[NIFL-ESL:5312] how many curriculums can you count ? (a little lecturette, I'm a

From: Heide Wrigley (hwrigley@aiweb.com)
Date: Tue Nov 21 2000 - 20:34:15 EST


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From: Heide Wrigley <hwrigley@aiweb.com>
To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-esl@literacy.nifl.gov>
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5312] how many curriculums can you count ?  (a little lecturette, I'm a
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Thanks for clarifying the different levels of curricula/curriculums
(depending in part  on which side of the oceans you do your work)  - 

As Wes points out: There's the intended curriculum (the state frameworks),
the official (or planned) and the unofficial (or the actual) curriculum.

There is actually a fourth level, often referred to as the "hidden
curriculum". This curriculum carries messages that are not specified
anywhere and might be carried out unconsciously by the teacher.  Many
curricula (sorry 7 years of Latin keep me from saying curriculums, though it
is fast becoming the standard)

The hidden curriculum is one that the students never see.  It may be
designed to teach them to fit into the society as is, to not challenge
authority, never question the status quo, and be grateful  they were
accepted into the country.  

The hidden curriculum can carry other messages as well.  It could carry the
message learners need to become aware of  the powers of oppression and
exploitation that seek to take advantage of them and will need strategies to
defend themselves and fight for a more just society (although the students
themselves might feel quite lucky to be here and might be content with their
circumstances which they perceive to be superior to those of their
compatriots back home.)

Then, there is the fifth type of curriculum: It is the "negotiated
curriculum" that tries to bring together the teacher's philosophy on the one
hand and the students expectations of learning on the other, challenging
both (we hope) toward new ways of thinking and doing. 

By the way, several years back, Elsa Auerbach and her co-author wrote a
seminal piece on the hidden curriculum in adult literacy.  It was called:
"the hidden curriculum of survival ESL" and was published in "Freire for the
Classroom: a Sourcebook for liberatory teaching" (Ira Shor, Ed).  I had an
article on different orientations to the ESL curriculum in the TESOL
Quarterly a few years ago; it was a special edition of TESOL, edited by Gail
Weinstein that had a number of articles that focused particularly on issues
related to ESL literacy. I'm not sure if it is still available. 

Cheers 

Heide 
 


-----Original Message-----
From: Wesclarksn@aol.com [mailto:Wesclarksn@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, November 21, 2000 4:15 PM
To: Multiple recipients of list
Subject: [NIFL-ESL:5311] Re: curriculum in volunteer tutoring programs

There are three kinds of curriculums.

1.  The official, district, school, state, or agency curriculum which is
usually published as a guide or a list of standards.

2.  The lesson plan book which is submitted to the principal for
documentation.

3.  The curriculum behind the closed door is what the teacher actuallu does
in the classroom.

The effectiveness of number one above should be judged by comparing it to
number three.  Number two is usually just busy work to keep the principal
occupied.



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