Kwame Nkrumah University of

Science & Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

LLSJ 353: ENGLISH LANGUAGE

CURRICULUM

LECTURER:GEORGINA BROOKMAN-ANDOH
georgina0243@gmail.com
 Why (curriculum)?
The study of curriculum has become an established component of almost all
education programmes over the past years. In these contemporary times,
curriculum development and renewal have been largely acknowledged as vital
aspects of any educational reform for quality improvement. The significance of
curriculum, apart from it being used to improve the potential of the human
capital of education for training graduates, is also used for retaining learners in
school. These make the curriculum essential to the professional teacher . Many
educationists have; defined curriculum from different perspectives because of
their different perceptions of what curriculum should be. Let’s explore some
definitions of curriculum from different educational researchers.
source
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 Lesson 1: What is curriculum
Introduction
Dear Student teacher, I am sure you are ready for the first lesson.
Let’s consider some definitions of curriculum.
Activity 1.1
In five minutes, surf the internet and write at least three definitions
of curriculum. Remember to add the names of the authors. Share
your findings with your partner. Now you and your partner should
discuss your findings with the whole class.
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 THE CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM

Good. Now let’s go on and discuss the curriculum!

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 CURRICULUMN DEFINED

According to Marsh and Willis (2007, as cited in Marsh, 2010,

p.93) define curriculum as “an interrelated set of plans and
experiences which a student completes under the guidance of the
school”. In Marsh and Willis’ definition, we see curriculum as
comprising plans and experiences that are interrelated and
carried out under the school’s guidance.
delete
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 CURRICULUMN DEFINED
Brown (2006) defines curriculum as ‘all the student school
experiences relating to the improvement of skills and strategies in
thinking critically and creatively, solving problems, working
collaboratively with others, communicating well, writing more
effectively, reading more analytically, and conducting research to
solve problems.’ Brown’s definition suggests that curriculum does
not only place emphasis on what units of knowledge students have
but also on what they can do with knowledge.
this should be indented because of the length of the quote
insert “the”
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 CURRICULUMN DEFINED CONT’D

Hass (1980) states that the curriculum ‘is all of the

experiences that individual learners have in a program of
education whose purpose is to achieve broad goals and
related specific objectives, which is planned in terms of a
framework of theory and research or past and present
professional practice.’
why not this before the above?

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Tyler (1949) defines curriculum as "all the learning of students which is
planned and directed by the school to attain its educational goals" Tyler's
definition points to the curriculum as learning activities that are planned and
directed by the school in order to achieve educational goals.
Why not this earlier?
If quote indicate page number
What is your own definition of curriculum

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 OTHER DEFINITIONS

Curriculum encompasses a variety of technical and non technical

courses that are required to complete a specific degree.

Curriculum includes everything that takes place, and everything

that does not take place, within the purview of the school.

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THE CONCEPT OF CURRICULUM CONT’D
A curriculum is the combination of instructional practices, learning
experiences, and students' performance assessment that are designed to bring
out and evaluate the target learning outcomes of a particular course.

A selection of information, segregated into disciplines and courses, typically

designed to achieve a specific educational objective.

As applied to education, curriculum is the series of things that students must

do and experience by way of developing abilities to do the things well that
adults do in life; and to be in all ways the people that they should be as adults.

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 Activity 1.2
Identify the features in the definitions by Marsh and Willis,
Brown, Hass, and Tyler

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Characteristics of Curriculum
We can also better grasp the concept of curriculum by looking at its qualities.

Curriculum as Subject Matter

This places a focus on the dissemination of knowledge and the pursuit of knowledge
for its own sake. The specific knowledge to be imparted to the pupils within the
content is the topic matter. The subjects they are qualified to teach are where
teachers and facilitators excel. These teachers impart the relevant knowledge to the
pupils by drawing on their subject-matter expertise.
source

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 FEATURES OR CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum as Experience
This is a collection of experiences students have while being guided by their
school. It consists of a number of exercises that students complete inside
their academic setting. Additionally, it describes how students react to,
engage with, or gain knowledge from tasks, people around them, available
materials, and the psychological climate of the classroom. The curriculum
includes a variety of learning experiences that have been carefully prepared,
arranged, and guided by an educational institution. The successful transfer
and or growth of knowledge, skills, and attitudes in learners is what is
expected of a curriculum. Therefore, the curriculum includes all of the
activities that a school uses to fulfil its educational objectives.
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FEATURES/CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum as Cultural Reproduction

Cultural reproduction is the social process that uses educational institutions to

spread a particular society's culture across generations. According to one
interpretation of the theory, pupils eventually stop participating actively. The
school will pass on the dominant culture into gullible and obedient students.
However, there is also the argument that students can actively participate in the
reproduction of culture. The presented culture may be accepted or rejected by
the students, but it is nonetheless perpetuated.

