accessible Design
making education accessible to
all students

Supportive and understanding

course policies
Supportive and empathetic towards your
students.
Works cited:
Harnish and Bridges, 2011
Teaching Commons , Stanford University Image art by Hannah Largen
Rise of the AI-
Generated Lesson plan
 Activity Time Description

Sure, here is a B2 level TOEFL iBT Reading Lesson Do a quick brainstorming

activity to activate prior
Plan with the learning outcomes, assessments and knowledge on the topic of the
instructional activities: Warm-up (10 minutes) 10 minutes reading passage. Introduce
key vocabulary words that will
be encountered in the
Learning Outcomes passage.

| Learning Outcomes | |---|---| | Students will be

able to identify the main idea and supporting Students read the TOEFL iBT
level B2 reading passage
details in reading passages. | | Students will be silently. After reading,
able to understand the author's purpose and tone. Reading Passage (20
students answer
20 minutes comprehension check
| | Students will be able to infer information that minutes)
questions to ensure
is not explicitly stated in the passage. | | Students understanding of the main
idea, supporting details,
will be able to identify vocabulary words in context
Design and Input author's purpose, and tone.
01 and determine their meaning. |
the AI Prompt.
Students discuss the
Assessments vocabulary words
| Assessments | |---|---| | Comprehension checks encountered in the passage
Vocabulary Review (15 and their meaning in context.
throughout the lesson (multiple choice, true/false, 15 minutes
minutes) Play a vocabulary matching

02 short answer) | | Vocabulary quiz at the end of the game or complete a cloze
Revise and Adapt activity to reinforce
lesson | | Reading comprehension passage understanding.
analysis (short essay) | Students work in pairs or
small groups to analyze the
reading passage. Prompt
Instructional Activities students to consider: main
Reading Analysis (20 idea, supporting details,
Remember to
03 Reflection minutes)
20 minutes
author's purpose, tone, and
•Adjust the timing based on your students' needs any inferences that can be
made. Each group can then
and the length of the passage. share their analysis with the
•Provide scaffolding and support for students who class.
need it. Briefly summarize the key
points of the reading
•Encourage active participation and discussion passage. Answer any
throughout the lesson. remaining student questions.
Provide homework
I hope this helps! Wrap-up (5 minutes) 5 minutes
assignment, such as
summarizing the passage in
their own words or finding
another article on the same
topic.
1. Learning
Outcomes

Learning outcomes are explicit statements that

describe what learners are expected to know,
understand, or be able to do after completing a
learning experience, such as a course, program, or
training session.
These outcomes are used to guide the design, delivery,
and assessment of educational experiences.
 Learning Outcomes in ESL courses
’’A learning
outcome is a
statement of
exactly what
your students
should know,
value, or be
APPLYING
REMEMBERING UNDERSTANDING • Utilize grammar rules and
ANALYZING
• Analyze and compare diff
CREATING
• Construct a coherent
able to do after
• Identify and label common structures
• Explain the meaning of
completing
erent perspectives EVALUATING narrative or descriptive
vocabulary words related to vocabulary words in context. to construct meaningful presented in a discussion composition using
Assess the effectiveness of
specific topics. sentences. or reading passage. appropriate language skills.
• Interpret main ideas and
your course, or
different communication
• Recall and list basic grammar supporting details in spoken • Apply vocabulary and • Examine the organization strategies in specific contexts. • Generate and deliver a
rules and structures. language skills and structure of a written persuasive presentation on
and written texts. Critically evaluate the validity
at specified
to communicate effectivel text. a specific topic using
• Memorize key facts and • Describe concepts and • Break down language
and reliability of information from effective communication
information from previously y in various situations. various sources. strategies.
processes using acquired forms and meanings
studied reading passages knowledge. • Implement reading
strategies
to identify patterns and
relationships.
Judge their own language
proficiency
• Design and produce dialo
gues or role plays to times during
to comprehend and analy and formulate strategies for
your course.
demonstrate language
ze different types of texts. improvement. functions and contexts

’’
Crocker, W. A. (2013). Authentic assessment: Evaluating
“real-life” applications of knowledge in higher
education. Reflections, 69, 1 – 3.

