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Competency Based Approach

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25 views

Competency Based Approach

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fadouabel302
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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COMPETENCY BASED APPROACH

The concept of competence-based teaching and learning means


different things to different people. In fact, there is no single
agreed definition of the concept because professionals define it
from different contexts. There are many terms used to refer to
competence-based teaching and learning. Such terms include
competence-based education, competence-based curriculum,
proficiency-based education, outcome-based education,
mastery-based education, standard-based education and
performance-based education.

In his book "Approaches and Methods in Language Teaching",


Richards describes CBLT as follows:
"Competency-Based Language Teaching focuses on what
learners are expected to do with the language, rather than on
knowledge about the language. It is a performance-based
approach to teaching that emphasizes the use of language in
specific contexts."

Auerbach (1986) provides a useful review of


factors involved in the implementation of CBE
programs in ESL, and identifies eight key
features:
1. A focus on successful functioning in society.
The goal is to enable students to become
autonomous individuals capable of coping
with the demands of the world.
2. A focus on life skills. Rather than teaching
language in isolation,
CBLT teaches language as a function of
communication about concrete tasks.
Students are taught just those language
forms/skills required by the situations in which
they will function. These forms are determined
by “empirical assessment of language
required” (Findley
and Nathan 1980: 224).
3. Task- or performance-centered orientation.
What counts is what students can do as a
result of instruction. The emphasis is on overt
behaviors rather than on knowledge or the
ability to talk about language and skills.
4. Modularized instruction. “Language
learning is broken down into manageable and
immediately meaningful chunks” (Center for
Applied Linguistics 1983: 2). Objectives are
broken into narrowly
focused sub objectives so that both teachers
and students can get a clear sense of
progress.
5. Outcomes that are made explicit a priori.
Outcomes are public knowledge, known and
agreed upon by both learner and teacher.
They are specified in terms of behavioral
objectives so that students know exactly what
behaviors are expected of them.
6. Continuous and ongoing assessment.
Students are pretested to determine what
skills they lack and post tested after
instruction in that skill.
If they do not achieve the desired level of
mastery, they continue to work on the
objective and are retested. Program
evaluation is based
on test results and, as such, is considered
objectively quantifiable.
7. Demonstrated mastery of performance
objectives. Rather than the
traditional paper-and-pencil tests, assessment
is based on the ability to demonstrate
prespecified behaviors.
8. Individualized, student-centered
instruction. In content, level, and pace,
objectives are defined in terms of individual
needs; prior learning and achievement are
taken into account in developing curricula.
Instruction is not time-based; students
progress at their own rates and
concentrate on just those areas in which they
lack competence.
MERITS
There are said to be several advantages of a
competencies approach
from the learner’s point of view:
1. The competencies are specific and practical
and can be seen to relate to
the learner’s needs and interests.
2. The learner can judge whether the
competencies seem relevant and
useful.
146
3. The competencies that will be taught and
tested are specific and public – hence the
learner knows exactly what needs to be
learned.
4. Competencies can be mastered one at a
time so the learner can see what has been
learned and what still remains to be learned.
syllabus
Jack C. Richards emphasizes that a competency-based
syllabus:
 Encourages practical application of language.
 Focuses on the functional use of language rather
than theoretical knowledge.
 Reflects the needs of the learners and the specific
context in which they will use the language.
Components of a Competency-Based Syllabus
1. Competency Statements:
o Clearly articulated outcomes that learners should

achieve (e.g., "Can use past tense verbs to describe


previous work experience").
2. Performance Indicators:
o Specific behaviors or actions that show a competency

has been mastered (e.g., "Accurately uses 80% of past


tense verbs in an oral narrative").
3. Content Areas:
o Topics or themes are included as a framework for

contextualizing competencies (e.g., travel, health,


education).
4. Tasks and Activities:
o Activities designed to help learners develop and

practice the competencies.


o Examples: role-playing, simulations, completing

forms, group discussions.


5. Assessment Tools:
o Tools such as checklists, rubrics, and task-based

evaluations to measure performance.


o Example: a rubric for assessing a formal email's

grammar, tone, and organization.

Example of a Competency-Based Syllabus Unit


Unit Theme: Workplace Communication
Competencies:
 Greet and introduce oneself and others in a formal setting.
 Write a professional email to a colleague.
 Participate in a team meeting and contribute ideas
effectively.
Tasks:
 Practice greeting and introductions through role-playing.
 Draft a professional email based on a given scenario.
 Conduct a mock meeting with assigned roles for discussion.
Assessment:
 Checklist for greeting and introductions.
 Rubric for assessing email clarity, format, and tone.
 Observation and feedback for meeting participation.
,

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