EENET asia Newsletters : inaugural issue JUNE 2005 Contents

Staring down the Curriculum Monster: Using Curriculum Differentiation to Respond to Students' Diversity

Anupam Ahuja

No two children are the same. We say and hear this statement often but then why is it that in most learning settings all pupils are expected to learn the same things at the same time and by the same means and methods? Are we respecting and fulfilling the right of all children to education when we follow “the prescribed curriculum” and try to complete it strictly within the allocated time frame disregarding the different learning needs and learning styles of our learners? Reference is made to “covering the curriculum”, but should we actually cover the curriculum or “uncover it” with our children? Practitioners planning for meeting the needs of diverse learners in varied learning settings and attempting to introduce innovations such as active forms of learning often cite the length and rigidity of the curriculum as the major barrier.

What is curriculum? Is it only the textbook, which is to be taught from the beginning to the end in the given academic year? Furthermore, is it appropriate for school supervisors to only assess whether teachers are able to complete the given curriculum within the time frame? Clearly the answer to both the questions is “no”. The curriculum consists of what is taught (the content), but also what is learnt and how it is delivered (the teaching learning methods), how it is assessed (homework, tests, examinations), and the resources used (e.g. books and other teaching learning aids used to deliver and support the learning).

In many countries in our region the curriculum is extensive and demanding, centrally designed, rigid, leaving little flexibility for local adaptations by teachers to experiment with and try out new approaches. The content may be distant to the reality in which students live, and therefore less accessible and not motivating. It might also be gender biased, degrading or alienating certain social and cultural groups, it may allow little scope for appropriate adaptations, and limited in permitting progression and accreditation for all students.

A responsive approach seeks to discourage teaching based on a criterion of averages. It places the pupil at the centre of teaching and learning based on an appreciation of his or her differences in understanding, feelings, social and perceptual skills etc. and stimulates teachers to be creative, share and seek solutions that can be matched with the needs and abilities of each and every pupil. Therefore the curriculum must take into consideration the various needs of pupils to ensure access for “all”. Some of the strategies are:

• Providing a flexible time frame for pupils studying various subjects.
• Giving greater freedom to teachers in choosing their work methods.
• Allowing teachers the opportunity of giving the required support in practical subjects (e.g. orientation, mobility) over and above the periods allotted for more traditional school subjects.
• Emphasizing aspects of pre vocational training

Furthermore some practical steps can be taken towards making curricula more responsive. Some of the questions to consider are:

• What human values promoting inclusion are being fostered through the curriculum?
• Are human rights and children’s rights part of the curriculum? Do these address the coexistence of rights with responsibilities, and how these are to be taught and role modeled?
• Is the content of the curriculum relevant to the lives of children and their future?
• Does the curriculum take gender, cultural identity and language background into consideration?
• Does the curriculum include environmental education?
• Are teaching methods child centered and interactive?
• How is feedback gathered/integrated for curriculum revisions?
• How is curriculum related to national assessment systems?
• To what extent are the school authorities responsible for monitoring the school in tune with the curriculum revisions and transactions?

Together with flexible curricula, flexible teaching learning methodology needs to be introduced. Making this a reality involves other changes in policy including shifting away from long, theoretical pre service based teacher training to greater continuous in-service capacity building, using a whole school approach. Schools often need to be assisted in modifying subject matters and working methods, and this should be linked to appropriate skill training.

UNESCO has helped to develop many inclusive and responsive programmes throughout the world and has produced a number of resource materials over the years. “Changing Teaching Practices, using Curriculum Differentiation to respond to Student’ Diversity” continues to support the creation of inclusive classrooms by emphasising strategies that teachers can use with a view of providing meaningful learning experiences for all students in their classroom, and bringing to the forefront the importance of getting to know one’s students.

The need of this material has come from teachers working in a range of conditions in classrooms around the world. Many of them recognize that they have to adapt, modify and differentiate their teaching so as to ensure that all their students learn up to their potential. However, they also felt that they lack skills and knowledge as to how this can be done, especially where there are low resources and large class size.

Development of this material is based on experience of teachers and other education professionals from different regions working together. Examples have been cited from schools and what teachers do, some of it they might have discovered by themselves. It is based on teachers responding to the diversity among learners using student characteristics such as student background, experiences, interests, learning modalities, abilities, and the need to modify and adapt the curriculum. It puts into practice what Inclusive Education is about the meaningful participation of all children in school, in one classroom and in one lesson. It continues to be work in progress.

A lot of the discussion in this material is about the “how of teaching all children” demystifying the complexities involved and using common sense.

Some part of the text has been adapted from Overcoming Exclusion Through Inclusive Approaches in Education: A Challenge and a Vision. Conceptual Paper, UNESCO (2003), Paris.

Anupam Ahuja is a freelance consultant with over 20 years of experience in the field of education and a focus on developing inclusive practices. She has worked at the national and international levels in Africa, Asia, and Eastern Europe.

She can be contacted at;
ahujaa@vsnl.net
A-59 Malviya Nagar
New Delhi 1100017
Tel: +911126681303
Mobile: +9810652249
Fax: +911124360850

EENET asia Newsletters : inaugural issue JUNE 2005 Contents