Language Curriculum in
Secondary Schools Jess V. Mendoza, LPT
There is nothing more difficult to plan,
more doubtful of success, nor more
dangerous to manage than the creation of
a new system. For the initiator has the
enmity of all who would profit by the
preservation of the old system and merely
lukewarm defenders in those who would
(Machiavelli (1513) gain from the new one.
The Prince)
At the end of the unit, we should be able to:
1. define curriculum.
Lesson 2. compare and contrast the different perspectives/ideologies of
Objectives curriculum design.
3. enumerate key features of a curriculum.
4. present the different period of English curriculum innovations
and implementation in the Philippines through group activities.
What is a curriculum?
A curriculum is more than a list of topics to be covered by an
educational programme, for which the more commonly accepted
word is a ‘syllabus’. A curriculum is first of all a policy statement
about a piece of education, and secondly an indication as to the
ways in which that policy is to be realized through a programme of
action. It is the sum of all the activities, experiences and learning
opportunities for which an institution (such as the Society) or a
teacher (such as a faculty member) takes responsibility – either
deliberately or by default (Coles, 2003)
May be defined as an educational plan that spells out which goals
and objectives should be achieved, which topics should be covered
and which methods are to be used for learning, teaching and
evaluation (Wojtczak, 2002)
Is the planned and guided learning experiences and intended
learning outcomes, formulated through the systematic
reconstruction of knowledge and experiences, under the auspices
of the school, for the learners’ continuous and willful growth in
personal social competence (Tanner, 1980)
The term curriculum refers to the sum total of organized learning
stated as educational ends, activities, school subjects and/or
topics decided upon and provided within an educational
institution for the attainment of the students (Garcia, 1976,
SEAMEO RELC)
'A curriculum is an attempt to communicate the essential
principles and features of an educational proposal in such a form
that it is open to critical scrutiny and capable of effective
translation into practice'. A curriculum is rather like a recipe in
cookery (Stenhouse,1975)
The Ideology of the Curriculum
In developing goals for educational programs, curriculum
planners draw on their understanding both of the present and long-
term needs of learners and of society as well as the planners’ beliefs
and values about schools, learners, and teachers. These beliefs and
values are sometimes referred to as curriculum ideologies, and
represent the philosophical underpinnings for educational programs
and the justification for the kinds of aim they contain.
1. Academic Rationalism
Five The justification for the aims of curriculum stresses the intrinsic
value of the subject matter and its role in developing the learner’s
Curriculum intellect, humanistic values, and rationality. The content matter of
different subjects is viewed as the basis for a curriculum. Mastery of
Perspectives content is an end in itself rather than a means to solving social
problems or providing efficient means to achieve the goals of policy
or Ideologies makers.
2. Social and Economic Efficiency
This educational philosophy emphasizes the practical needs of
learners and society and the role of an educational program in
Five producing learners who are economically productive. Bobbit (1918),
one of the founders of curriculum theory, advocated this view of the
Curriculum curriculum. Curriculum development was seen as based on scientific
principles, its practitioners were “educational engineers’ whose job
Perspectives was to “discover the total range of habits, skills, abilities, forms of
thoughts…etc., that its members need for the effective
or Ideologies performance of their vocational labors.” In language teaching, this
philosophy leads to an emphasis on practical and functional skills in
a foreign or second language.
3. Learner-centeredness
Five
In language teaching, this educational philosophy is leading to
Curriculum an emphasis on process rather than product, a focus on learner
differences, learner strategies and on learner self-direction and
Perspectives autonomy.
or Ideologies
4. Social Reconstructionism
Five This curriculum perspective emphasizes the roles schools and
learners can and should play in addressing social injustices and
Curriculum inequality. Morris (1995) observes: The curriculum derived from this
perspective focuses on developing knowledge, skills and attitudes
Perspectives which would create a world where people care about each other, the
environment, and the distribution of wealth. Tolerance, the
or Ideologies acceptance of diversity and peace would be encouraged. Social
injustices and inequality would be central issues in the curriculum.
5. Cultural Pluralism
This philosophy argues that schools should prepare students to
participate in several different cultures and not merely the culture of
the dominant social and economic group. Cultural pluralism seeks to
redress racism, to raise the self-esteem of minority groups, and to
help children appreciate the viewpoints of other cultures and
Five religions (Phillips and Terry , 1999)
Curriculum
Perspectives
or Ideologies
1. Learning is planned and guided. What is sought to be achieved
Key features and how it is to be achieved should be specified in advance.
of a 2. The definition refers to schooling. It should be recognized that
current appreciation of curriculum theory and practice emerged in
curriculum the school and in relation to other schooling ideas such as subject
and lesson.
Reading Assignment No. 1:
“English Language Teaching, Curriculum Innovations and
Implementation Strategies: Philippine Experience”
-Dinah F. Mindo
Curriculum design can be seen as a kind of writing activity and as
such it can usefully be studied as a process.
gathering ideas, ordering ideas, ideas to text, reviewing, editing
can be applied to curriculum design
There is a wide range of factors to consider when designing a
Curriculum course.
Design 1. the learners’ present knowledge
2. lacks, the resources available including time, the skill of the
teachers,
3. the curriculum designer’s strengths and limitations
4. principles of teaching and learning
The result of environment analysis is a ranked list of
factors and a consideration of the effects of these
factors on the design
The result of needs analysis is a realistic list of
language, ideas or skill items, as a result of considering
Curriculum the present proficiency, future needs and wants of the
Design learners
The application of principles involves first of all
deciding on the most important principles to apply and
monitoring their application through the whole design
process.
curriculum designers distinguish curriculum from syllabus
In the model, both the outer circles and the inner circle make up the
curriculum. The inner circle represents the syllabus. The inner circle has
goals as its centre. This is meant to reflect the importance of having
clear general goals for a course. The content and sequencing part of
Curriculum the inner circle represents the items to learn in a course, and the order
in which they occur, plus the ideas content if this is used as a vehicle for
Design the items and not as a goal in itself
Language courses must give consideration to the language content of
a course even if this is not presented in the course as a discrete item.
Consideration of content makes sure that there is something useful for
the learners to learn to advance their control of the language, that
they are getting the best return for learning effort in terms of the
usefulness of what they will meet in the course, and that they are
covering all the things they need to cover for a balanced knowledge of
the language.
The format and presentation part of the inner circle
represents the format of the lessons or units of the
course, including the techniques and types of activities
that will be used to help learning. This is the part of the
course that the learners are most aware of. It is
important that it is guided by the best available
Curriculum principles of teaching and learning.
Design The monitoring and assessment part of the inner circle
represents the need to give attention to observing
learning, testing the results of learning, and providing
feedback to the learners about their progress. It is
often not a part of commercially designed courses. It
provides information that can lead to changes at most
of the other parts of the curriculum design process.
It is possible to imagine a large circle drawn
completely around the whole model. This large
outer circle represents evaluation. Evaluation
Curriculum can involve looking at every aspect of a course
Design to judge if the course is adequate and where it
needs improvement. It is generally a neglected
aspect of curriculum design
