IMG72 (5)

82 Martin Blaazk

of a similar type within both bases for the curricula, where, for example, the child will undcrsiand domcstic finances (and their expectations in relation to them)* and not praise wealth nor deride poverty*. Or where, within the arts and crafts, children aged between tlve and seven are expected ‘to show an interest in’ or ‘recognize’ examples of landscape urchitecture and graphic art. This is pomething to be encouraged, but what exactly do ‘to show an interest in' and ‘recognize’ niean here? Can we cxpect young children to be in\olved in ways that would challenge many of the adult populution?^{1 2}

Notwithstanding the vagueness to be found in these and other arcas, it is within the section devoted to the child‘s speaking abilities that some of the strongest criticism has been heard against the preschool basis of the curriculum". It is written that the child finishing her his education in preschool will attempt ‘to speak correctly in relation to articulation, grammar, inflection and parts of speech used'^i:. Does this mean then that a child of this age will be cxpected to know of the existence of these particular concepts, let alone be able to analyse her his own performance in relation to their use? Which is what ‘correctly’ would imply here. A similar concem can be expressed in relation to preparations for the child leaming to read and write. Here, on finishing preschool, the child can ‘construct a short sentence. dtvide a sentence into phrases, divide phrases into syllables; isolate sounds in words of simple phonetic construction’^{3 4 5}. Once again, this would imply that the child is cognitnely aware of these abstractions and can bring them to bear analytically upon their own language use. Moreover, as this descriptor appears under the heading of reading and writing, it can be assuraed that the child has also mastered the motor-cognitive skills to write the sentence that it will then analyse. By the end of the first year of primary, in addition to the above, it is now stated that the child uses such terms ‘with understanding’ and that she he now definitely ‘writes’ sentences⁶.

The national curriculum

In a comparison of the Polish bases of the curricula for preschool and the first class of primary and their English counterpart, the national curriculum, key stage one, it is immediately noticeablc how much tuller the English document is as a whole, in relation to its preamble and the outlines it supplies for particular subjeets. Concentrating upon the sections with the descriptors for the English language, it can be seen that they cover similar ground to the bases of the curricula in relation to Polish. In the section devoted to speaking and iistening, elear speech is emphasized with an awareness of audience and the way in which the situation or circumstances raay effect speech. With reading, knowledge of the alphabet and the understanding of text, as well as the reading of a rangę of different texts are included.

Wliile in writing, care is to be taken over handwriting and presentation. The national curriculum howcvcr, has a wider coverage, with sub-hcadings under particular skills that includc, among others, group discussion, rangę of activities, literaturę, composition, and handwriting and presentation. This inclusion of morę detail, what might be termed in a numbcr of cases, significant detail, helps to minimize misinterpretation and misunderstanding.

In addition to this, the national curriculum, key stage one, also chooses language to be the vehicle for morę individual and social development than either of the Polish curricula. In the English model children will be taught to ‘extend their ideas in the light of discussion’ and ‘give rcasons foropinions and actions’^{7 8}, and where writing is concemed, ‘communicate to others’, ‘create imaginary worlds', and ‘explore experience'“.

Further to this, the emphasis throughout the English document is upon what is to be taught, rather than what the child can do at the end of a particular stage of study. The phrase ‘pupils should be taught' rather than 'The child finishing pre-school and starting their education in primary school’ does. Neither is this simply a semantic nicety. By placing the emphasis upon what the student will experience throughout a particular stage of their education, rather than what they can do at the end of it, the English curriculum focuses upon process rather than product, and so avoids situations which the Polish bases of the curricula create. where the child is seemingly expected to perform beyond her/his perceived abilities. The English national curriculum would seem rather, to provide a space for morę able and less able children to develop at their own pace. This, in a sense, is one of the ways in which promises of inclusion^{9 10} and the advice that ‘teachers should teach the knowledge, skills and understanding in ways that suit their pupils’ abilities[...] so that individual pupils can make progress and show what they can achieve.’** are written into the fabric of the curriculum, making it the foundation of teaching practice. The Polish bases of curricula also make reference to the individual needs of pupils. They mention Meading the learner gently into the world of knowledge, taking care of the harmonious development of their intellectual, ethical, emotional, social and physical development’¹¹ and the fact that ‘Schoois and especially teachers should work in such a way that the child is given individualized help towards their development, fitted to their needs and possibilities.’¹² Throughout the texts of both Polish documents a number of the descriptors are qualified by the phrase ‘within the scope of their possibilities’. This however is used infrequently and is by far outweighed by the stated aim at the beginning of each subject section, where, by the end of a particular stage of her/his education the child is expected to know the items given.

In relation to defining what a child can be expected to do at any one particular stage of their education, there is the question of what the English national curriculum actually does.

1

^I    Załącznik nr 2..., point 5.4, p. 7.

* Załącznik nr I..., point 1.4, p. 2.

2

Załącznik nr 2..., p. 6.

3

   There was generał criticism of the reforms in the media when they were first released. This paper relies upon the authors own comments and from various newspaper articles: http://adonai.pl/nauka/ ?id=I08,

http. www.nowiny24.pL apps pbcs.dlLarticle?AH>“/20080910/DLASTUDENTA/811060790

4

Załącznik nr I..., point 3.1, p. 2.

5

' Ibidem, point 14.6, p. 5.

6

Załącznik nr 2..., point 1 Jd, p. 5.

7

   English: The national curriculum for England, key stages 1-4.

hnp://cumculum.qca.org.uk'uploads/English%201999%20programme%20of%20study_tcm8-12054. pdf?retum=/key-stages-1 -and-2'subjects/english/keystage 1 /index.a$px%3Frerum%3D/key-stages-1 -and-2/subjects/index.aspx Accessed 10/02/09, point 3d,e, p. 16.

8

   Ibidem, point 9a,b,c, p. 21.

9

   In integral part of the curriculum is the ‘Statu tory inclusion statement’.

10

   Setting suitable leaming challenges,

http://curricuIum.qca.org.uk/key-stages- I-and-2/inclusion/starutory-inclusion-$tatement/index.aspx Accessed 12/08/08 point 1.

11

   Załącznik nr 2..., p. I.

12

   Ibidem, p. 3.