Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 available at http://jurnalfahum.uinsby.ac.id/index.php/nobel/article/view/427 DOI: 10.15642/NOBEL.2021.12.2.260-276 DEVELOPING SYLLABUS FOR IELTS PREPARATION PROGRAM: FOCUS ON GRAMMAR FOR ADULT LEARNERS Rosidah W. Ningrum1, Putri I.A Ningtyas2, Amalia S. Hidayati3, Hamamah4 Universitas Brawijaya, Jl. Veteran, Malang, East Java, Indonesia1, 2,3,4 Article Info Abstract Since the IELTS test demands high English proficiency, it has become a challenge for Indonesian learners who are non-native English speakers. IELTS requires a thorough knowledge of English grammar to make the test takers able to gain high scores. The test-takers, who are mostly graduate students from various backgrounds, frequently join IELTS preparation classes. The previous research mainly focused on how teaching grammar is essential for students who want to take IELTS. Yet, the research about developing the syllabus for IELTS preparation classes has not been discussed much in Indonesia, making the information limited. Therefore, developing the syllabus for IELTS- based grammar is critically important since it assists the teacher in fulfilling students’ expectations and increases the student’s understanding of mastering English language skills. The current study aims at developing an IELTS-based syllabus for grammar to equip both students and teachers. The study adopted the developmental research proposed by Borg and Gall (2003). The syllabus was designed based on environment and need analysis obtained through interviews, placement tests, IELTS simulations, and questionnaires. The outcome is a three-part syllabus equipped with various learning activities to motivate and facilitate students to improve their grammar and ability to achieve higher IELTS scores. Article History: Received March 2021 Accepted August 2021 Published September 2021 Keywords: Syllabus, basics English grammar, IELTS © 2021 UIN Sunan Ampel Surabaya Correspondence: p-ISSN 2087-0698 Email: rwulan.ningrum@gmail.com e-ISSN 2549-2470 http://jurnalfahum.uinsby.ac.id/index.php/nobel/article/view/ Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 261 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 INTRODUCTION English proficiency is the main requirement for non-native speakers who want to pursue education and/or work in English-speaking countries, which ultimately forces English learners to have a deeper understanding of English grammar in general. To measure their proficiency, English learners opt for standardized tests such as the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and obtain a specific score to pass the standard grade in each institution. Once achieved, the IELTS score can be used for various means, including scholarships, study abroad, or job recruitment. The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is one of the English language assessment tools to measure the ability of test-takers based on four language skills. Green (2007) describes it as a high-stakes gatekeeping test universities use to screen applicants for language ability. It means this test will aim to reflect how proficient students’ English skills are when they interact at schools or universities, at work, and home with native English speakers. Many English-speaking countries such as the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand require IELTS tests for non-native speakers of English if they want to study or work there. In his research, Green (2007) also stated that how a candidate performs on the test may have serious, future consequences for themselves. Since each English-speaking country has different IELTS passing grades, test-takers may find it difficult to reach the required passing grade if the countries or institutions they aim for demand a higher IELTS score. Furthermore, the IELTS test is designed to measure four English skills that emphasize the accuracy and fluency of communication. Therefore, test-takers must be fluent in all four English skills for at least holding a simple conversation with native speakers of English. This becomes one of the difficulties that the test-takers face to pass the test, particularly for Indonesian test-takers who regard English only as their foreign language and therefore do not necessarily use English as their daily medium. To help these test-takers achieve the desired IELTS score, many English courses nowadays provide IELTS preparation classes for those who want to prepare for the IELTS test. There are also times when test-takers have to take IELTS tests several times to achieve the desired score. On the other hand, they also have to complete special training or courses before taking the test. The special training is aimed at one IELTS test, so to meet the desired target, test-takers need to carry out repeated training, which is often futile and inefficient. Several course activities can improve test-takers skills for preparation or practice before facing the actual test. However, as test-takers possess a different level of English proficiency, IELTS instructors are faced with difficulties to provide the best and suitable materials and Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 262 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 activities to match each test-taker’s ability, and the hardship doubles when it comes to a large number of students in one class. As most test-takers include graduate students from various educational backgrounds, such as medical, law, engineering, and so on, instructors are challenged to find or develop the suitable. To solve these problems, test-takers can begin their preparation by enrolling in Basic English