The difference between the formal,informal and hidden curriculum

1. WHAT IS CURRICULUM?
THE THREE VIEWS TO
CURRICULUM IN SCHOOLS

2. CURRICULUM
• IS THE PLAN MADE FOR GUIDING LEARNING IN THE SCHOOLS, USUALLY
REPRESENTED IN RETRIEVABLE DOCUMENTS OF SEVERAL LEVELS OF GENERALITY
AND THE ACTUALIZATION OF THOSE PLANS IN THE CLASSROOM, AS
EXPERIENCED BY THE LEARNERS AND AS RECORDED BY AN OBSERVER, THOSE
EXPERIENCES TAKE PLACE IN A LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT ALSO
INFLUENCES WHAT IS LEARNED.

3. DIFFERENT VIEWS TO CURRICULUM IN SCHOOLS
2.1 THREE DIFFERENT TYPES
• FORMAL CURRICULUM
• INFORMAL CURRICULUM
• THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM

4. FORMAL CURRICULUM
•. THIS IS THE CURRICULUM THAT APPEARS
IN THE CURRICULUM GUIDES, STATE
REGULATIONS OR OFFICIALLY STATED
AND DOCUMENTED . THIS IS THE
DOCUMENT DEVELOPED BY EXPERTS ON
WHAT TO TEACH IN SCHOOLS.

5. The informal curriculum
THIS TYPE OF CURRICULUM INVOLVES
THE SUBTLE BUT IMPORTANT
PERSONALITY VARIABLES OF THE
TEACHER AND HOW HE/SHE
INTERACTS WITH COLLEAGUES AND
LEARNERS.
•IT ALSO INCLUDES LEARNING HOW
TO ANSWER TESTS AND

6. THE HIDDEN CURRICULUM
• IT IS THE UNRECOGNIZED AND IS TAUGHT
WITHOUT FORMAL RECOGNITION, E.G BEING
CLEAN, BEING ON TIME, ETC. IT IS RARELY
CONTAINED IN FORMAL CURRICULUM, IT CONTAINS
‘STRUCTURED SILENCES’ (ARONOWITZ & GIROUX,
1985) THAT EMBODY EXPECTATIONS AND
PRESUPPOSITIONS ABOUT SOCIAL CONDUCT AND
CULTURAL DIFFERENCES/RACIAL DIFFERENCES.

7. CONTINUED…
• THIS IS THE CURRICULUM THAT IS USED TO TRACK AND
DIFFERENTIATE CHILDREN BY THEIR ABILITY. IT ALSO
REPRESENTS THE UNRECOGNIZED AND UNOFFICIAL
ASPECTS OF DESIGNING OR DELIVERING THE
CURRICULUM. ANYTHING BEING TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS
WITHOUT BEING IN ANY CURRICULUM GUIDE IS
CONSIDERED A HIDDEN CURRICULUM. THE HIDDEN
CURRICULUM IS BY AND LARGE NOT A PRODUCT OF
CONSCIOUS INTENTION.