An Analysis of the Content-based Syllabus in Higher Education

Abstract

The syllabus is considered not only a crucial component of the curriculum in an effort to introduce the course but also a potent instrument to support instructional activities [18]. Additionally, it also takes into account learners’ requirements and diverse learning situations [8], which deserves profound investigation for both pre-service and in-service English teachers [12]. Therefore, this study aims to elaborate on the way in which the content-based syllabus (CBS) can best suit the anticipated teaching context for law faculty students in a university in mainland China. This paper comprises five main parts, starting with a brief literature review pertaining to various syllabus types, which can be broadly categorized as synthetic or analytic, and product-oriented or process-oriented. After that, the chosen English teaching approach, English as a Medium of Instruction (EMI) will be explained. The author then discusses the adaptability between the chosen syllabus and students’ requirements under specific learning and teaching context, and this will be followed by several effective strategies to facilitate the implementation of the CBS. The final section will reiterate authors’ stance prior to summarizing the main argument on the significant effects of CBS on higher education. Also, the relevant limitations and implications regarding this analysis that might be useful in future research will be depicted..