International Journal of Research                                       ISSN NO: 2236-6124
                                                       
                                                       
              Characteristics of Competency Based Curriculum for Language 
                                                                                        Teaching 
                                                                                                      
                                                                               1                    2 
                                                             Dipika S. Patel , Manish A. Vyas
                   1
                     Research Scholar, Faculty of Social Science & Humanities (English) PAHER University Udaipur 
                                      2 Department of Humanities and Science, VPMP Polytechnic, Gandhinagar 
        
        
       Abstract: Curriculum is the vehicle through which a nation endows its people with the necessary knowledge, 
       skills,  attitudes  and  values  that  enable  them  to  be  empowered  for  personal  and  national  improvement. 
       Curriculum should, therefore, meet the needs of the individual citizens and the nation. A competency-based 
       curriculum is a curriculum that put emphasis on what learners are expected to do rather than mainly focusing on 
       what they are expected to know.This paper’s focus on the concept of curriculum,competence based curriculum 
       for language teaching and phases of competence-based curriculum design. 
        
       Keywords: Competency; Competency-based approach; Curriculum 
        
                                         1. INTRODUCTION 
        
             New graduates  are  competent  when  they  are  proficient  of  functioning  (independently)  in  realistic 
       practice settings (Chambers D. W., Gerrow J D). A definition of competency has been made by the working 
       party of the Competencies for Dental Licensure in Canada, as follows: Competency is most often used to 
       describe  the  skills,  understanding  and  professional  values  of  an  individual  ready  for  beginning  independent 
       dental or allied oral health care practice (Boyd M. A., Gerrow J. D., Chambers D. W., Henderson B. J.).  
              
             Competencies combine the qualities of applicable supporting knowledge and professional attitudes, and 
       reliable presentation undertaken in natural settings without support. An education founded upon competency 
       offers  several  advantages,  namely,  enrichment  of  the  students’  performance  through  active  contribution  in 
       problem-solving  learning,  reinforcement  of  critical  assessment  faculties,  improvement  of  interdisciplinary 
       understanding, improved research skills and record-keeping and improved links with practice settings and public 
       institutions regarding dental educational matters. Problem- based learning (PBL) is meticulously linked to dental 
       competencies, especially in diagnosis and treatment planning. PBL reduces passive dependence on teachers, and 
       focuses  instead  on  active  student-centred  learning  with  the  encouragement  of  teamwork  and  critical  self-
       appraisal. A current report comparing two classes of graduating dental students found that those from the 
       problem-based  learning  school  felt  more  competent  than  those  from  the  traditional  curriculum  school  in 
       communication,  critical  evaluation  and  identifying  oral  pathoses  (Greenwood  F.,  Wetherell  J.,  Mullins  G, 
       Townsend G.).  
              
             Becoming a professional means, going through a predictable sequence of qualitatively different patterns 
       of skill, knowledge and values (Chambers D W). Competency includes the expansion of behaviour patterns that 
       are  open  to  broader  assessment  protocols  than  are  traditionally  used  in  formal  teaching.  This  being  so, 
       instructional and behavioural objectives must be clearly well-defined so that teachers can support students to 
       achieve competence. 
              
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          International Journal of Research                                                                       ISSN NO: 2236-6124
                    
           
                            2. COMPETENCY-BASED LANGUAGE TEACHING 
           
                   Competency-based teaching is an approach to the planning and delivery of courses that has been in 
          widespread use since the 1970s. What characterizes a competency-based approach is the focus on the outcomes 
          of learning, as the dynamic strength of teaching and the curriculum. The application of its principles to language 
          teaching is called competency-based language teaching. Because this approach seeks to teach the skills needed to 
          perform real-world tasks, it became broadly used, from the 1980s, as the basis for many English language 
          programmers for migrants and refugees, as well as for work-related courses of many different kinds. It is an 
          approach that has been the foundation for the design of work-related and survival-oriented language teaching 
          programmes for adults. It pursues to communicate students the basic skills they need in order to prepare them 
          for situations they commonly come across in everyday real life. In recent times, competency-based frameworks 
          have become approved in many countries, particularly for vocational and technical education. They are also 
          progressively being accepted in national language curriculums. 
                    