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 FEATURES OF THE CURRICULUM

Curriculum as Intent
The intent is the reason or purpose for doing something. It is the framework for
setting out the aims, goals and outcomes of an educational programme, including
the knowledge and skills to be gained at each stage. The intent is often described
as ‘the will to do, although it also involves a sense of direction and expectation.
Having intent helps people focus their efforts in a particular way and gives them
direction about what matters and why.

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WHAT IS A SYLLABUS?

A syllabus is, in the simplest words, a document that details the

many subjects or the parts that must be studied for a given subject
or course. Facilitators make sure that the essentials of a certain
subject or course are included in a special combination of
theoretical and practical learning approaches while creating a
syllabus. At the start of each academic term, teachers and students
are given a syllabus.
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WHAT IS A SYLLABUS?
A syllabus serves to establish the fundamental components of a course, including the topics that
will be covered, a weekly schedule, and a list of examinations, assignments, and their
corresponding weightings in order to help students go through their learning. A syllable can
also be used to express linkages between learning objectives, assessments, content, and
pedagogical practice, or, more specifically, how the course is constructively aligned. A
facilitator's entire pedagogy includes the creation of a course syllabus, which is also an
opportunity to express your enthusiasm and enthusiasm for teaching and learning. A syllabus
gives students a thorough rundown of the course's goals and objectives, as well as the expected
learning outcomes and assessment methods. In numerous ways, the course syllabus functions as
a text itself for each course. Because of this, much care must be taken in developing a syllabus
that communicates all aspects of a course to students.

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WHAT IS A SYLLABUS?

A language syllabus is a written description of the topics covered in a course

and the sequence in which they will be taught. A language syllabus typically
represents certain viewpoints on language and language learning. A syllabus
might be created with the introduction of grammatical concepts in mind
Different institutions use different materials and criteria to help build their
curricula. Some universities give templates to help their educators create such
uniform materials, and some institutions announce specific standards they
expect all of their syllabi to contain. Therefore, it would be to your advantage
to inquire about such guidelines and resources with your school.
Any source? This is an academic document
In the Ghanaian situation different institutions do not have different material.
The Ghanaian one is by one institution; NaCCA. This is not a university curriculum
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Activity1.3

What are some characteristics of a syllabus ? Share your

thoughts! Pair with your partner and discuss your findings.

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Differences between curriculum and syllabus
Activity 1.4
Write down the differences between curriculum
and syllabus. Pair with your partner and discuss
your findings. You can now share with the
whole class.

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COMPARE YOUR ANSWERS TO THESE:

Curriculum is a set of guidelines of the different academic contents and

chapters that are covered during a program offered by a particular educational
institution while a syllabus is a document that has all the information about
different topics or concepts that need to be covered for a particular subject.

Curriculum remains prescriptive in nature as its structure needs to be followed

in the specified manner while the syllabus is more descriptive and flexible in
nature and can be covered in a non-prescriptive manner.

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 Differences between curriculum and syllabus

Curriculum is meticulously designed by the school or college

administration while syllabus gets created by teachers by the
educational board.

Curriculum stays the same for every teacher while syllabus can
differ and it can be covered in a distinctive manner as per their
own individual teaching style.
The school does not design curriculum. Check this in relation
to the Ghanaian situation
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Differences Between Curriculum and syllabus
 The term curriculum originated from Latin “curricule” which means to
run or course. On the other hand, the term syllabus finds its origins in
the Greek “sittuba” meaning title slip or label.
 Curriculum encompasses more extensive scope than syllabus. This is
because syllabus remains confined to a particular subject while
curriculum provides the structure for the whole course.
 Syllabus is only provided for a year while the curriculum covers the
whole course.
 Curriculum contains all the subjects and outlines how they will be
studied during the course while syllabus is more detailed version for
each subject under the course.