©Berkman, N, 2023
Learning Outcomes
Old version New version
In this course, students will By the end of this course, students
will be able to:
learn: • Communicate using relevant
• Vocabulary related to vocabulary and expressions.
daily activities • Apply basic grammar structures
in speaking and writing.
• Basic grammar • Engage in conversations.
structures • Extract information from spoken
• List of common phrases and written language.
• Write coherent sentences and
Listening skills for short paragraphs.
conversations
• Reading comprehension
of short texts
• Writing sentences and
paragraphs
2. Assessments

A phenomenon known as the “testing effect”

suggests students learn more from repeated
testing than from repeated exposure to the
material they are trying to learn

Work cited:
Karpicke & Roediger, 2008
Remember Cite • Define • Give • Label • List • Match • Name • Recall • Record • Relate
Recall content and information. Remember • Select • State • Tell • Underline • Write

Understand Describe • Discuss • Explain • Express • Identify • Locate • Recognize • Report

Explain ideas and concepts. Restate • Review • Translate • Understand

Apply Apply • Assign • Demonstrate • Dramatize • Employ • Illustrate • Interpret • Operate

Use information in other situations and contexts. Practice • Schedule • Shop • Sketch • Use

Analyze Analyze • Appraise • Calculate • Categorize • Compare • Contrast • Criticize

Break information into parts and explore Debate • Diagram • Differentiate • Distinguish • Examine • Experiment • Inspect
relationships between ideas. Inventory • Question • Relate • Solve • Test

Evaluate Appraise • Assess • Check • Choose • Critique • Decide • Discriminate

Justify perspectives, decisions or courses of action. Estimate • Evaluate • Grade • Inspect • Judge • Measure • Monitor
Rank/Rate • Review • Revise • Score • Select • Value

Create Adapt • Build • Change • Choose • Combine • Compile • Compose

Generate new ideas, products, or ways of viewing things. Construct • Create • Design • Develop • Discuss • Elaborate • Estimate
Formulate • Imagine • Improve • Invent • Make up • Modify • Originate
Plan • Predict • Propose • Solve • Suppose • Test • Theorize

Work cited:
Ohio State University – Teaching & Learning Resource Center
 ESTABLISH LEVELS
OF PERFORMANCE
Determine different
levels of performance
(e.g., excellent,
proficient, developing)
for each component.

IDENTIFY DEFINING DEFINE CRITERIA

FOR EACH LEVEL
SPECIFIC
COMPONENTS GRADING Clearly describe the
Break down the
learning outcomes
CRITERIA criteria and expectations
for each level of
performance.
into specific
components or skills
AND Use measurable and
observable language for
to be assessed
RUBRICS clarity

ORGANIZE IN A RUBRIC
FORMAT
Create a rubric that outlines the
grading criteria and levels of
performance.
Ensure the rubric is easy to
understand and visually clear.
 EXAMPLE ASSIGNMENT: EXAMPLE RUBRIC:
TOEFL iBT Speaking Independent Evaluation Criteria
Question

Students will have 15 seconds to prepare 1. Delivery

your response and 45 seconds to speak 2. Language Use & Vocabulary
their answer. They will be presented with 3. Verbal communication Skills
two situations or opinions. They will be 4. Topic development
asked which they prefer and they need to 5. Overall Performance (holistic scoring)
explain your choice. Here's an example:
Some people think it is more fun to
spend time with friends in restaurants or
cafes. Others think it is more fun to
spend time with friends at home. Which
do you think is better? Explain why.
3.The best
teaching
method ?
Choose appropriate teaching methods
LEARNER-CENTERED
COMMUNICATIVE TASK-BASED TECHNOLOGY DIFFERENTIATED
APPROACH
LANGUAGE TEACHING LEARNING INTEGRATION INSTRUCTION

• Tailor teaching • Emphasize • Design tasks and • Explore digital tools • Adapt teaching
methods to meet communicative projects that and resources to methods to
the needs, activities that provide require students to enhance language accommodate
interests, and opportunities for apply language learning and diverse learner
learning styles of students to practice skills to engagement. needs and
the ESL learners. using language in accomplish • Utilize multimedia, language
• Incorporate real-life contexts. meaningful online platforms, proficiency levels.
interactive and • Integrate speaking, goals. and educational • Provide
engaging listening, reading, and • Promote applications to scaffolding,
activities to foster writing skills in collaboration, provide interactive support, and
active authentic and critical thinking, and immersive extension activities
participation and purposeful ways. and problem- language to cater to individual
promote solving skills experiences. learners' abilities
meaningful through task-
learning. based activities

