The Role Of Curriculum In Teaching

1) What`s the difference betwen a syllabus abd a curriculum in your school and classroom setting.

As I am a private tutor, the curriculum I follow varies. I teach EFL (English as a foreign language) and English Literacy and Language. For the former, I have to refer to CEFR (Common European Framework) or the source of target the learner wants to achieve. In this case, my syllabus is based on the skills and knowledge specified on CEFR and the needs of the learners. For the mainstream school pupils, I have to follow the UK National Curriculum. I take it as a basis for diagnostic assessment purposes. What I come up with for the learner to achieve is the syllabus. It has my methods, my own or other published materials and strategies I individually choose to use depending on the learner;s profile. Brieflt, curriculum is the benchmark and the syllabus is the tool to reach the target.

2) What`s the basis for the curriculum that is provided for your students: What knowledge, skills and values are considered most worthwile and why?

Tha CEFR is composed of linguistic knowledge and abilities learners need to have in four main skills, namely, speaing, listening, reading and writing. The knowledge is the level of content the learner can provide for each of these skills, mainly vocabulary and grammar. As to the National Curriculum for English, the basis is a range of criteria from aims to provide for the citizens to be educated, a structure in order to define the subjects,  inclusion principle to achieve learning throughout the citizens and any matters to consider e.g. numerical and linguistic skills. In addition to these, a specific programme of study throughout age groups and subjects are inclded. These specify the skills to be obtained and a list of aims that include certain knowledge to be acquired within each key stage. Additionally, it also aims for the learners "to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually, socially and spiritually " through literature.

3) How much scope do you have for the invention and reatin of activities beyond the prescribed curriiculm.

I am not restricted by a school syllabus as I teach privately. I decide on the materials and appraoch for my lessons. A large proportion of this is determined based on the demands and the needs of the students and sometiems parents or recommendations made by the pupils` school teachers.