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History of Curriculum Development
Curriculum development is the planning, implementing, and assessing
learning experiences with the goal of bringing about desired changes in
learners. We must understand that a curriculum does not evolve in a vacuum;
rather, one must take into account the values, customs, beliefs, and overall
culture of the society.
Making judgments on the curriculum involves a complicated web of social,
cultural, intellectual, moral, political, and ideological issues. They are not
merely about the content or the best ways to structure the teaching and
learning of subject matter. The process of developing a curriculum is not
straightforward and constant; rather, it is intricate, dynamic, and continual,
requiring curriculum developers to do extensive study. Therefore, when
creating a curriculum, developers must take several factors into account.

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 HISTORY OF CURRICULUM CONT’D
 According to Taylor (1974), the creation of curricula is a political activity that is
concerned with morals, with what is worthwhile, advantageous, and useful to
teach the next generation. and with the most effective method of distributing
educational resources, both material and human
 Political beliefs have an impact on how a nation develops its curricula. Politics and
political ideology have a direct impact on issues of educational policy. For instance,
a political ideology served as the foundation for the recent curriculum revision that
converted the objective-based curriculum to standard-based curriculum. A
political party's political ideology is of utmost importance. This can be observed in
the amount of funding a certain government has allocated to education as well as
the reforms the government

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 History of curriculum cont’d

promotes through various proposals, projects,

agreements, programmes, and other initiatives. A
government may attempt to create an educational
model or may support initiatives inside the nation's
educational system.

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 SUMMARY

In this session, we have looked at some definitions of

curriculum from different authors and syllabus. We
discussed some features or characteristics of curriculum.
The difference between curriculum and syllabus was
looked at. Finally, we talked about a brief history of
curriculum development.

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Lesson 2: Models of Curriculum Development

Activity 2.1(2minutes)
In your own view, what is a model? Write down your answer.

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THE MODELS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT
Good. Now compare your answer to this.
What is a model?
According to Print (1993), a model is a simplified representation of reality which is
often depicted in diagrammatic form. The purpose of a model is to provide a
structure for examining the variables that constitute reality as well as their inter-
relationships.
Models are used in curriculum development to examine the components of a
program and how they relate to one another. Models can be seen in a variety of ways
depending on what they are meant for,.

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MODELS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT CONT’D

Models can be verbal or conceptual in nature, as well as

physical representations of reality. In this situation, models
can be seen to provide meaning and to aid in the
understanding of complex theories and occurrences. This is
necessary for the study of curriculum.

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 MODELS OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

Activity 2.2 (5minutes)

Now that you understand a model, go online and search for the
different models of curriculum development. Share your findings
with your partner and then the pair share with the whole class.

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 The different models of curriculum development
We believe you were able to identify different models of curriculum development. We
shall discuss three broad models of curriculum development namely; the rational
models, the cyclical models, and the dynamic models.
Let’s delve into each of them:
Rational Models
These approaches to curriculum development place a focus on the curriculum's fixed
order of elements, starting with objectives and moving in a logical order from those
objectives to content, method, and ultimately evaluation.
Ralph Tyler and Hilda Taba are two of the leading proponents of rational models.
Therefore, these models are referred to as Tyler's model and Taba's model.
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 TYLER’S PERSPECTIVE OF THE RATIONAL MODEL
According to Tyler, who is regarded as the founder of the curricular movement,
curriculum building must be approached clearly and methodically. He recommends
curriculum developers to identify general objectives by gathering data from three
sources; the learners, contemporary life out of school and subject matter. He continued by
saying that in order to create any curriculum, one had to ask four crucial questions, like:
 What educational purposes should the school seek to attain? (objectives)
 What educational experiences are likely to be provided in order to attain these
objectives? (Instructional strategies and content)

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 TYLER’S PERSPECTIVE OF THE RATIONAL MODEL CONT’D

 How can these educational experiences be organised effectively? (Organising

learning experiences)
 How can we measure the achievement of these purposes? (Assessment and
evaluation)
Tyler saw the task of curriculum development as a logical, sequential resolution to the
four questions posed. The four steps are sometimes simplified as objectives, content,
method and evaluation.

