Change In The Curriculum For Students

Curriculum change consists of the adjustments teachers make to the curricula to make them accessible to students with special needs. Teachers classify curriculum change as a type of educational strategy. In a nutshell, they are a set of resources designed to give students with special needs better access to information.

In this connection, teachers must be aware of the student’s individual characteristics when planning the class’ methodology, content and assessment. They make the necessary changes to adapt the curriculum to the special characteristics of the student. The goal is to make the content more accessible to students who have a learning barrier. They can also eliminate certain elements of a student’s curriculum if they simply cannot comprehend them.

When do teachers resort to change in the curriculum?

The basic elements of any curriculum are the objectives, the content and the evaluation criteria. Teachers use these three factors to design and execute their curricula and curriculum changes.

The first thing you need to know is how to distinguish between the two modifications. The difference lies in whether the teacher makes changes to the basic elements we just mentioned. If they do, they will make significant changes. If not, they make non-significant changes.

Non-significant curriculum change

In this case, the teacher does not make changes to the basic elements of the curriculum. However, they change:

• The organization or methodology.
• The students’ general environment.
• Less content.

Within these guidelines, the changes only affect things like activities or evaluation method. They never affect educational goals. These will be exactly the same as for all other students.

Consequently, there will be no ripple effects in the child’s evaluation or whether they move on to the next class or not.

Significant changes in the curriculum

On the other hand, important curriculum changes are those that change the basic elements of the curriculum.

A teacher can resort to these when the student’s characteristics make it impossible for them to achieve the proposed class goals. These needs are called educational support specifications.

In this situation, the child can only move on to the next class if they reach certain specific goals. These goals are specified at the beginning of the semester in the individual curriculum modification.

If the student does not reach their goals, the school may require them to re-take the grade so that they can have another opportunity to meet the requirements to pass. Not only that, but taking back a character can also be beneficial to the child’s social skills.

Social aspects and other characteristics of change in the curriculum

The implementation process for modification of the curriculum is very important. A team of professionals involved in the education process should make this decision. It is also important that all decisions are in writing.

The basis for this practice is focused on the idea of ​​social inclusion. The idea that no one should be discriminated against, regardless of differences or abilities. Everyone should have an equal opportunity to get an education and develop professionally. Carina Paniagua, author of Curricular Modifications , believes that inclusion includes listening, dialogue, collaboration and asking questions. Inclusion means accepting, trusting and embracing the needs of diversity.

Inclusive systems assume that everyone has unique skills and abilities, and that everyone can learn. It is a continuous process, observable in participatory practices and actions built on the foundation of freedom.

There is one thing to talk about curriculum changes, but implementing them can actually be quite complicated. There are certain consequences of leaving high school with a changed curriculum. For example, a student in that situation will not be eligible for certain government-supported programs.

That is why it is so important to seek professional help if you are trying to navigate these types of situations. Everyone involved should think carefully before making any decisions about changing the curriculum.