classes to strengthen their knowledge of grammar, which is also the main focus of this study. This class requires teachers or instructors to guide test-takers to improve their language skills, mainly writing and speaking skills. This class is also equipped with a number of vocabulary exercises to help test-takers in their IELTS test. Moreover, teachers or instructors can also guide their test-takers to expand their ideas of specific topics in writing a satisfactory and grammatically correct essay. Yang & Badger (2015) stated that the IELTS classes helped expand students’ vocabulary and develop their speaking confidence. This research also inspired the researchers to design the class based on the students’ needs to strengthen their basic English before entering the IELTS class. Besides, the researchers created a syllabus that contains essential material for IELTS. As IELTS is used for limited purposes in Indonesia, the research information on teaching materials is limited, including the syllabus. So, this research is keen to showcase the syllabus and the combination of grammar and IELTS material for students who want to increase their IELTS scores. Before joining the class, usually, test-takers have to take a premeditate placement test to observe their proficiency level, which instructors or teachers will then divide into classes based on the results. However, it has to be noted that despite the placement tests and test-takers’ types of learning, their English capabilities are considered equal (Kubrushko et al., 2018). If such a perspective is employed in teaching basics English grammar, teachers or instructors can also improve test-takers’ skills, especially when the teaching itself is task-based. Strengthening grammar knowledge is crucial for IELTS test takers. From the research of Yosintha et al. (2021), several factors cause students’ writing difficulties. The most significant factor is limited grammar knowledge, unpleasant learning experience, and limited exposure to poor L2. This is in line with a study conducted by Vasbieva et al. (2019), which argues that teaching vocabulary and grammar via task-based learning method for IELTS preparation has positively affected many EFL learners’ try-out scores. Not only that, by employing the right formula to teach English vocabulary and grammar, students’ learning performance is enhanced along with their language competence to compete in the global environment. Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 263 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 By any means necessary, grammar is then viewed as both knowledge and ability, which every test-taker needs to be aware of before taking the real IELTS test (Richard and Reppen, 2014). When viewed as knowledge, the focus is on sentence formations. On the other hand, when viewed as an ability, the focus is on how grammar is used in spoken and written discourse (Jones, 2012). In other words, to improve and enhance test-takers’ scores, instructors and teachers must prepare for suitable materials focusing on grammar as it plays an essential role in all the four skills required in every IELTS examination. Besides, Pham (2020) commented on his previous research about grammar in IELTS writing. Most students seem to have poor genre knowledge that they often attempt to use a variety of grammatical structures without considering whether these structures are appropriate for the writing test. In addition, a previous study regarding IELTS preparation was conducted by Nartiningrum et al. (2021) that analyzed the different types of writing errors made by students who were enrolled in an IELTS preparation class. This study revealed that lexical resources and grammatical range and accuracy were the highest percentages of students’ errors in IELTS essay writing. These statements showed that providing an appropriate syllabus with selective materials is essential to enhance students’ understanding before entering the IELTS stage. The materials must integrate English grammar and all four language skills to make the teaching and learning session more advantageous to test-takers. The previous researchers mainly focused on how teaching grammar is essential for students who want to take the IELTS test. Yet, the research about developing the syllabus has not been discussed much in Indonesia, making the information limited. Therefore, this present study aims to develop the syllabus that would allow the IELTS teachers to provide the material based on students’ needs and fulfill students’ expectations in achieving their targeted score. The teacher will have more references and numerous teaching materials in grammar aspects. Moreover, by receiving selective materials from the syllabus, the students also will have a clear overview to set a study plan and focus on targeted grammar in IELTS. REVIEW OF LITERATURE English Syllabus The significance of this research was to develop an English syllabus focusing on grammar for IELTS preparation. In teaching, the importance of the syllabus is to specify the curriculum and the content of the lesson used to guide the learners for achieving the goals. Brown (1995) stated that syllabus design could be defined as selecting and organizing instructional content, including teaching strategies to present learning activities and evaluation. In compiling the Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 264 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 syllabus, the content or things to be taught must be considered according to the students’ needs. The syllabus must include determining learning goals and objectives, indicators, materials, learning activities, and criteria of