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 TABA’S PERSPECTIVE OF THE MODEL
Tyler's model is modified by Taba to better reflect how curriculum is developed in
the classrooms.
Taba’s model is also known as the grass root approach since she believes that
teachers who teach the curriculum should be involved or be the ones to develop it
rather than high authorities.
According to Taba, determining the goals of the school and the nature of its
curriculum requires consideration of analyses of society and culture, studies of the
learner and the learning process, and analyses of the nature of knowledge.
In order for curriculum to be a worthwhile learning experience for students, their
needs must be paramount.
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 Taba's model has the following steps:

 Diagnosis of needs – start the process by conducting assessment needs

of students that require attention
 Formulation of objectives – specify objectives to be accomplished in
relation to students’ needs that were identified
 Selection of content – what can be selected to be the content to be
delivered. (this must align to objectives)
 Organisation of content – the content must be organised into sequence.
The teacher or facilitator must take into consideration the learning
needs and achievements, cultural background, special needs and
interest of learners.
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 The steps cont’d
 Selection of learning experiences – identify instructional approaches that will actively
engage learners. Teachers will have to present content in such ways that will make
teaching learner centred.

 Organisation of learning experiences – the teacher needs to plan and sequence activities
to flow systematically. Activities must be structured from simple to complex.

 Determination of what to evaluate and ways and means of doing it. – in order for the
teacher to measure the extent to which objectives have been achieved, it is important for
both the teacher and learners to plan the evaluation procedure.

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 The Cyclical Model

The model views elements of the curriculum as inter-related and interdependent, so that
distinctions between the elements, as in the rational model, are less clear. For example,
when a curriculum developer is considering content, he or she may also suggest ideas
for teaching methodology, although the consolidation of these teaching strategies would
come later.
The proponents of the cyclical model are Wheeler and a team called Nicholls and
Nicholls. Although there are some small differences between the precise models put
forward by each of these groups, essentially the key element is that the process of
curriculum development is seen as a cycle.
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 WHEELER’S PERSPECTIVE

Wheeler argues for curriculum developers to use a cyclical process in which each element is related and
independent and follows a cyclical pattern. He suggested five inter-related phases in the curriculum
stages. These are:
 Select aims, goals and objectives: Aims cover all the experiences provided in the curriculum. Goals
are tied to specific subjects or groups of content within the curriculum; while objectives describe
more specific outcomes as a result of lessons or instructions delivered in a classroom

 Select learning experiences to help achieve these aims, goals and objectives: Learning experiences
are activities learners engage in to bring about change in behaviour

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 WHEELER’S PERSPECTIVE

 Select content through which certain types of experience may be offered.

Content is what we teach. It must be related to validity, significance, utility,
interest and learnability
 Organise and integrate learning experiences and content with respect to the
teaching-learning process.
 Evaluate each phrase and the attainment of goals: Set clear objectives and
aligned assessment strategies designed to test how well students have
achieved the learning outcomes.
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 Nicholls and Nicholls’ Model

They refined the work of Tyler, Taba and Wheeler. This model is like a map for
particular teaching and learning process. They emphasize the cyclical nature of the
curriculum process and the need for a preliminary step called situational analysis.
The inclusion of the situational analysis phase was a deliberate move to force
curriculum developers in schools to be more responsive to their environment and
particularly to the needs of learners. Nicholl’s and Nicholl’s model suggested the
following independent curriculum processes. They are:

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 WHEELER’S PERSPECTIVE

 Situation analysis
 Selection of objectives
 Selection and organisation of content
 Selection and organisation of methods
 Evaluation
I

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 Dynamic Models

The dynamic model is also known as the interactive model. The

fundamental idea behind the dynamic model of curriculum
development is that it is a dynamic and interactive process that can
start with any curricular element. Thus, the curriculum process does
not follow a lineal and sequential pattern, They argue that the
rational and cyclical models do not reflect the reality of curriculum
development in educational organizations. Two proponents of these
models are Walker and Skilbeck.
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 Walker’s Model

Walker contends that when developing curriculum, designers do not adhere to the prescriptive
reasonable sequencing of curriculum parts. Walker adds that as curriculum developers do not begin
their work in a vacuum, the first stage is the place where statements made up of ideas, preferences,
points of view, beliefs, and values are recognized by curriculum developers.

