This introductory lesson explores course design as a dynamic, recursive system rather than a fixed, linear process. Through reflective tasks, teacher narratives, and conceptual mapping, students will examine the interconnected processes of course development—such as setting goals, assessing needs, and developing materials—while situating their own teaching context and beliefs at the core of decision-making. By the end of the session, students will define a course to redesign or plan, identify a collaboration partner, and begin developing a personalized framework for course design.

In this lesson, students explore the importance of context in course design and teaching. Through real-life examples of teachers working in different educational settings, they learn how factors such as students’ goals, institutional requirements, cultural expectations, and available resources shape teaching decisions. The lesson introduces the idea that designing a course is similar to designing a house: it requires clear specifications, attention to constraints, and adaptation to real conditions. Students will also engage in investigations that guide them to define their own teaching contexts, analyze key factors (people, time, physical setting, teaching resources, and institutional requirements), and reflect on challenges they might face. Finally, they are introduced to the concept of problematizing—identifying challenges as opportunities for action—which helps teachers design courses that are realistic, meaningful, and responsive to the needs of learners.

This lesson describes how beliefs—formed from past learning experiences, theoretical knowledge, and institutional culture—both guide and sometimes conflict with teaching practices. It also shows that effective teaching requires reflecting on one’s beliefs, listening to students, and making justified choices within a given context.

Designing a course means making informed choices about what to teach and why, then iterating as you go. The process is recursive—like drafting—because any pre-planned syllabus will change once you meet students and respond to their needs. Teachers are urged to map the “territory” of language learning using guiding questions (e.g., desired learning, options, constraints, organizing principle) and to organize content around an explicit driver. A useful framework groups options into three lenses: language (e.g., linguistic skills, situations, functions, tasks, content, four skills, genre), the learner (affective goals, interpersonal skills, learning strategies), and social context (sociolinguistic, sociocultural, sociopolitical skills). Iris Broudy’s example shows moving from functions to topic-based “modules,” then toward flexible themes co-created with learners. Overall, conceptualizing content is about aligning aims, context, and student voice to build a coherent, adaptable syllabus.

Students will begin drafting their progress reports, focusing on documenting their initial advances and challenges. During the first two hours, they will work on outlining and writing their reports while simultaneously reflecting on their curriculum design progress. This activity helps students track their development and practice academic reporting skills.

This lesson highlights the value of needs assessment as a continuous process that helps teachers understand students’ backgrounds, goals, interests, and learning styles. Drawing on Jeri Manning’s experience, it shows both the benefits and challenges of using tools like questionnaires, interviews, and observations. The main idea is that needs assessment should not only happen at the beginning but throughout the course, fostering dialogue between teachers and students. This makes learning more relevant, responsive, and engaging while giving students a sense of ownership in their learning.

The student will use an interview example to later transcribe the audio and use a free qualitative data analysis tool to support the analysis and the subsequent generation of a discussion or a consolidation of needs based on the information collected.

This lesson explains how to organize and sequence a language course to make it coherent and goal-oriented. It shows that teachers must decide on clear goals, choose an organizing principle (like topics, skills, or themes), and plan how units connect and build on each other. The lesson highlights that there is no single correct way to design a course—organization depends on context, student needs, and teacher beliefs. Good course design moves from simple to complex, recycles content, and keeps lessons connected and meaningful.

This lesson discusses the process of developing educational materials, outlining it as a continuum ranging from strict adherence to textbooks to complete teacher freedom and creativity. The text explores the scope of materials development, differentiating between material types, techniques, and activities, and emphasizing that decisions are rooted in the teacher's beliefs, understanding of the students, and course objectives. Examples from three different courses—one using telephone technology, one focusing on social invitations, and another on family life—illustrate various approaches to materials organization, sequencing, and the integration of authentic texts and student-centered activities. Ultimately, the sources suggest that materials development is a multifaceted process requiring teachers to balance their creative input with the practical needs and learning goals of their students.