assessments. It should contain detailed and operational statements in learning and teaching that refer to the curriculum and design a series of lesson steps more narrowly based on the goals of each level. The syllabus is considered an essential route map in the teaching and learning process that should be designed based on need analysis, environment analysis, and application of principles (Nation & Macalister, 2010). Analyzing those factors can be used as consideration of syllabus content to make sure that it is helpful for learners to improve their language mastery. It should cover everything the learners need to get a balanced knowledge of the language. Furthermore, another part of the syllabus is the techniques and types of learning activities. It represents the format and presentation of lessons guided by the theory of language, teaching and learning theory, and theory of learners type (Irfani, 2014). Meanwhile, environmental analysis is essential to ensure that the course will be suitable, practical, and realistic based on a specific setting of education (Nation & Macalister, 2010). In addition, the selection of syllabus type is the primary decision that must be made by considering the analysis of students’ needs. According to Richards and Richards (1990), seven types of the syllabus are commonly found in current English as a second language courses. To strengthen students’ English grammar foundation for IELTS preparation, a structural syllabus was selected to develop. According to Graves (2000), a structural syllabus focuses on how the students can master the language’s grammar. However, along with the changes that are more directed toward communicative theories of language teaching and learning, the designing of the syllabus should tend to be expressed more in communicative terms (Richards & Richards, 1990). Basic Principles of Grammar Instruction Grammar is an essential part of learning English, especially IELTS. Merriam-Webster defines grammar as the study of the classes of words, their inflections, and their functions and relations in the sentence. Grammar includes the structure of words, phrases, clauses, and sentences, right up to the structure of whole texts. Based on this definition, it can be concluded that grammar is combining meaningful words structurally into a good sentence. Grammar is not just a list of rules in forming sentences but an essential part of the structure of texts. Four language skills, as listening, reading, speaking, and writing, are always related to grammar skills. English grammar is considered the basic material that needs to be studied before doing the IELTS test. Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 265 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 To approach the important principle of English learning, especially for IELTS preparation, it is essential to know the basic principle of learning the language itself. This principle is a combination of learning grammar across four skills required on the IELTS test. This principle follows the needs and lacks students regarding grammar on the placement test and need analysis. The principles of Integrate Grammar with the four skills were accommodated by Richards and Reppen (2014). Grammar and Reading Teaching grammar can be involved in reading activities. Teachers can guide the students to learn grammar by asking some questions related to the text. However, the focusing questions can be directed to grammatical choices made by the writer in the text. Through this activity, teaching and learning grammar can be accommodated along with the reading comprehension in which students explore the grammar in text. Grammar and Writing Writing courses often associate learning with grammar as the essential aspect of creating an essay. The integration of grammar in teaching and learning writing can be organized by several phases (Feez and Joyce, 1998) cited from (Richards and Reppen, 2014), namely building the context, modeling and deconstructing the text, joint construction of a similar text, independent construction of the text, and linking to related text. Grammar and Speaking English speaking activities can be taught by integrated grammar in different stages of the lesson. The type of activity still focuses on speaking, and students should be aware of the target grammar. It allows students to practice the grammar item through specific communicative tasks and activities. Grammar and Listening Grammar instruction can be taught involving listening activities. In literature, it is called the parsing phase of listening comprehension. The parsing phase is the phase in the comprehension of audio input in which the listener will recognize grammar patterns. It is crucial not only for listening comprehension but also for the acquisition of language structure. The learning activity can be designed by asking the students to listen to the recording or view a video. Then they should complete the blank sentence by using the correct grammar. IELTS Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 266 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 Nushi et al. (2021) wrote that The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) is said to be one of the most popular high-stakes English language tests. It is “the world’s most popular language test for higher education and global migration.” Almost all non- English speaking countries require IELTS scores for students who want to pursue further studies abroad in English-speaking countries. To make their document eligible, the students must fulfill the standard score set by the host institutions. Lestary (2020), in her research, stated that the studies