The Significance of Incorporating Language Skills into EFL Syllabus

Abstract

 It is generally observed that most Arab EFL learners (and some teachers) demonstrate poor communication skills. Other things being equal, this paper draws on the assumption that part of the problem  lies with the kind of training that the English departments have been offering; viz. the bulk of their courses centres upon the teaching of knowledge course: literature, pure linguistics and English language rules. These, the paper argues, could hardly improve learners’ skills at listening, reading, speaking and writing. This paper   attempts to examine this assumption in the light of the existing EFL syllabus in some Arab universities. In so doing, it begins by giving a theoretical overview of the major theories shaping modern English language teaching methods and proceeds to evaluate the Arab EFL syllabus in the light of these theories. 

  of   into EFL