Involving Learners as Active Participants in Designing a Course Syllabus: A Sample Research

The purpose of this study is to analyze and find out the needs of the fifth grade secondary school students for a two-hour elective English course. The population (N=179) comprises the students from five schools in different regions of Turkey. A needs analysis survey form developed by the researchers was administered to the research participants. Results indicate that fifth grade students want to learn English through various instructional materials and techniques that appeal to their interests. This study also reveals that the materials and techniques to be implemented for the elective course need to be designed in accordance with the expectations of the learners. However, more research is needed to determine what the syllabus of the elective course should include, how the students’ interests can be fully integrated into classroom activities and how and when the course should be evaluated.