©Berkman, N, 2023
 Encourage Active learning
COOPERATIVE INQUIRY-BASED ROLE-PLAYING AND EXPERIENTIAL PROBLEM-BASED
LEARNING LEARNING SIMULATIONS LEARNING LEARNING
•Encourage •Design learning •Provide opportunities •Connect language •Present students with
collaboration experiences that for students to actively learning to real-life authentic problems or
and group work encourage students engage in role-plays experiences and challenges related to
among students. to ask questions, and simulations. authentic situations. language and culture.
•Assign group investigate, and •Assign tasks that •Engage students in field •Guide them to analyze,
projects, discover involve real-life trips, community solve problems, and make
discussions, and knowledge. scenarios, such as service projects, or decisions collaboratively,
problem- •Pose open-ended debates, hands-on activities that using language skills and
solving questions, engage presentations, or allow them to apply critical thinking abilities.
activities that students in mock interviews, to language skills in
require students research, and enhance language skills practical contexts.
to work guide them through and promote critical
together, share the process of thinking.
ideas, and exploring and
negotiate finding answers.
meaning.

©Berkman, N, 2023
Scaffolding content BREAKING DOWN COMPLEX CONCEPTS
•Identify complex concepts or language skills that may pose
challenges for students.
•Break them down into smaller, manageable parts, providing
clear explanations, examples, and opportunities for practice

PROVIDING CLEAR INSTRUCTIONS AND MODELS

•Offer clear and concise instructions for activities and tasks.
•Provide models or examples to illustrate the desired outcomes,
demonstrating how to approach the learning tasks effectively.

GRADUAL RELEASE OF RESPONSIBILITY

•Start with guided instruction and gradually release responsibility to
the students.
•Begin by providing explicit guidance and support, then encourage
students to take on more independent practice and application of
skills.

©Berkman, N, 2023
BEST PRACTICES

- Threefold approach to Syllabus

Design
- How to adapt authentic materials
Let's
add some
salt to active
learning

A Harvard study [...] published Sept. 2019 shows

PASSIVE x ACTIVE students in ‘active learning’ classrooms learn more
learning and
student perception
than they think

(nothing new there)

— Study undertaken by Louis Deslauriers, Logan S. McCarty, Kelly Miller

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Let's
add some
salt to active
learning

The importance of preparing and coaching students

FOL stands early in the semester for active instruction – or, as I
for
call it "learning to learn" - is a real powerful tool.
Feeling
of learning
As we agree that "perception is everything" ;
FOL is real !

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My threefold approach on syllabus creation
Creating content

Knowing what institution's requirements and

Point 1 expectations are

Point 2 Picking themes and subjects I enjoy

and am knowledgeable at

Running a survey and finding out what

Point 3 students want to learn about/work with

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• Meeting the school's • Starting in your • Finding a common
expectations comfort zone denominator;
• Mitigating students’ • Dwelving into subjects • Compromising
fears / apprehensions adjacent to the • Teaching students
student's Majors something about
• Enjoying the ride themselves
Creating
authentic materials

24
My threefold approach on syllabus creation
Creating materials

PROS CONS

Relevant Time consuming

Accurate Very time consuming

Adaptable Extremely time consuming

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Thank you!
[email protected]

26
Short bibliography:

Measuring actual learning versus feeling of learning in response to being actively

engaged in the classroom
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1821936116

Les documents authentiques en classe de FLE – EDICT

Les documents authentiques en FLE

Les documents authentiques en FLE | France Podcasts

Materials and authenticity in language teaching

Gilmore, A. (2019). Materials and authenticity in language teaching. In S. Walsh & S. Mann (eds.) Routledge Handbook of
English Language Teacher Education. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 299-318
Microsoft Word - Gilmore_Final.docx (alexandergilmore.com)