Topic 4 P2 Adapting the curriculum & teaching materials

TOPIC 4: ADAPTING
THE CURRICULUM
AND TEACHING

MATERIALS

What are Curriculum Adaptations?

◦Curriculum adaptation is an ongoing dynamic
process that modifies and adapts the prescribed
program of studies to meet the learning
requirements of a student with special needs. It
enables the teaching team to welcome learners
of all abilities and ensures that every student is
challenged to learn.

Adapting the curriculum and teaching
materials

Øcurriculum adaptation means, changes that are allowed in a
educational environment that provide students the same
opportunity to access, benefit and results achievement.

Øcurriculum adaptation allows special students to become
involved in an inclusive environment disregard to their weakness .

Øcurriculum adaptation should not alter or degrade the level /
expectation either in teaching or assessment.

Adapting the curriculum and teaching materials [cont.]

ØSprague, 1994 suggests 9 types of curriculum adaptations as
follows:
üQuantity
üInput delivery
üPupils engagement/ involvement
üTime
üDifficulty level
ü Alternative ways/methods
ü Assistance/Facilitation
ü Output
ü Functional curriculum / relevance

Ø Curriculum adaptation is made if and when necessary, according
to the individual education plan (IEP) prepared by the special
education teacher for the special needs students.

4

Factors of considering the curriculum
adaptation

◦There are several factors that you will need to
consider in adapting the curriculum.
◦ Adaptive instructional programs are characterized
by combined teaching strategies, flexible
scheduling, individualized instruction, mastery
learning, large and small group instruction,
individualized tutorials and cooperative learning.

◦ Student with special needs is expected to
achieve or surpass the learning outcomes set out
in the science curriculum, regular grading
practices and reporting procedures are followed.

◦ For students not expected to achieve the
learning outcomes, adaptations and
modifications must be noted in the Individual
Education Plan.

◦ In this way, instructional and assessment methods
may be adapted to meet the needs of all
students.

Factors of curriculum adaptions

◦ Quantity - Adaptation of the number of
items which pupils will need to learn or the
number of activities that the pupil will
prepare before mastering the assessment

◦Input - Adaptation of the teaching
methods delivered to the pupils with
special needs

◦ Enggagement - Adaptation to the extent
that students with special needs should
actively engage in assignments

◦Time - Adaptation of time allocated
and allowed for learning,
completing assignments or for testing
◦level of difficulty- Adaptation of skills,
types of problems or student handles
tasks rules
◦Alternative goals - Adapting goals or
expected outcomes while using or
referring to the same task

What is curriculum adjustment?

◦Adjustments can be made to the way
the curriculum is taught and the way students
learn.
◦On the same basis means that students with
disability should have the same opportunities
and choices in their education as students
without disability.

Preparing Materials

◦Are written materials accessible to all: formats;
readability; length; content?
◦ Scaffolding [practical materials] e.g. writing frames,
pictograms, sounds, pictures, objects, artefacts,
word lists, number lines, etc, are they accessible to
all?
◦Appropriate use of augmented communication
and ICT

Alternate mode for materials

◦ • Dictate to a scribe
◦ • Tape record
◦ • Draw pictures
◦ • Cut pictures from magazines
◦ • Build models
◦ • Use the computer
◦ • Enlarge/shrink materials
◦ • Use overlays/acetate on text pages
◦ • Cut and paste
◦ • Use manipulatives
◦ • Use a calculator

When adapting materials,
consider the following areas:

◦ The student’s goal – The final outcome may be
adjusted.

◦ Level of difficulty – The student may work on basic
addition facts instead of more complex addition
problems.

◦ Length of assignment – The number of items the
students is expected to learn or complete may be
adjusted.

◦ Additional time – The time allowed to take a test may
be increased, or the student may be allowed an extra
day to complete an assignment.

◦

◦ Input/output information – May receive
information through cooperative groups or small
group instruction, computers or use of visual aids
and manipulative materials.

◦ Participation in class activities – The level at which
the students participate in classroom activities
may be adjusted. The student’s goal may be to
participate in the group setting without
academic expectation.

◦ Support system – The students may received
additional support with paraprofessionals, peer
teaching, buddy systems or study halls.

Adapting the learning materials

• Use large print activity sheets.
• Use overlays on text pages to reduce the quantity of print
that is visible.
• Highlight key points on the activity sheet.
• Line indicators
• Sections on paper (draw lines, fold)
• Different types of paper (e.g., graph, paper with mid-lines,
raised line paper)
• Provide more white space to put answers
• Highlight or color code (directions, key words, topic
sentences)
• Cover parts of worksheets
• Put less information on a page
• Use high contrast colors

Adapting the curriculum and teaching
materials

There are 2 curriculum adaptation
frameworks that teachers can use when
practicing inclusive pedagogy:

i. Universal Learning Design Framework

ii. Teaching Differentiated Framework

◦ In inclusive pedagogy, additional support
resources are applied to support the learning of
all students in the classroom

◦ Isolation of student with special needs(SSN) is
not because the student is SSN but because the
learning is more suitable to be taught in a
specific situation for a while.