Creating a subject curriculum to suit an expanded ability range
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Subjects | Creating a subject curriculum | Inclusion | Mixed ability
What this page is about |
This page gives a step-by-step procedure for developing a subject curriculum. It uses mathematics as an example The page does not pretend that this is the only way. But this process works |
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| Where are you coming from? | Secondary education programmes that have a limited entry tend to be subject-centred and academic and the end product is usually a traditional academic certificate. Inevitably, as more students enter the system, failure rates increase. This is particuarly significant in a subject like mathematics. | ||
| Where are you going to? | Expanded systems in most countries tend to have multiple strands within each subject leading to multiple qualifications at grade 12, or multiple levels within a single qualification. | ||
| 1 | Identify the key characteristics of the expanded curriculum | A list of characteristics of subjects within an expanded curriculum could go on for several pages. Here are some key ones. Readers may wish to add more.
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Inclusion is a much misunderstood concept; it is an essentially learner-centred idea. More information on how it can be reflected in a curriculum can be found here |
| 2 | Look at what other countries have done | It is useful to look at when key mathematics topics are introduced across curricula in may countries. This will show that while there is no such thing as an 'international mathematics curriculaum' there is broad agreement on when most topics should be introduced.
Because African curricula were orginally developed to address the needs of a small academic elite, it is these needs that are still reflected in curricula and topics, particularly in mathematics, tend to be introduced earlier than elsewhere. This creates in learners, particularly in mathematics, the mistaken impression that the subject is more difficult than it is. It also leads to teachers spending disproportionate amounts of time on what are often less important topics just because learners find them hard. |
A comparison of six science curricula from K to 10 can be downloaded from here
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| Classification of topics according to level of difficulty | Many countries have classified currculum topics/standards according to difficulty. These are often called attainment levels or attainment targets. They are particularly useful for designing programmes of study through the topics that cater for learners of mxed ability. They give the teacher an idea of what learners are expected to achieve easily and what are regarded as more diffcult topics that only a few learners will achieve. They also tell the teacher the level of functioning of the learner in the subject. | Links to examples of attainment targets in mathematics England secondary England primary Western Australia (follow the link to the Outcomes and Standards framework) Victoria |
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| 3 | Decide on the subject curriculum structure | This involves decisions like whether science is to be taught as a single subject or as separate science or whether an additional mathematics subject will be offered at some level for high fliers.
Most countries have a common curriculum for all learners for most subjects in primary and many also have a common junior secondary curriculum. But in all these cases there are mechanisms that allow children to proceed at their own pace through the common currculum (see the page on inclusion) Some subject curricula have core standards to be followed by all and optional ones for faster learners |
Many countries leave the issue of single versus separate science to schools to decide. They publish a single science curriculum that can be taught in many different ways
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| Senior secondary structure | Most countries have more than one programme in a subject at senior secondary level and some countries also do this in their junior secondary programmes.
There has been much discussion recently of mathematics literacy programmes for 'non-mathematicians' at senior secondary level. |
Links to examples of multistrand curricula at senior secondary level. |
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| 4 | Develop draft scope and sequence tables | These are extremely useful first drafts of the curriculum. They show at a glance in outline how all the strands of the subject are covered. They illustrate how the curriculum spirals and the links between years and also between strands | Follow these links to examples of scope and sequence tables. Western Australia maths.Scope and sequebce tables are in the downloads list Qatar maths, science and English (follow the link to teh subject pages and download scope and sequence files) |
| 5 | Develop detailed curriculum statements and documents | Different countries do this in different ways. Some refer to what should be taught while some refer to what teh learnes should do. Others talk about outcomes; whatthe learners shoudl be able to do once they have successfully completed the programme
Consideration should be given to the purpose of the document(s). Usually it/they have three main functions:
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Follow these links to a number of curriculum standards documents (mainly mathematics) |
| How many documents are needed? | In the past, most African countries have had a single document that serves all three purposes. The expanded secondary education system is much more complex and almost all countries separate these three functions; the standards document informs the other two In some countries the curriculum may be determined federally while it may be implemented at state level whereas assessment may be undertaken by specialist private companies. In such cases, the different documents will be produced by the different institutions or organisations. In the US, prestigious national bodies such as the National Council for the Teaching of Mathematics (NCTM) develop example curricula which individual states broadly follow. Unfortunately, unlike other countries, they do not provide pdf versions; you have to pay for a copy. An html version can be viewed however. |
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| 6 | Develop subject-specific principles of assessment | Assessment in a mixed-ability, learner-centred curriculum is a much more complex issue than subject-centred assessment where the main issue was to demonstrate the degree of mastery of the subject content.
The curriculum framework will have covered the broad principles of assessment; what it is for and how it should be done. In the subject curriculum, some additional indication is needed of issues such as the weighting of the different starnds in formal assessment and the most approriate vehicles for assessing the different strands. A key issue is the move (associated with the move to a multi-ability learner-centred curriculum) to criterion referenced testing using items that collectively test a wide range of ability. |
The Qatar curriculum statements contain staightforward examples of guidelines on the formal assessment of the different strands and how this changes through the grades
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| 7 | Develop example programmes of study and other support materials based on the standards | Many countries produce resources to help the teachers. These include materials such as
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Examples of these can be found by following most of the curriculum statements links above. Here is a link to the teacher support page for Victoria (Australia) |
| 8 | Training | Subject teachers will need some help both in understanding the principles behind the changes and also in implementing them.
This, in turn, raises an important issue; is there in place an effective mechanism for managing large scale training and support effectively. It is well-known that the cascade process for managing training is ineffective unless additional support via schools or clusters is in place Training must also be given to trainee teachers and therefore, also teacher trainers at the colleges and universities. A systematic programme will be required providing appropriate training shortly before a revised year curriculum is introduced; a one-off 'big bang' will be ineffective. |
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Because an expanded secondary system will involve new ways of coping with an increasingly wide range of ability each year, school principles and senior staff will also require some orientation and training. This may include new timetabling techniques |
Follow this link to download a timetabling manual suitable for multi-ability secondary schools . This was produced for Namibia but most of the material is universal or can readily be adapted. |
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| 9 | Implement | Implementation has to be phased. Ideally it should start with the new grade 1 curriculum and proceed annually to grade 12, twelve years later. In practice, short cuts,starting aimultaneouslyat the beginning of each phase, usually work reasonably well as long as provision is made for material that might havebeen missed because of the revision. A new curriculum can often be fully phased in in three years.
Advance and timely provision must be made for producing textbooks and learning materials and equipment. |
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| 10 | Examine | Schools must receive sample public examination questions long before the first examination. They will also need some training in new assessment techniques as part of step 8 above. It is useful if a complete mock examination–preferably two–is available a year before the first real examination; teachers and learners must have time to get used to it.
Examination systems and papers designed for a wide ability range and designed to demnstrate achieveent are very different from traditional academic examinations. Both examinares and teachers will require orientation and training. Examination systems that are designed to illustrate achievment rather than measure mastery of a subject, obviously do not incude the pass-fail concept that the public is familiar with. Making a change of this kind will necessitate considerable public education. It is particularly important that Higher Education institutions (particularly Universities) fully understand the change; experience shows that they find it a particularly difficult concept to grasp. Both teachers and examiners will require trial runs for any novel assessment techniques (such as CA, portfolios, skills assessment, etc) to allow for the development of standardised procedures. |
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