The discussion phase comes next, during which participants defend their own platform assertions.
Before the actual curriculum is developed, this step involves a huge amount of background work that is
eventually accomplished through a complex, randomized series of interactions. The final phase of
Walker's Model is the design where developers make decisions about the various process component.

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 Ski beck's Model

Skilbeck recommends the following phases for curriculum development but adds that
curriculum designers may begin their planning at any of the five stages and move
through them in any order. They may even handle many stages simultaneously. The
stages are:
 Situation analysis
 Goal formulation
 Program building
 Interpretation and implementation
 Monitoring, feedback, assessment, reconstruction.
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 Activity 2.3(10minutes) .

 Compare the various models discussed using 6 groups

 Discuss in your groups of 6 at least four (4) benefits of

curriculum development (add examples)

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Now compare your answers to those below.
Benefits of the curriculum development
1. It both creates and reflects culture and identity.
2. It keeps up with a changing community.
3. It makes learning (and teaching) consistent.
4. It opens the doors for collaboration.
5. It saves schools money.
6. It helps teachers align learning goals to activities.
7. It provides measurable targets.
delete

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 Summary

So far, we have been able to look at what a model is. We have also
looked at the models of curriculum development. The models are
rational, cyclical and dynamic. The proponents of the rational
models are Tyler(2022) and Taba (2021) while that of the cyclical
are Wheeler and a team Nicholls and Nicholls (2023). Finally,
Skilbeck (2020) and Walker(2015) are the proponents of the
dynamic models. Lastly, we discussed some importance of
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 Assignment 1
Describe in two pages, how the three models of curriculum
development can benefit society and make up a holistic
individual. 30 MINUTES

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LESSON 3: STAGES OF CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

There are four key stages that one must go through when
developing a curriculum. These are planning, content and
methods, implementation, and assessment.

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 Stage One: Planning

The planning stage lays the foundation for all of the

curriculum development steps. Planning is essential if one
wants to succeed in any activity they do. So, here,
preparation is vital. A good curriculum must be carefully
planned and developed. The planning steps for curriculum
development include:

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 Stage one cont’d

i. Identifying the issues or problem or the need.

Curriculum development is typically required in response to a critical issue or
problem that affects one or more target audiences. This section looks at a few of the
issues that need to be clarified in order to create a statement that will serve as a
guide for choosing the people who will make up a curriculum development team.
The scope (what will be included) of the curriculum content is also generally stated
in the issue statement.
of whom? Learner, society?

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 Stages one cont’d

ii Forming Curriculum Development Team

The team members for developing the curriculum can be chosen once the issue's
nature and scope have been broadly established. The topics that can be covered in
this section include the roles and functions of team members, a process for
selecting members of the curriculum development team, and principles of
collaboration and teamwork. The objective is to create a strong team and to have
each team member have knowledge in the areas covered by the curriculum.

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 Stage one cont’d

iii Conducting Needs Assessment and Analysis

There are two phases in the needs assessment process. The first is the steps involved
in conducting needs assessment. Several methods are used to find out who needs what
and in relation to the identified problem. The KAP (Knowledge, Attitude, and
Practice) survey, focus groups, and environmental scanning are some of the
techniques covered in this section.
The second step in this needs assessment process, describes methods on how to use
the data and the outcomes of the information acquired. Strategies for identifying gaps
between knowledge and practice, trends emerging from the data, a process to
prioritizing needs, and the identification of target audience characteristics are all
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 Stage Two: Content And Methods

The content and methods determine intended outcomes

(what learners will be able to do after participation in
curriculum activities), the content (what will be taught),
and the methods (how it will be taught). Steps for content
and methods include:

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 Stage two cont’d
i. Stating Intended Outcomes
This stage is to clarify and restate the issue, if necessary, and design
the desired outcomes or educational objectives after the issue has
been defined, the curriculum team has been established, and the
needs have been assessed, analysed, and prioritized. What the
learner will be able to perform as a result of engaging in curriculum
activities is outlined in an expected outcome. What is done includes
identifying a definition of intended outcomes, the components of
intended outcomes (condition, performance, and standards),
examples of intended outcomes, and an overview of learning
behaviour.
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 Stage two cont’d
ii Selecting Content
The selection of content that will actually improve learners' lives and
ultimately society as a whole is the next issue in the curriculum
building process. At this point, the main concerns are: "What will the
learner need to know and what knowledge, skills, attitudes, and
behaviour will need to be learned and practiced if the intended
outcome is to be attained?"
The scope (depth of information, skills, attitudes, and behaviour) and
the order (sequence) of the content are also discussed.
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Stage Three: Curriculum Implementations

Once the content and experiential methods have been agreed upon, the actual
production or implementation of curriculum materials begins. This section includes
evaluating existing materials, evaluation criteria; and suggestions for producing
curriculum materials. Suggestions to select test sites and conduct a formative
evaluation of curriculum materials during the production phase is done at this
stage. Adequate training is provided for facilitators to ensure successful
implementation of the curriculum. The curriculum only then becomes a reality
when teachers implement curriculum with real learners in real classrooms. A
curriculum cannot be called one if it has not been implemented or it has been
poorly implemented.
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 Stage Four: Evaluation and Reporting
Evaluation is a phase in the curriculum development model as well as a specific
step. Two types of evaluation, formative and summative, are used during
curriculum development. Formative evaluations are used during the needs
assessment, product development, and testing steps. Summative evaluations are
undertaken to measure and report on the outcomes of the curriculum. This step
reviews evaluation strategies and suggests simple procedures to produce valid and
reliable information. The final element in an evaluation strategy is reporting In this
step, suggestions for what and how to report to key shareholders, especially
funding and policy decision makers, are provided and a brief discussion on how to
secure resources for additional programming.

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 Summary

In this session. we learnt the stages of curriculum development to be: the planning Stage,
content and methods stage, implementation stage. and the evaluation and reporting stage.
We looked at the steps in the planning stage to be: identifying the issues or problems or
the needs, forming curriculum development team, conducting needs assessment and
analysis. The steps for content and methods stage are: stating intended outcomes,
selecting content and designing experiential methods. The implementation is the process
of enacting the planned curriculum. or better still, the process of putting a planned
curriculum into action. The evaluation makes a value judgment on the curriculum.
Source is needed for this section to avoid plagarism

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LESSON THREE: The Context of the English Language
Curriculum

Introduction
Dear Student Teacher, you are welcome to lesson three. In this session,
we shall discuss the context and the rationale of the English Language
Curriculum. The general aims will also be looked at.

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 The Context of the English Language Curriculum Cont’d

You should have a copy of the English Language Curriculum by

now. If you don’t, surf the internet and download a copy. Study it
with your partner and write down the context and the general
aims of the English Language Curriculum. Now in pairs, discuss
your findings with the class.

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 The Context of the English Language Curriculum Cont’d

The Context/Rationale of the English Language Curriculum

The social constructivist theory and the developmental theory underpins
the development of the English Language Curriculum. According to
research, children learn language at their own pace as they engage with
their social surroundings and go through developmental stages as they do
so. Therefore, when children are exposed to a positive social environment,
they acquire language more quickly than children who are exposed to a
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The context of the English Language curriculum
The curriculum adopts the socio-constructivist dimensions to learning.
At school, literacy learning goes through the developmental processes
with reason that children have in-built potentials to develop and acquire
new languages while approximating grammatical structures as they
learn to speak. They invent names for the objects in their world, from
the beginning but gradually, as they interact, they learn the appropriate
language of the community.

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 The context of the English Language Curriculum Cont’d

The social constructivist theory is of the view that reading and writing are
an active process of constructing meaning from print; hence, the reader is
active when learning a language. This puts a number of tasks on the
teacher if our learners are to succeed in their endeavours.