in 2017 by Tracer Study Universitas Indonesia (TSUI) and AFS Global Research Study have indicated that Indonesian youths, in particular, are motivated to be fluent in English for jobs and studying abroad purposes. It means that if any Indonesian student plans to pursue their further studies abroad, they are required to take an IELTS exam with the targeted score. Ahmadi et al. (2019) stated that IELTS is a task-based test assessing the four language skills of listening, reading, writing, and speaking, where the total duration of the test will take around 2 hours 45 minutes in one seat. As evidence of English language proficiency, IELTS academic is of pivotal importance for educational success in academic institutions. Green at Nushi (2021) describes it as “a high-stakes gatekeeping test used by universities to screen applicants for language ability.” How a candidate performs on the test may have serious, future consequences for the test. METHOD This study utilized a developmental research design to develop the new product for educational purposes, such as a syllabus. According to Borg & Gall (2003), Educational research and development are used to develop and evaluate educational products. The product was the syllabus for basics English grammar for IELTS preparation. In adopting Borg and Gall’s (2003) theory, this study also involved need analysis, product development, expert validation, revision before the outcome was produced. The research participants were six students with various educational backgrounds and a teacher at Edu Urban Institute. These students were all registered in the IELTS preparation program. Three different types of instruments were employed to conduct need analysis. First, an interview guide was used to conduct interviews with the teacher or instructor. Second, a questionnaire was distributed to the appointed students via Google Form. The questionnaire included checklist questions and explanation questions. Lastly, each student took a placement test which included multiple-choice questions, a speaking session, and an IELTS simulation. Nation and Macalister (2013) argued that there are three different kinds of the curriculum design process, namely environment analysis, needs analysis, and the application of principles. Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 267 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 It was expected that these processes could be attained through the instruments. To prove the significance of the results, the instruments were validated by using a triangulation method. Investigator triangulation and environment triangulation were chosen by involving more researchers/ evaluators in the study. An interview guide was utilized to find out the information for environment analysis which included the condition of teachers and learners. The interview was conducted to observe the teaching and learning process, especially in the current COVID 19 outbreaks. The interview guide consisted of six questions which revolve around the teacher’s educational background and her experiences in teaching English as well as any professional training, their opinion about the current outbreak to teaching and learning in general, the disadvantages and advantages arising during teaching sessions, as well as students’ knowledge about IELTS. To adhere to the social distancing procedure during the pandemic, the interview was conducted via phone call. The researcher ensured that all the interviews and other research activities complied with the research guidelines to prevent bias when conducting the interview. The placement test was chosen as one of the needs analysis methods because the test can measure students’ present ability in understanding and applying English through the four language skills. The nature of the class itself is of a preparation class. The placement test given consists of 50 questions that have been developed by Edu Urban related to English grammar. The test was in the form of multiple-choice questions, speaking sections, and followed by IELTS Simulation. The score from the placement test was utilized to observe each student’s proficiency level before the course began. This step was essential in preparing the students to improve their English ability and help them in an IELTS preparation class. A questionnaire was distributed to the students after the result of the placement test came out. The questionnaire contained the questions related to their learning situation and target situation analysis. The questions were adapted from a questionnaire constructed by Kohoutová (2006), which was developed to observe English teaching for adult learners. Hence, the questionnaire was suitable to be used for this study’s target participants. The students were asked to fill in the questionnaire and were required to follow the instruction given. The questions consist of three-part aspects: open-ended questions, tick-the-answer questions, and underline-the-answer questions. The researcher classified the questions into three types to obtain more information from respondents. For the open-ended questions, participants were free to answer them based on their own experiences. Apart from observing the information, open-ended questions could also measure the length of participants’ sentences. Tick-type questions allowed participants to choose their answer based on their experience, and underline- Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 268 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 the-answer questions could be used to answer other problems. The questions were based on three variables: the students’ necessities, expectations, and strengths and weaknesses. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Environment Analysis The data of environment analysis were obtained from interviewing the teacher of Edu Urban Institute. According to Nation & Macalister (2010), environment analysis involves the factors that will substantially affect decisions about the goals to develop a course. They include teacher and students’ conditions, as well as teaching and learning situations as well. Some basic information about the teacher of Edu Urban Institute, as the participant of the research, was obtained during the interview session. The English class for adult learners is taught by one of the English teachers who graduated from the University of Muhammadiyah Malang, Indonesia, majoring in English Education. Since 2015, she has started her teaching career in China and continued to India to teach English for adult learners, specifically in Spoken Advance and IELTS preparation classes. In 2019, she built her institute in Malang and focused on preparing English for students who want to pursue further studies abroad. As a teacher, she has broad, global teaching experience, especially teaching English for adult learners. In 2017, she was trained to become an IELTS trainer at British Academy, New Delhi. When it comes to the student’s condition, it is observed that the majority of the students in the IELTS preparation class are graduates from various educational backgrounds of non- English majors, such as medical, law, engineering, etc. Some students aimed to continue their studies abroad, and others said they wanted to improve their English skills for their job. Based on an interview with the teacher, she mentioned that IELTS is not as popular as TOEFL, which was apparent from students’ reactions as they lacked the knowledge of how the IELTS test would look the moment they registered for the class. The current situation of teaching and learning at Edu Urban Institute is different from the previous condition. During the pandemic outbreak, all the teachers have started to change face- to-face classes into online classes. The teacher also mentioned that this condition had forced all the teachers and students to adapt to the new learning system. Besides, the modules have also become the most significant challenge for all the teachers. Edu Urban Institute mostly provides printed students’ handbooks, and the teachers would utilize the whiteboard during the class. Additionally, there are times when the slow internet connection on both the students’ and the teachers’ part become the central issue during the class. Need Analysis Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 269 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 According to Nation and Macalister (2010), need analysis is directed mainly at the goals and content of a course. It examines what the learners already know and what they need to know. The focus of need analysis revolves around students’ necessities, students’ expectations. To measure the need analysis, the researchers analyzed the placement test results and questionnaire that the students filled in. The Placement Test consists of 50 multiple-choice questions related to English grammar. Each student was provided with a link to the Placement Test. Test administrators guided the students to understand the test instruction and mark their answers on the test application. Students were given 35 minutes to complete the placement test of the grammar section and 3 hours 45 minutes for the IELTS pre-test (Listening: 30 minutes, Reading: 60 minutes, Writing: 60 minutes, Speaking: 11-15 minutes). Figure 1: Pre-test Questions Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 270 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 Table 1. Student’s Placement Test Result Name Score Level of Outcomes IELTS Level Respondent 1 35 Upper-Intermediate 5.5 Modest User Respondent 2 29 Intermediate 5.0 Modest User Respondent 3 29 Intermediate 4.5 Limited User Respondent 4 32 Upper-intermediate 5.5 Modest User Respondent 5 25 Pre-intermediate 4.5 Limited User Respondent 6 22 Pre-intermediate 4.0 Limited User From the placement test, the students were classified into three categories, namely two students into the pre-intermediate level (33.33%), two students into the intermediate level (33.33%), and two students into the upper intermediate level (33.33%). On the other hand, the students are in the IELTS pre-test’s limited and modest user level. Of the total students, as many as 66.6% of students have not used grammar correctly. Most of them cannot distinguish the present perfect structure and have not correctly used modal and gerunds. However, as many as 33.3% of students were able to use modal and gerunds, but they still could not use the present perfect properly. It can be concluded that all the students were still in the IELTS band of 4.0 – 5.5, which means that they were still at a limited and modest level. In addition, students’ needs were also analyzed from the result of the questionnaire related to necessities, expectations, and strengths and weaknesses. Students’ necessities are the demands of the target tasks. The questionnaires reveal their intentions and purposes in attending the IELTS preparation class at Edu Urban Institute. All students claimed they wanted to improve their skills since most of them planned to continue studying abroad through scholarships. To achieve their intention, they had to pass the minimum requirement of IELTS scores in their destination campuses. Besides, two students also mentioned that English is essential for their future careers, so they wanted to improve their English skills. English ability needs to