                   CBLT is often used in programmes that emphasis on learners with very specific language needs. In such 
          cases, rather than seeking to teach general English, the specific language skills required to function in a specific 
          context is the application. This is similar, then, to an ESP approach. There, too, the beginning point in course 
          planning is an identification of the tasks the learner will require to convey out within a specific setting and the 
          language demands of those tasks. (The Common European Framework of Reference also describes learning 
          outcomes  in  terms  of  competencies).  The  competencies  needed  for  fruitful  task  performance  are  then 
          recognized, and used as the root for course planning. Teaching methods used may differ, but naturally are skill-
          based, since the focus is on emerging the capability to use language to carry out real-life activities. 
                    
                   Competence  based  education  aims  to  make  students  more  proficient  through  the  acquisitions  of 
          competence and further development of recently acquired or already held competences. This presumes that 
          there is clarity about how competences are conceptualized and that in case of particular education or training 
          programme, the relevant competencies have been formulated. 
                
               In the literature many definitions of competency/competence can be found, almost as many as there are 
          authors writing on competence–related matters. 
    1.    Competency as the ability  to  perform  at  desired  level  or  according  to  certain  standard  ,  this  refers  to 
          competence as output An Example: 
          “Competency is the ability to perform in work roles or jobs to the standard required in employment.” (Field 
          &Drysdale, 1991) 
    2.    Competency as the ability to choose and use the attributes (knowledge, skills and attitudes) that are 
          needed for a performance at a desired level. This involves cognitive attributes. An example: 
          “A competent person is, within a certain context (situation) able /capable to choose from a set of available 
          behaviours and to execute suitable behaviours in order to reach certain goal.” (Kirschner et.al, 1997, pp.151-171) 
    3.    Competency as the profession of certain attributes (knowledge, skills and attitudes), or competence as 
          input. An example: 
          “Competence  represents  the  totality  of  knowledge,  skills  and  abilities  required  for  professional  practice.” 
          (AAPA, 1996) 
    4.    Competence as a mere description of what someone can do. This refers also to competence as output An 
          Example: 
           
           
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                                 International Journal of Research                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           ISSN NO: 2236-6124
                                  
                                  
                                 “C“C“Competence ompetence ompetence iiisss   ananan   acacactiontiontion, , , behabehabehaviour viour viour or or or outcomeoutcomeoutcome   wwwhich hich hich the the the perperperssson on on ssshouldhouldhould   bbbe e e ablablableee   to to to demonsdemonsdemonstrattrattrate.”e.”e.”(G(G(Garaaraaravavavan&n&n&   
                                 McGuire, 2001, pp.144-163) 
                                  
              5.                 More elaboratelaborative defiive definitions of compnitions of competenceetence, con, containingtaining ele elemmentsents of the four of the four groups a groups above.bove. An  An exexaample:mple: 
                                 “Competence e e  iiisss    the the the  capabilitycapabilitycapability    of of of  aaa    perspersperson on on  ororor                                                                                                     an an an        organiorganiorganisssation ation ation                     to to to       rerereaaach ch ch            ssspepepecificcificcific             acacachiehiehievemevemevement.nt.nt.                          PPPererersssonal onal onal 
                                 compecompecompetencitencitencieeesss    comprise: comprise: comprise:  iiintegratentegratentegrated d d  perforperforperformancmancmance e e  oooriented riented riented  cacacapabilitiespabilitiespabilities, , ,  which which which  consconsconsisisist t t  of of of  cccluslusluster ter ter  of of of  kkknowlenowlenowledgdgdgeee   
                                 sstructurtructureses  and and also also cogcognitinitive ve , , intinteraceractivetive, , affectiaffective ve aandnd whewhere re nnececeesssary sary ppssycychhomotoromotor  cacapabipabilitielitiess, , and and aattrttributes ibutes 
                                 and and and  vavavalululueseses    ,,,    whicwhicwhichhh    are are are  ccconditionalonditionalonditional    forforfor    cacacarrrrrryingyingying    ooout ut ut  tastastasks, ks, ks,  sssolololving ving ving  problemproblemproblemsss    and and and  more more more  gegegenerally nerally nerally  , , ,  eeeffffffececectively tively tively 
                                 functioning in afunctioning in a ce certain prrtain profesofesssion , orgaion , organnisisation, poation, possition or rition or role”ole” (Mudler,2001) (Mudler,2001) 
                                  
