The role of the syllabus in second language teaching is described, distinguishing six major types of syllabi and how they might be implemented in various teaching situations. The foreign language teaching syllabus involves both the integration of subject matter (what to talk about) and linguistic matter (how to talk about it). Choices of syllabi can range from the purely linguistic (the teaching of grammar and vocabulary) to the semantic or information type (the teaching of a particular skill). To design a syllabus is to decide what gets taught and in what order; therefore, the choice of a syllabus is a major decision and should be made with as much information as possible. Although six distinct types of language teaching syllabi exist, they are not mutually exclusive, for almost all syllabi are combinations of two or more of the following types: (1) a structural formal syllabus (teaching of grammar); (2) a notional/functional syllabus (teaching of functions that are performed when language is used or the notions that language is used to express); (3) a situational syllabus (teaching language in a context of real or imaginary situations in which language is used); (4) a skill-based syllabus (teaching specific language skills-listening, reading, and so on); (5) a task-based syllabus (teaching a variety of language forms, functions, and skills so students may complete a piece of work); and (6) a content-based syllabus (teaching course content, like science, using the language that the students are also learning). Ten steps in preparing a practical language teaching syllabus are included. (TR)