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A syllabus acts as an outline of the subjects that will be covered in a particular course. Not only is it great for the teacher to maneuver through the course, but it gets students acquainted with what they can expect and what will be required from them. When designing a course syllabus it is important to keep in mind that even though it is an outline, it should remain flexible; some classes will move faster than others, and/or encounter more problems with a particular lesson. There are several styles of syllabi, including structural, functional-notional, situational, skill-based and task-based syllabus. A structural syllabus emphasizes grammar, a collection of the forms and structures. For instance, nouns, verbs, adjectives, statements, and verb conjugation. The structural syllabus might then start with the present simple, move to the present continuous, past simple, and so on. It breaks each grammatical component into a unit, facilitating students into creating new sentences once they have mastered the basic rules of grammar. One drawback to such style is that it focuses more on language learning rather than language acquisition. Functional-notational syllabus centers on helping students practice language structures that they can use to express notions, such as ideas, and how to communicate different functions, such as interactions. For instance, learning how to show sympathy, disagreement or concern. It differs greatly from structural in that students will be more exposed to more interaction in the language; less of an abstract view of elements and rules. The situational syllabus consists of language teaching of real or imaginary situations where the language might occur or is used. The contents are organized according to situations in which students learn. For example, a lesson revolving around meeting new people. Students' learning would then focus on important vocabulary they will encounter and question that be created in such a scenario. A drawback is that it is a mere glimpse of the language. A skill-based syllabus sharpens the language skills of reading, writing, listening, and speaking. Here students improve their communicative proficiency utilizing a variety of resources. The teacher can incorporate a list of topics, grammatical forms, structures, vocabulary, and sequences. For instance, writing complex and complete paragraphs, executing clear spoken presentations, and listening to understand the main idea. Lastly, a task-based syllabus prepares students to perform specific tasks, placing language learning secondary. For instance, learning how to get information over the phone, or how to apply for a job. It strives for students to draw on language forms, functions and skills to complete the task at hand. It differs from situational since situational focuses on teaching the specific language content that occurs in a situation, whereas task-based teaches students to draw from different sources to achieve a task. Each syllabus has advantages and drawbacks and should be designed depending on what the teacher's and students' aim is. It should strive to be clear and concise, where the students can refer to it at any given point during the course. In most cases, if one works in a state or private academy, the syllabus will be provided. However, it is always good to be informed of what syllabus design encompasses.
