chapter 3
TRANSCRIPT
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