                                                                                                                                                                 3.  CCONCEPONCEPTT  OOF CURRIF CURRICCULUULUMM 
                                  
                                 TTThe he he twotwotwo   terms terms terms ‘‘‘curriculucurriculucurriculum’ m’ m’  and and and  ‘‘‘sssyllabus’ yllabus’ yllabus’  whicwhicwhichhh    ararare e e  many many many  times times times  ssslllacacacklklkly y y  andandand   interchainterchainterchangeably ngeably ngeably  uuusssed,ed,ed,    esesespppecececiaiaialllllly y y  ininin   
                                 the the the         contexcontexcontext t t               of of of        lalalanguagenguagenguage                   lealealearning, rning, rning,             neneneed ed ed             to to to       be be be         exexexplaplaplained.ined.ined.                   A A A         ‘sylla‘sylla‘syllabububusss’ ’ ’            normallynormallynormally                    consconsconsiiisssts ts ts              of of of       a a a      lislislist t t     of of of        aaa   
                                 courses/subjects and thethe  topics topics  with with  ssome ome  forform m  of of  time time  alallolocacationstions. .  SyllaSyllabusbus   ccan an  bebe   defineddefined   aass   cchoicehoice   anandd  
                                 organizorganizorganization ation ation  of of of  insinsinstructiotructiotructionalnalnal    content content content  inclinclincluding uding uding  sssuguguggegegesssted ted ted  ssstrategytrategytrategy    forforfor    offoffoffering ering ering  content content content  and and and  evaevaevalululuatioatioation n n  (Brown, (Brown, (Brown, 
                                 1995). 
                                  
                                 Whereas, curriculumscurriculums  a a total total plaplant nt forfor  lealearning. rning. Curriculiculum um isis  a a broad broad depicdepiction tion of of gegeneralneral  goagoalsls  by by indicindicatingating  aann  
                                 overall educational-culturculturculturalalal   philosphilosphilosophy ophy ophy whiwhiwhich ch ch  applapplappliiieseses    acacacrororossssss    sssubjubjubjececects ts ts  togtogtogetheetheether r r  with with with  a a a  theoreticatheoreticatheoretical l l  orientation orientation orientation  to to to 
                                 language and language learning. 
                                  
                                 SylSyllalabubuss   isis   a a  comprehecomprehennssiveive   and and  opoperationaerational l  repreporort t  of of  teateachingching   and and  lealearrning ning  eleelementmentss   whicwhich h  tratransnslalatetess   thethe  
                                 philosphilosphilosophy ophy ophy of of of the the the curriculum curriculum curriculum into into into a a a ssserieserieseries   of of of plaplaplannnnnned ed ed ssstepstepsteps   llleaeaeading ding ding towatowatowardrdrdsss   more more more ssscacacarcelrcelrcely y y defined defined defined objobjobjececectivetivetivesss   atatat   
                                 eaeaeach level. ch level. ch level. TTThe relahe relahe relationtiontionssshihihip betwep betwep between len len langanganguage curricuage curricuage curriculum and sulum and sulum and syllabus yllabus yllabus cacacan be n be n be ssshown in thown in thown in the following figure1: 
                                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                      Figure-1 Relaelaelationtiontionssship bethip bethip betweweween laen laen lannnguaguaguaggge ce ce currurrurriculiculiculumumum and s and s and syllabusyllabusyllabus 
                                  
                                                                                             4. Comp4. Competeetence Bnce Based Cased Curriurricucululumm ffor Lor Laangnguage Tuage Teaeachinchingg 
                                  
                                 4.1 What is Competence-BasBased Curred Curriculumiculum?? 
                                                                  Competency-basbaseded  curriccurriculum ulum (CBC) (CBC) is is plaplannednned  oon n thethe basis of what the ssttudentsudents can do in performing 
                                 tasks rather than what they know aboutabout the tasks. In this respect, the notion compecompetencytency becomes the key word. 
                                 A curriculum for a competency-based based based frfrframeameamework work work visvisvisiblyiblyibly   divedivedivergergergesss   frfrfrom om om the the the tttrrradiadiaditional tional tional approaapproaapproach ch ch to to to devedevedeveloping loping loping aaa   
                                 curriculum.  
                                  
