This assignment serves as a practical application of the skills and knowledge gained in Unit 5, focusing on the learning objectives centered around the significance of applied research in curriculum development, and the ability to analyze and adapt curricula based on developmental appropriateness. By selecting a personal educational context or curriculum of interest, you will engage in a thoughtful examination of its developmental appropriateness and propose adaptations. This process encourages the integration of course readings and additional research to inform and substantiate your recommendations, aligning with the core objectives of the unit to enhance your capacity in critical curriculum evaluation and modification.
Assignment Information:
Select a particular curriculum content (any topic from the textbook being used) within your class and analyze its alignment with the developmental stage of learners. Additionally, explore strategies to adapt it to cater to the diverse needs of students in your class through effective teaching methods.
Your submission should consist of two integral components, both incorporating insights from the readings:
- Curriculum Appropriateness: Clearly define the age group of your learners and present a logically reasoned explanation of the topic's relevance to this specific age group.
- Curriculum Adjustment: Articulate the measures you take to address the diverse needs of learners through your teaching methods.
Assignment Instructions:
- The word limit for the assignment is 500 to 650 words, (not including the reference list or the title page – if you have a title); double-spaced in Times New Roman font, which is no greater than 12 points in size. You have to submit a Word document (.doc or .docx file)
- Support your arguments with sources and evidence.
Use high-quality, credible, relevant sources to develop ideas that are appropriate for the discipline and genre of writing. Please review the Information Literacy section on this course page, located on the right-hand side resource block. It provides valuable guidance on using information effectively to accomplish your specific goals. Gain skills in utilizing credible sources to strengthen your arguments and critically assess the information you encounter. Please consider using references and in-text citations from textbooks and any other sources used in this assignment from our library.
Assignment Activity 5: Curriculum Appropriateness and Curriculum Adjustment
By Ekaterina Shchegoleva
Department of Education, University of the People
EDUC 5470-01 Research in Education - AY2025-T4
UNIT 5: Developmentally Appropriate Curricula
Dr. Bhavika Vyas
13th May 2025
Abstract
The author discusses the benefits of teaching English face-to-face, including tailoring programs to individual student needs and dividing proficiency into levels from A1 to C2. They offer an entrance test based on the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR), which divides English into beginner, elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate, upper-intermediate, and advanced levels. Designing an individual program for each student focuses on principles such as flexibility, student choice, engagement, teacher agency, and student agency. A curriculum based on a student's knowledge level offers benefits such as adapted literature, exercise choices, and understanding progress. An electronic folder is created for each student, and a readymade materials library is created for different age groups, focusing on language levels and goals.
Key words:
CEFR, entry test, levels from A1 to C2, an electronic folder, a curriculum based on a student's knowledge level, flexibility, student choice, student engagement, teacher agency, student agency.
Basis for curriculum development
One of the advantages I now have in teaching my students face-to-face is the ability to tailor the program to the needs of each student. Moreover, in my work I use a division of English into levels of proficiency from A1 to C2.
When I meet a new student or a group of students, I offer them to take an entrance test to determine their level of English according to CEFR - Common European Framework for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment (Council of Europe, 2014). This is a system developed by the Council of Europe. So that all the people of the world understand equally what it is to know a language “well”, “poorly”, “normally”, “as a native speaker”.
CEFR describes how a person can know any European language - from complete ignorance to the level of a native speaker. The CEFR assumes 3 stages of knowledge: first a person becomes a basic user of the language, then an independent user, and then an expert in the language. These stages, in turn, are divided into smaller levels of use and numbered (from A1 to C2):
The Beginner course is a foundational level of English language learning that provides basic knowledge and allows for easy communication in everyday situations. It lasts 100 hours, which can be completed in 4 months with regular study.
The Elementary course is recommended for travelers who want to master the language minimum for traveling abroad. It takes 120 hours to master Elementary, which is 5 months if studied twice a week for 3 academic hours.
The Pre-Intermediate course increases confidence in various communication situations, making it easier to understand the English-speaking Internet, fiction, and spoken video and movie dialogues. It takes 120 hours to master Pre-Intermediate, which is 5 months with classes twice a week for 3 academic hours.
The Intermediate level focuses on abstract topics such as technology, environment, art, and politics. It takes 200 hours to master Intermediate, which is 8 months if studied twice a week for 3 academic hours.
The Upper-Intermediate level is considered sufficient knowledge by most international companies. It requires fluency in oral speech, writing texts, and vocabulary. It is recommended for those needing to use English frequently for work or personal use, or those planning to work for an international company or pass an international exam.
The Advanced level is where English becomes a professional tool, with hidden meanings and wordplay becoming clear. It allows for free communication and the ability to join conversations, even professional ones.
