Considerations in designing a curriculum

Material selection
- materials should support the development of learners proficiency for effective application in realworld situations
- materials are consistent with learning outcomes and support the tasks included in the curriculum
- materials build on learners skills, backgrounds and experiences
- materials focus learners on the salient features of language in use
- materials support a mindful approach to learning
- materials support the development of intercultural communicative competence and provide Malaysian
content (for example- in Malaysia context)
- materials expose learners to a rich variety of current, relevant, stimulating and meaningful language in
use
- materials present language at an appropriate level for learners, that is, at a level that is not too easy,
and not too difficult (for example- textbook in Malaysia context)
- materials accommodate a flexible responsive approach to instruction

Monitoring and support

- develop new solutions to address organizational, technical and educational issues
- communicate with stakeholders to facilitate discussion and collaboration
- access, record and capture information to inform the curriculum design
- improve access to guidance for those designing and describing curricula
- model, test and refine new approaches in curriculum design
- develop more efficient administrative processes
- increase consistency both in terms of the learners experience and quality assurance
- curriculum must evolve to meet the changing needs of students and employers (teachers)

Assessment and evaluation

- focus on the growth and progress
- inculcate moral values
- process of gathering information (pupils performance, etc.)
- ongoing design
- interrelated with teaching and learning process (DSKP, S.O.W., LP)
- enhance learning interest among pupils
- focus on meaningful teaching
- basic for decision-making (pupils result/performance)

Constraints
- limit the goals of the curriculum to fit the available time (eg. DSKP fits to be accomplished within one
year of study)
- cover most of the language items and skills but at a rather superficial level, relying on later experience
to make up for the quick coverage
- examine local environment
- provide self-study options for work to be done outside of class time
- if possible the time available for the curriculum could be increased (if they cannot achieve in the year
before, then it needs to be extended)
- it is useful to know exactly how the large the classes are (arrangement of desks, size of blackboard,
etc.)
- good curriculum design must take into account of research and theory (will provide the best possible
conditions for learning that the state of the art allows)
- use a spiral curriculum (reflect- can the pupils attend class regularly?)