be improved because they had to communicate with their foreign partners in the workplace. They were aware that English is essential for international communication as a lingua franca. Concerning the language skills in meeting their needs to continue their studies and careers, all of the students are aware of the importance of all four English skills, including reading, listening, writing, and speaking. Many students answered that the skills are “part of their IELTS test.” Therefore, they needed to improve them to pass the passing grade. The majority of the students also claimed that they need to improve either speaking, writing, or both. One student stated that they needed to improve their grammar. And one student felt that they needed to improve all language skills. In general, all students said that expanding vocabulary is one of Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 271 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 their priorities. They are interested in working on English phrases and idioms. Studying grammar and pronunciation in English is also essential for them. Regarding the students’ wants, it refers to learners’ views about what they think is helpful. Based on the questionnaire results, all students wish to get a high score for exam-related goals, such as the IELTS test or university entrance examination. One of them stated they wanted to get a score of 8.0 on the IELTS test. The most frequently (57.14%) used learning strategies. Students were learning English through TV programs. A student studied English by working with English computer programs. And one of them practiced their English speaking skill by making conversation with other people. In class, they want to practice a lot related to the IELTS test. They also wish to the activities that can improve speaking fluently and understand what people say in English in a fun way. As for communication in English, the students stated that they sometimes speak English outside the language classroom. 50% of students reported speaking in work-related and 50% in studies-related situations. All of the students said they were not confident about speaking English in front of a group of people. It relates to their need to improve speaking because they thought this skill was essential for communicating and understanding a native speaker. Moreover, students felt it was difficult to write letters, emails, or essays. They think it is necessary to prepare essays for applying for scholarships or send emails to prospective advisors. The General Goals of the Class Based on the placement test result and need analysis, the students lack grammar and received 4-5.5 for the overall score in the IELTS simulation. The purpose of the program is to strengthen the students’ grammar and prepare the students to be masters in English academic. After the grammar section is complete, the students will continue to have an IELTS preparation program and are expected to achieve a targeted score of 7.0 band. Syllabus Design Based on critical findings of need analysis, goals, and objectives, this program prepares a basic syllabus for English grammar for adult learners: IELTS Preparation Program. The syllabus is a detailed and operational statement of teaching and learning elements that translates the philosophy of the curriculum into a series of planned steps leading towards more narrowly defined objectives at each level. The syllabus components consist of objectives, instructional content, learning experiences, and evaluation. There are four steps in syllabus design such as planning, implementing, evaluating, and revising. This syllabus is the grammatical syllabus. It Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 272 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 means the syllabus from the topics or themes (such as culture, hobby, family, etc.) that organizing principle- sequenced by the likelihood that the participants will encounter the syllabus. In general, the goals to be achieved in this study are to develop and enhance the grammar to write and speak appropriate English and increase the targeted score for IELTS Academic (Band 6.5-7.0). In addition, specifically, the objectives to be achieved are the participants can use the grammar appropriately, the participants can write English with complex sentences, the participants can speak English in general topic with appropriate grammar: daily routines and general knowledge, the participants can develop their ideas with proper context. This syllabus focuses on tenses and consists of 6 meetings, with each meeting is allocated for 90 minutes. Each meeting has a different topic and one topic for two meetings, including present tense (study abroad and favorite film), past tense (interesting place and technology), presents perfect tense (history place and my experience). Every meeting, students do reading, listening, speaking, or writing activities to improve their language skills. The teacher conducts an assessment at each meeting, consisting of a cognitive assessment and a non-cognitive assessment. Teachers refer to relevant sources, such as YouTube, Grammar for IELTS by Fiona Aish & Jo Tomlinson, British Council Podcast, and Edu Urban Modules. Figure 2: Syllabus of One of the Present Tense Meetings Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 273 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 Figure 3: Syllabus of One of the Past Tense Meetings Figure 4: Syllabus of One of the Present Perfect Tense Meetings The IELTS test is a tool to measure English proficiency. Several language skills are involved in this test, including reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The