1) The document discusses the connection between curriculum and student needs. It argues that the curriculum should reflect what students really need to learn rather than just what teachers plan to teach. 2) It provides definitions of curriculum from different perspectives. Traditionally, curriculum refers to official plans and standards, but it can also refer to what is actually taught in practice. 3) The author advocates for a learner-centered curriculum where students have more choice and voice in their learning. They cite 9 steps proposed by Dr. David Nunan for developing such a curriculum, including clear goals, student-generated goals and tasks, and encouraging students to become teachers or researchers. 4) The conclusion argues that by understanding student needs and

1. UNIVERSITY OF CALDAS
DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES AND LITERATURE
MASTER´S PROGRAM IN ENGLISH DIDACTICS
CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT
IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN CURRICULUM AND WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED?
SANDRA RODRIGUEZ RUIZ

2. Introduction
In this early part of the 21st century, if I am a reflective teacher, I am
probably interested to know the position of our society about the educative
process. Which are the problems in education and why? Therefore, we need to
reflect about of our curriculum at schools. But what does mean curriculum?
Curriculum
David Nunan, for example, argues that the curriculum is the totality of what
actually happens in an educational setting: Traditionally “curriculum” is taken to
refer to a statement or statements of intent – the “what should be” of a course of
study.1 However, do we reflect what our students really need to know at school?
And, are we facilitating learning, and the manner to obtaining of knowledge.
Maybe in our schools a rather different perspective is taken. The curriculum
is seen in terms of what teachers actually do; that is, in terms of “what is”, rather
than “what should be.” (1988, p. 1),2 but, sometimes teachers modify, change or
don´t put in practice their curriculum, why? Because this curriculum doesn´t have a
very good design according with the students needs, but what can we do to
change this? and who can change this?
1
Nunan, David. (1991). Syllabus Design. Oxford : Oxford University Press. (1994). The Learner-Centered Curriculum. N.Y.
Cambridge University Press.
2
arnes, D. 1976. From Communication to Curriculum. Penguin.

3. In fact, the Ministry of Education with the PEI, views of teachers, principals,
students, parents, help to coordinate the curriculum according with the context and
needs of our learners. Nevertheless, the idea persists that a curriculum articulates
an institution’s principles and goals, made operational through syllabuses, lesson
plans, etc. According to Dr. David Nunan the steps to activating a learner-center
curriculum are3:
1. Make instructional goals clear to learners.
2. Allow learners to create their own goals.
3. Encourage learners to use their second language outside the classroom.
4. Raise awareness of the learning process
5. Help learners identify their own preferred styles and strategies.
6. Encourage learner choice
7. Allow learners to generate their own tasks.
8. Encourage learners to become teachers
9. Encourage learners to become researchers.
In general, the education community plan the curriculum and always analyze
process and results. For that reason is necessary the collection of data about
students in order to diagnose what Richterich (1972) refers to as their objective
3 Dr. David Nunan's featured presentation at the 2003 KOTESOL International Conference held at
the Seoul Education Training Institute in Seoul, South Korea. -- This presentation was part of a
Webcast which received generous support from the English Language Teaching Contacts Scheme,
British Council. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVQ1aWRCfAw

4. needs, that is, needs which are external to the learner. (age, background, previous
learning experiences, etc)4.
Our context
At Instituto Mistrató We need to accomplish the curriculum, this is very old.
At school teachers speak and share to co-workers about my experiences into
classroom. “Reflecting on work increase my profession performance, it means
looking at what you do in the classroom, thinking about why you do it, and thinking
about if it works - a process of self-observation and self-evaluation”5 (Julie Tice
2004), but the most important is to be analyze every day, I am doing my job,
Why am I doing it? How effective is my class? How are the students responding?
As Freeman said: “What teachers are doing but what they are thinking about as
they do” (1996, 95)6. In addition we can analyze and learn with the experiences of
other colleagues to know how we can improve our curriculum with efficiently and
effectively to our students. And we need more participation and point of view of
parents and students too.
Conclusion
In conclusion, when education is seen as productive and cognitive action, we
can encourage innovation and creativity in ourselves and our students if we design
a conscious curriculum and useful. Teachers, students, principals, parents,
4 Nunan, David.(1991). Syllabus Design.Oxford : Oxford University Press.(1994).The Learner-Centered
Curriculum.N.Y. Cambridge University Press.P. 4
5 www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/reflective-teaching-exploring-our-own-classroom-practiceJulie
Tice, Teacher, Trainer, Writer, British Council Lisbon. 2004
6 Freeman, Doanld, Redefining the relationship between research and what teachers know. (In voices from
the Language Classroom. Edited by Bayley and Nunan. CambridgeUniversity Press.1996.

5. government as a researchers and analytic people. We have to observe the context
and needs of our learners to obtain high levels in our schools. Furthermore, tutors
should adopt effective and inclusive education and training projects which take due
account of the needs to learners according with the context. In addition, teachers
have to reflect and motivate and support students with ideas focus in skills, such
as, critical thinking, communication and collaboration, creativity and innovation in
the lesson plans. Finally, It considers, understanding the interpretation that we do
about our students and our process, we have to looking for the innovation in our
lesson plans of English language education is an action of facilitating reinvent,
transform the education with meaningful. As the professor Stephen Heppell said in
a conference: “There is no going back the world they already live in we are in it
together”.

6. Bibliography
Freeman, Donald, Redefining the relationship between research and what
teachers know (in voices from the Language Classroom. Edited by Bayley and
Nunan. Cambridge University Press. 1996.
Nunan, David. (1991). Syllabus Design. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
(1994). The Learner-Centered Curriculum. N.Y. Cambridge University Press.
Murray Denise, Christison MA (2011). Understanding innovation in English
language education: Context and Issues. British council: Dreams & Realities.
Trilling Bernie & Fadel Charles (2009) Learning & Innovation skill p. 49.
https://www.ted.com/talks/charles_leadbeater_on_education?language=es.
Leadbeater Charles. Video “Education Innovation in the slums” Posted (June
2010).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82AOdXqNkLM. Heppell, Stephen ,
LTS: Schools of the Future. Prof Stephen Heppell (April 4, 2008)