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       International Journal of Research                                  ISSN NO: 2236-6124
        
        
       Instead of selecting a topic or field of knowledge that one is going to teach (e.g., British History, American 
       Literature,  or  poetry)  and  then  choosing  “concepts,  knowledge,  and  skills  that  constitute  that  field  of 
       knowledge” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.144), Competency-based Language Teaching “is designed not around 
       the concept of subject knowledge but around the notion of competency” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.144). 
       Therefore, the focus is on how the students can use the language instead of their knowledge about the language. 
       Schenck (1978) points out that the teacher offers a list of competencies which the course is going to deal with, 
       and these are “typically required of students in life role situations”. The fact that CBLT is an outcome-based 
       approach also impacts the curriculum, especially the kind of assessment which is used. In contrast to “norm-
       referenced assessment” (Docking, 1994, p.16), which is used in many other teaching approaches and methods, 
       “criterion-based  assessment” (Docking, 1994, p.16) is crucial for CBLT. Students have to perform specific 
       language skills which they have already learned during the course (Docking, 1994, p.16). The competencies 
       tested “consist of a description of the essential skills, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours required for effective 
       performance of a real-world task or activity” (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.144). These performance-criteria 
       form the basis for the assessment. 
        
       4.2 CBC for Language Teaching 
             The  integration  and  employment  of  competency  in  education  setting  leads  to  competence-based 
       curriculum (CBC). The point of departureof the CBC is that the curriculum should be based on the appliance of 
       current studies of the cognitive sciences to the concept of competence. 
              
             The  implementation  of  CBC  leads  to  new  paradigm  on  the  goals,  learning  process,  and  learning 
       approach, roles of teachers, learning environment, and assessment in education. Regarding the goals of the 
       curriculum,  CBC  is  aimed  at  reaching  the  professional  practice.  The  curriculum,  therefore,  has  an  integral 
       arrangement in which the profession is fundamental (Boyatziz et al, 1996). In terms of learning process, the 
       CBC advocates the learner-centered approach. Field and Drysdale (1991) posit that included in the learning 
       process of CBC are the use of individualized materials, flexible learning time and continued feedback to the 
       students. In addition to the core competence, the generic competence is cultivated and integrated throughout 
       the  whole  curriculum.  The  learning  environment  in  the  CBC  is,  therefore,  directed  toward  enhancing  the 
       development of competence at the end the study program (Kirschner et al, 1997). 
              
              As many proponents of the students-centered approach suggest, CBC encourages the transfer capacity 
       and foster the innovations and problem solving process. Furthermore, self-reflection and self-assessment play an 
       essential role. Concerned with learning approach, CBC advocates the deployment of constructivist approach in 
       which students are motivated to actively construct knowledge. Viewing the constructivist approach, Mostching-
       Pitrik  and  Holzinger  (2002,  pp.160-172)  argue  that  the  chief  goal  of  constructivism  is  competence,  not 
       knowledge acquisition as in behaviourism. Since the end goal of the CBC is the competence, the assessment is 
       not on the acquisition of fact, information and knowledge. Rather it focuses on the performed competencies. 
       Assessment is an integral part of the learning process in the development of competencies. 
              
             In  education  the  focus  on  the  competency  can  be  fostered  by  competence  thinking.  Dochy  and 
       Nickmans (2005) point out four categories of competence-based curricula that demonstrate a rising degree of 
       competence-based characteristics. The first category is framed as purposeful education, new objectives and new 
       teaching and learning approaches. This categories dictate several propositions to be involve; 1) professional 
       practice is the point of departure; 2) competencies are decomposed into knowledge, skills and attitude; 3) more 
       attention  is  given  for  knowledge  application;  4)  the  inclusion  of  generic  competences  is  required;  4)  active 
       learning is encouraged. 
              
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