Curriculum and

Instruction

In its broadest

sense, a curriculum may refer to

all courses offered at a school.

It may also refer to a defined and

prescribed course of

studies, which students must fulfill

in order to pass a certain level of

education.

The act, practice, or

profession of instructing.

Is teaching in minority

language really any

different form teaching in

English mainstream

classroom?

Bilingual teachers must

continuously consider

language learning and

culture- and the

subsequent impact on

classroom curriculum.

When there is an

inconsistency between the

language of instruction and

the availability of the of the

instructional

materials, educators are left

to fill the gaps.

When no guidance is

provided on how to adapt

instructional materials meant

for monolingual context to

bilingual context, educators

are left to fill the gap as well.

Teaching method is an organized, orderly, systematic and well planned procedure of providing learning materials, situations, activities and experiences to enable learners to acquire knowledge, attitudes, values and habits in skills in critical thinking, decision-making, self-direction, mechanical manipulation and bodily movement.

Teaching strategy is a plan of action resulting from strategy or intended to accomplish a specific goal.

Beth, a Russian bilingual

teacher, makes it abundantly

clear that teaching methods

are not universal.

1. Scarcity of curricular

materials

2. Adapting teaching

methodologies to student’s

need

Providing a quality

education to language

minority students demand

moving away from a

traditional transmission

model of education and

moving toward a

constructivist stance.

An educational philosophy is a personal statement of a teacher's guiding principles about "big picture" education-related issues, such as how student learning and potential are most effectively maximized, as well as the role of educators in the classroom, school, community, and society.

Transmission Model of Education,

an approach in which teachers

and text serves as suppliers of

knowledge while students acts as

empty receptacles waiting to be

filled.

Formalized test are then used to

measure the success of this

knowledge transmission process.

Using textbooks as the main

curricular source for classroom

content would be acceptable

within a transmission approach

but unacceptable within a

constructivist approach.

Constructivist or Critical

approach, the curriculum

cannot be so narrowly defined

rather it is viewed as the entire

organized environment for

teaching and learning within a

classroom or classroom

community.

Schubert discusses curriculum

more broadly in terms of that

which is worthwhile to know and

experience.

Hidden Curriculum (what is taught

implicitly rather than explicitly).

Null Curriculum (what is taught by

not being taught)

Both hold equal weight with that

which is explicitly taught.

Methods are used by teachers to

create learning environments and

to specify the nature of the activity

in which the teacher and learner

will be involved during the lesson

(Saskatchewan Education , 1991)

Writing workshops

Scientific inquiry

Cooperative learning

Experiential learning

Project-based learning

Brainstorming Writing in journals Taking field notes Conducting experiment Small and large group discussion Answering questions Modeling Demonstrations Problem solving Partner reading; and jigsawing

For systematic change to occur in manner

that maximizes benefits for ELLs, it is

essential to first examine the educational

philosophy underlying the school or school

system. As philosophy drives program

model, which in turn drives curriculum and

instruction, which in turn drives

instructional practice(through

methodologies and strategies), what is

happening in a given classroom may not

necessarily up to the teacher.

Educational philosophy determines program models in contexts that serve emergent bilingual students. It is important to have a program model

that can support ELLs academically, linguistically, and socially. Such as model must be based on a philosophy that values the native language and the culture of the students in addition to the process of acquiring the L2 language and culture.

As we can see, bilingual educators

are informed by more than linguistic

and cultural concerns.

We must go to the heart of the

curriculum and instruction to make

certain that our

approach, methodologies and

strategies will support our students.

We suggest that both a constructivist

and critical philosophy will drive the

appropriate curriculum for ELLs.

Reported By:

Ethel Joi