It is the responsibility of the teacher to support and encourage students as

they engage with and attempt to understand the texts they read. This is
done to make sure that competent readers do not simply absorb reading
materials but also create their own interpretations of events.
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 The context of the English Language Curriculum Cont’d

Teachers should also place a strong emphasis on participatory and thematic

methods to assist students make the connection between what they learn in the
classroom about literacy and how to solve problems in the outside world. Again,
the teacher should encourage students’ active participation in their own learning.
To add to the above, the teacher should pay attention to learners’ individual
differences in the language classroom. The curriculum developers emphasise that
literacy is not just reading and writing but also listening, speaking and thinking. It
also involves the knowledge and skills to engage in social and academic processes
needed for effective functioning in the school and community. This is the context
in which the current English Language Curriculum was prepared. As teachers, we
must make sure that we have this knowledge so that we can appreciate the
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Activity 3.2
Briefly write the context in which the new English
Language Curriculum
was prepared.

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 The Rational of The English Language Curriculum

Rationale for JHS English Language Curriculum

Look closely at the English Curriculum for JHS. Good! Now
observe how it is structured. Let us take them one after the other and
discuss them.
What you see first is the rationale for the primary English language.
Activity 3.3
State the rationale for teaching English language in the JHS.

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 The Rational of the JHS English Language curriculum

1. The study of English as a Second Language will equip learners with effective
communication skills that will provide them with an appreciation of the values
embodied in the language and culture of others.
2. English is the official language of Ghana and the language of government
business and administration, commerce as well as the media.
3. Also, to enable learners to become members of the international community,
they must be exposed to English, the most widely used global language. Success in
education at all levels depends on proficiency in the English language.

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Philosophy of the Language and Literacy Curriculum

Language and literacy learning curriculum is informed by two

major ideas, namely the Developmental Theory and Social
Constructivism. Thus, participatory and thematic approaches
should be emphasised to help children connect literacy
learning in the classroom to solving real world problems in
their environment and world around them.

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 General Aims
The English Language Curriculum has two main aims, the
general aims and the specific aims. The specific aims help
learners to achieve the general aims.
The general aim of the language and literacy curriculum is to
enable learners develop an appreciation and understanding of
the English language and to use it effectively, making meaning
with it in ways that are purposeful, imaginative, creative and
critical.

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 Specific Aims
The overriding aim for the Language and Literacy
curriculum in basic schools is to promote high
standards of language and literacy by equipping pupils
with a good command of the spoken and written word
to enable them to:

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 acquire the basic skills that will help them decode any text;
 read age-level texts easily, fluently and with comprehension;
 cultivate the habit of reading widely for pleasure and information;
 acquire a wide stock of vocabulary and to understand grammatical structures as well as linguistic
conventions for easy reading, good writing and speaking;
 write clearly, accurately and coherently, adapting their first language style in a range of contexts for
varied purposes and audience;
 read with pleasure, literary materials and appreciate a great stock of literary repertoire;
 acquire the skill of self-expression and be able to communicate their ideas to different audiences lo
achieve the intended purpose:
 develop and cultivate the skill and ability to read the lines, in-between the lines and beyond the lines;
and to find out hidden meanings and ideas
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Activity 3.4
To achieve the above aims. what will be your expectation
as a teacher of language? List them.

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Good! Compare your answers to the following:
Language teachers are expected to:
1. Guide and facilitate learning by generating discourse among learners and
challenging them to accept and share responsibility for their own learning, based
on their unique individual differences
2. Select English Language content, adapt and plan lessons to meet the
interests, knowledge, understanding, abilities and experiences of learners
3. Work together as colleagues within and across disciplines and grade levels
to develop communities of English Language learners who exhibit good
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Use multiple methods to systematically gather data about learners' understanding and
ability in order to guide the teaching and learning of English Language, and also to
provide feedback to both learners and parents
5. Design and manage learning environments that provide learners with the time,
space and resources needed for learning English Language.
6. Use Ghanaian language (L1) as medium of instruction to teach other subjects
with the exception of English Language from KG1 – Basic 3 and English Language (L2)
to teach all subjects from Basic 4 – Basic 6. (NTECF, p47)

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 Summary

We have learnt that the social constructivist theory and the developmental
theory underpins the development of the English Language Curriculum
therefore the curriculum adopts the socio-constructivist dimensions to
learning. The rationale for teaching English language was also discussed.
We again discussed that the English Language Curriculum has two main
aims, the general aims and the specific aims. The specific aims help
learners to achieve the general aims. Lastly, we discussed some
expectations of the English language teacher.
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