Possibilities to customize an individual program for each student
My research of each student's path begins by analyzing a practice test, which can be considered a zero reference point; all subsequent tests will show the next points in the coordinate system showing the progress of each student. To help remove any barriers for inclusion, I try to draw on design principles, such as flexibility, student choice, engagement, teacher agency and student agency (OECD, 2021). The division into levels is convenient for students of all ages, as it is possible to find textbooks and electronic materials of the appropriate level for any student's level and goals. Developing a curriculum based on a student's level of knowledge has several bonuses:
● you can use ready adapted literature,
● the choice of exercises for learning, consolidation and application of knowledge can be based on the transition to a new level or a challenge to develop potential,
● the student understands where he/she is on the path to self-improvement,
● the student can independently study additional literature at his/her level or understand the reason for his or her difficulties if he or she takes the level a few steps higher.
A specific map of work is created to work with each student:
Purpose of work - locating at the beginning - making a route to the end point - process - evaluation of achievements - adjusting the route to the student's individual characteristics - preparing for the result - analyzing intermediate results - reaching the goal
Evaluation during instruction in this context is an element of research into the individual characteristics of the student in order to adjust the program if necessary. For example, testing revealed that the student makes errors in oral sentences with the place or time of action, that is, in the circumstances of place and time. A closer examination of the student's errors revealed that the student did not know the rules of using prepositions, or rather her knowledge was at the Beginner level, while the statements required understanding at the Intermediate level. In this case, it was decided to use English Grammar in Use Intermediate 5th-Ed (Murphy, 2019) to fill in the gaps and update knowledge.
Another example is when a child is about to enter a German grammar school with advanced English language learning in Germany in the fifth grade, but shows above average results during testing. Thus, for this girl, I chose Fun for Movers instead of Fun for Starters as originally planned. The most surprising thing is that the little student works well with the higher level despite the fact that many of the tasks she encounters for the first time.
Folders to collect information about each student
“The focus on holistic outcomes is not just evident in the principles, competencies, and subject areas but also in key statements around inclusive education and diversity, pedagogy, and integration”(Walsh, 2023). Working with each student requires special attention to their process, so I create an electronic folder for each student, in which I save not only interim tests, but also all the study materials and manuals I use for teaching, as well as all project work, video reports, certificates and even photos from travels, hobbies or memorable events. For example, my student, with whom I have been working for six years, has a folder size of 12.7 GB and this is not the limit, so she will be preparing for the state exam for another month and a half. During that time, I plan on filling her folder with more of her work and the grade she will receive on the exam. I also have a video of her performing with her dance group, making cookies, and acting out a little dialog in front of the camera using puppets.
Readymade Materials Library
Focusing on the language levels of the student's goals, I can offer programs for students of different age groups, which makes my offer universal. Moreover, I scrutinize different teaching materials and courses that can be fruitfully taken as a basis, such as,
1. First Friends and FLY HIGH for students 5 - 6 years old
2. SUPER MINDS and ENGLISH WORLD (PRIMARY LEVELS) for students 7 - 13 years old
3. YLE Exam Preparation: Pre A1 Starters / A1 Movers / A2 Flyers (from age 7)
4. Solutions 3rd Edition five-level Advanced English course for 14-19 year olds
5. English File 4th edition for adult learners
6. Achieve IELTS 2 for those considering taking the exam.
Obviously, each of the above courses is just a base, which can be supplemented or shortened depending on the student's abilities, but it is this base that gives a feeling of confidence that we are going in the right direction together and will definitely achieve our goals.
Conclusion
The curriculum redevelopment process has positioned the education system as a "learning system," with all stakeholders acting as agents of curriculum change (Walsh, 2023). This shift from a detailed and prescriptive curriculum to a learning outcome-based framework has been a source of discussion and disquiet in the redevelopment process. This shift requires a delicate balance between clarity and flexibility, moving away from the current "spiral of specification."
A key theme emerging from this reform is the need for ongoing discussion and scaffolding for all stakeholders across the system as the process moves towards a process of curriculum enactment. This shift requires a balance between clarity and flexibility, ensuring that the curriculum is continuously evolving, adapting, and developing, shaped by teacher professional judgement and pupil choices.
References
Council of Europe. (2014). Cadre européen commun de référence pour les langues. Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages
OECD. (2021). Adapting curriculum to bridge equity gaps: Towards an inclusive curriculum. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. https://cd21lamre-mp03-y-https-ebookcentral-proquest-com.proxy.lirn.net/lib/univ-people-ebooks/reader.action?docID=6688776&query=Adapting+curriculum+to+bridge+equity+gaps
Walsh, T. (2023, January). Redeveloping the primary school curriculum in Ireland: Case study. Center for Universal Education at The Brookings Institution. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED626338.pdf