- Introduction/Icebreaker

- What is Curriculum?

- Why Bother? Here’s Why!

- Characteristics of a “Good”Curriculum

- Curriculum DevelopmentOptions

- The “Design-Out” Process

- START YOUR ENGINES!!!

- Introduction/Icebreaker

- What is Curriculum?

- Why Bother? Here’s Why!

- Characteristics of a “Good”Curriculum

- Curriculum DevelopmentOptions

- The “Design-Out” Process

- START YOUR ENGINES!!!

AgendaAgenda

HO-1

What IsCurriculum?

What IsCurriculum?

Curriculum is… Curriculum is not...

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HO-3

ConnectionsCultures

Comparisons Communities

COMMUNICATION

A TEKS FOR LOTE-BASEDCURRICULUM SHOULD:• take into consideration the Guiding Principles outlined in

A Texas Framework for Languages Other Than English;

• provide all learners with access to the knowledge, skills,and performance expectations outlined in the TEKS forLOTE (Student expectations should be explicit to bothstudents and teachers.);

• include learning and teaching activities and strategiesthat are based on their utility in helping students learnand demonstrate attainment of knowledge and skills inthe targeted TEKS for LOTE; and

• incorporate assessment based on criteria that aredirectly related to the TEKS for LOTE and allowstudents to show what they know and can do with thelanguage they are learning.

HO-3a

Curriculum Connections

Curriculum coordinationThis term “refers to the extent of the focus and connectivity present laterally within a school or aschool district. For example, if one were to ask, “What do four teachers of [Spanish I] have incommon in high school ‘X’?” this would pertain to the extent that there was some expected focusand connectivity between these four teachers and their classes in a common curricular area. Forcurriculum coordination to exist, the four teachers do not have to be doing exactly the same thingat exactly the same time. The extent of similarity—that is, focus and connectivity—would beexpected to vary some as the teachers adapted the content to be taught to the differences in thelearners in their classes (p. 3).

Curriculum articulationThis term refers to the focus and vertical connectivity in a school or school system. For example,if one were to ask what the level of focus and connectivity were from those four teachers of[Spanish I] to any class of [Spanish II], one would be questioning the extent of curriculumarticulation present. It would be possible to secure a coordinated curriculum [See above.] withoutnecessarily dealing with issues of articulation. One could have all the teachers in one grade orsubject focused and connected without dealing with the teachers at the next grade or level. Thesame problem can exist between schools within the same school district (p. 4).

Curriculum unityEnglish mentions a variety of curricula including “the written curriculum [curriculum guides,textbooks], the taught curriculum [content, instruction], and the tested curriculum [standardizedand teacher tests]… These three curricula deal with content and express the absolute possibilitythat there could be in schools three unrelated ‘contents’ floating around, unconnected to oneanother (p. 8).” The term curriculum unity refers to actions that “tighten” the curriculum––“thatbring the written, taught, and tested curricula into alignment with one another” (p. 19). Any processthat strives to connect these curricula contributes to unity; this quality control ensures that theagreed-upon written curriculum is the same as the one that is taught when the classroom door isclosed and is the same one for which students are held accountable.

Curriculum alignmentThis term refers to the “match” or fit between the curriculum (in whatever form it may exist) andthe test or tests to be used to assess learners… It also may refer to whether the teacher isteaching the curriculum and/or teaching to the test. If the curriculum and the test are aligned inthe design stage of curriculum development, then a teacher will always teach to the test. If thisdoes not occur, then the teacher may be teaching to the curriculum but not necessarily teaching tothe test. There is nothing wrong in teaching to the test if the test “matches” the objectivescontained in the curriculum designed for delivery. In cases where tests are to be used as accurateand valid measures for determining whether pupil learning has occurred as intended, one alwaysteaches to the test (18).

From English, F. W. (1992). Deciding what to teach and test: Developing, aligning, and auditing thecurriculum. Newbury Park, CA: Corwin Press.

HO-4

STEP ONE: IDENTIFY GOALS

Sample TEKS for LOTE Performance ExpectationThe student is expected to demonstrate an understanding of the practices (what people do) andhow they are related to the perspectives (how people perceive things) of the cultures studied.

Sample End-of-Course ObjectivesLEVEL I: Uses memorized words, phrases, and appropriate gestures to simulate greetings,introductions, and leave-taking customs of the target culture. May need prompting regardingappropriate forms of address (familiar vs. formal).

LEVEL II: Uses appropriate expressions and gestures to simulate greetings, introductions, andleave-taking customs of the target culture. Can respond adequately when simple, “new” expressionsare used in these contexts. Generally needs no prompting regarding appropriate forms of address(familiar vs. formal).

STEP TWO: DEVELOP PERFORMANCE-BASED ASSESSMENT TASKS

Sample Novice-Level TaskCreate a dialogue composed of short, memorized phrases and expressions and culturally appropriategestures used in greetings.cultural context: greetings/introductions/leave-taking

Sample Intermediate-Level TaskCreate skits where some learners are shoppers and others are vendors. They will use culturallyappropriate gestures in making their purchases.cultural context: shopping in an open-air market

Sample Advanced-Level TaskEngage in a debate in which they discuss environmental issues. They will model native speakers intheir use of gestures in presenting their arguments.cultural context: “debating” environmental issues with classmates in a sidewalkcafé

THE DESIGN OUT PROCESS:SOME EXAMPLES

HO-5

STEP THREE: IDENTIFY ENABLING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

Sample Knowledge1. Heighten students awareness of commonly used gestures in their own culture. 2. Obtaininformation on commonly used [target culture] gestures. 3. Compare and contrast the gesturesused in the two cultures. 4. Obtain information about situations in which the gestures would beappropriate.Sample Skills1. Perform the gestures. 2. Make a connection between each gesture and its corresponding verbalmessage. 3. Integrate gestures naturally into a conversation.

ALSO CONSIDER…novice level communicative strategies? asking/understanding formulaic questions: what, when, to whomnovice level language components? formal/familiar forms of address

intermediate communicative strategies? making polite requests; asking informa-tion questions; thankingintermediate level language components? conditional of politeness; question formation; food vocabulary

advanced level communicative strategies? holding the floor; interrupting; agreeing/disagreeingadvanced level language components? vocabulary for expressing opinions; subjunctive mood

STEP FOUR: DESIGN THE LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Sample Novice Learning Experiences¸ view videos, pictures, etc.¸ observe & discuss native culture using English as needed; make target culture/native culture

comparisons¸ work in groups developing a skit that incorporates memorized phrases and/or pantomime

(development/practice/presentation)authentic materials: TV commercials, video clips, movies, photographs, magazinepictures, etc.

Sample IntermediateLearning Experiences¸ view videos, pictures, etc.¸ observe & discuss native culture using the target language as much as possible; make target

culture/native culture comparisons¸ work in groups to create a skit that incorporates original target language dialogue

(development/practice/presentation)authentic materials: TV commercials, video clips, movies, photographs, magazinepictures, field trips, etc.

Sample Advanced Learning Experiences¸ view videos, pictures, etc.¸ observe & discuss native culture in the target language; make target culture/native culture

comparisons¸ work in groups or with a partner to act out improvisational skits¸ work independently doing Internet researchauthentic materials: TV commercials, video clips, movies, photographs, magazinepictures, Internet research, etc.

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