IELTS test can be used for further study abroad or work requirements. However, not everyone has a good command of English because most of them are not from the language field. They come from different fields. To achieve the required IELTS score, some people take IELTS preparation courses. Based on the research findings, from need analysis (placement tests and questionnaires) and environment analysis, it can be seen that the students’ most significant weakness is in the field of grammar. Grammar is the basis for language skills. Someone who learns English has to understand well about structure or grammatical, for they need to speak English in the right grammatical. It is better to learn English with good structure because if someone is wrong in some structures, it may be wrong in meaning. An excellent ability to learn grammar may give some advantages for many aspects and educational or social aspects. Speaking with good Rosidah W. Ningrum et al. NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 274 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 grammatical in a formal or an informal situation is also better than speaking without the right grammatical. By accommodating the needs, lacks, and wants of the participants, this program was developed based on the principles of grammar-based learning. The principles of Integrate Grammar with the four skills were accommodated from Richards and Reppen (2014), including grammar and reading, grammar and writing, grammar and listening, and grammar and speaking. The syllabus is based on these learning principles according to the learning objectives to get the best results on the IELTS test. Multiple factors influence the candidates’ success in attaining the best results. However, one particular influence is the ability to demonstrate correct and appropriate grammar, the use of a wide range of sentence types, including some complex sentence types in both speaking and writing, strong vocabulary knowledge (Vasbieva et al., 2019). For its application, learning tenses is directed to the four skills based on topics. In each meeting, the selection of topics taught to students is based on their needs and age (adult learners). The development of the syllabus for this study uses reference sources following the learning objectives. Not only sourced from modules and books, but learning is also designed using audio and video-based sources. This audio and video-based reference source is taken from the British Council Podcasts and Youtube. By using a variety of reference sources, student activities are also diverse. Learning is done communicatively. Joukoulian (2016), in her research, stated that in teaching grammar and sentence structure to non-native learners, both the communicative approach and the traditional approach would be more effective and efficient teaching techniques. Students conduct discussions, demonstrations, presentations or express their ideas through writing. In a previous study, the participants believed in teaching grammar and vocabulary as a prerequisite to writing in harmony (e.g., Decarrico, 2001; Frodesen, 2001; Fu, 2009; Rajabi & Dezhkam, 2014). Agree with Namaghi & Safaee (2017), instead of teaching grammar and vocabulary as a prerequisite, they believed that knowledge of the language could be improved in writing through corrective feedback. Participants thought that the writing course should involve candidates in writing tasks and improve their language by correcting lexical and grammatical mistakes. Therefore, to achieve the four language skills in the IELTS test, we designed this learning syllabus based on grammar to make it easier for students to master these language skills. Developing Syllabus NOBEL: Journal of Literature and Language Teaching 275 Volume 12, Number 2, September 2021, 260-276 CONCLUSION This current research is the development of the syllabus for the IELTS preparation program focusing on grammar for adult learners. The content of the syllabus was mainly about the grammar required for IELTS. The design of the syllabus was expected to assist the teacher in planning the lesson and delivering the material. Therefore, the syllabus has been designed to integrate four language skills and grammar. The students belonged to various backgrounds, such as law, engineering, medical, etc. During the consultation, the teacher informed that most of the students enrolled in the program were not familiar with the IELTS test. Hence, before starting the class, the students must conduct two types of placement tests, such as grammar section and IELTS simulation. In the grammar section, the students could not use appropriate tenses and develop their ideas in complex sentences. This research has a limitation where the researchers cannot implement the syllabus due to limited time. So, future researchers could conduct a Try Out related studies, and hopefully, this research could add more materials to fulfill students’ target in increasing the IELTS score. REFERENCES Ahmadi, S., Riasati, M. J., & Bavali, M. (2019). A comparison of writing performance of Iranian IELTS candidates facing chart topics vs. table topics in academic writing (Task 1). International Journal of Instruction, 12(4), 17-34. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2019.1242a Borg, W.R & Gall, J.P. (2003). Educational research an introduction, (7th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc. Brown, J. D. (1995). The element of language curriculum; A systematic approach to program development. Boston: Heinle & Heinle Publishers. Decarrico, J. S. (2001). Vocabulary learning and teaching. In M. 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