Abstract:
This paper investigates the shortcomings that hinder current English syllabus from developing students' communicative competence of English language in Sudanese universities. It investigates the possibility of improving the communicative competence via this currently-used syllabus. The researcher manipulates a quantitative methodology. He uses a questionnaire as a tool for data collection. It consists of seven statements directed to fifty members of university teaching staff to get their responses towards the currently-used syllabus. Finally, he analyzes the collected data statistically via SPSS program and concludes the following results: teaching language as a knowledge rather than as a means of communication, consuming students' and teachers' time and efforts in traditional teaching methods that do not result in usefulness except gaining information about language. Further, the researcher recommends a constructive evolution of this syllabus that builds on the current limited positive advantages. Finally, he asks the syllabus developers to combine the means and the content to teach language communicatively and take this in consideration during the preparation phase.
