Introduction
This paper proposes a curriculum plan for the development of academic performance in schools. Recently, the school has been undergoing various problems, within the framework of which students’ academic performance is decreasing, and, as a result, the prestige of the educational institution falls. A large influx of new students in English can lead to the fact that new children will not correspond to the level of education in a given school. It happened due to the closure of schools in the district; in parallel, volunteer organizations and other aids were liquidated. In addition, academic performance in mathematics declines annually, further confirming concerns. The school principal must make specific changes to change the vector of negative dynamics and prevent the same deteriorating results in English. This paper will partially address all of these problems, but the solution and plan will focus on the problem of new students from other schools.
School Philosophy
The school is called upon to provide primary education for children while carrying out many other essential functions. First, it is the education of effective, polite, and respectful communication with elders and peers. Schoolchildren learn to gain new knowledge, and study the most straightforward workflows for information retrieval, and analysis, the structure of which differs from subject to subject. Mathematics and language have always been at the core of school education, and therefore performance indicators in these two subjects are vital in determining the competence of the school’s pedagogical function (Chiazzese et al., 2017). Of course, there are often situations when the student’s fundamental knowledge does not correlate with the marks for the exams, but in general, these are exceptions to the rule.
In this regard, in this educational institution, schoolchildren acquire new knowledge and learning abilities and develop as individuals with a potential professional and civic identity. The school’s prestige plays an essential role in this formation, no matter how indirect it may seem. First, when entering a prestigious school, parents and students intuitively try to be more responsible towards the educational process. It is worth noting here another vital part of the school’s philosophy – highly qualified teachers. It is on them that the final indicators in specific subjects depend, which shape academic performance as part of the school’s prestige. In this regard, the voiced problems in the long term can inflict an irreparable blow on the many years of work with the help of which the institution’s current status was earned.
Stakeholders
The school’s philosophy focuses on students and educators, creating an environment for comfortable, productive, and respectful interaction. Pupils are the principal value of the school, and their education and knowledge are the goals. Achievement and grades are not paramount here, but grading is vital because proficiency communicates what learners can do with the subject and the final grades’ results. Grades, corresponding to personalization within the educational process, must be accompanied by specific descriptive characteristics and always, if the student wishes, explained by the teacher (De Franchis et al., 2017). In this case, the emphasis should be on positive results to not destroy the student’s motivation (Rozbacher et al., 2017). Ongoing grades help keep the student in good shape, and if the results are positive, they signal success, thereby inciting to new heights. In addition, grades are the most straightforward control system for parents.
Parents retain the right to participate in detail in the life of the school and accompany the student on his educational path. However, direct interference in the educational process within the institution is excluded. A highly motivated parent can follow the program as part of the discussion at home with the student and, through the student, suggest new ideas and adjustments. The school management is always open to dialogue with parents, but the last decision is always behind competent specialists. As a result, parents expect from the school that, as a result of graduation, adolescents will already become socialized individuals with a clear civic and professional identification, capable of further education and work for the benefit of society.
Given the situation in the region, where two more schools have closed, a twofold interpretation suggests itself. On the one hand, competition has decreased, making it easier for this school to recruit students. On the other hand, the stimulus for development is reduced, which can even more detrimentally affect the school’s academic performance. This situation should be used as a chance for cardinal changes that will have a solid foundation for filling classrooms. Comfortable conditions will require hard work, but in this situation, there is no danger of closing this school as well.
Finally, the state and society as a whole are also stakeholders in the school’s philosophy. First of all, their future career, a professional activity that will serve society, depends on students’ success. The educational processes and skills laid down at the initial stage, formed in the environment of communication with peers and teachers, form soft skills that are extremely important today in almost any vacancy (AbuJbara & Worley, 2018). Maintaining the relevance of the school curriculum is a mandatory function of any educational institution, and this school is no exception. Society forms the basic principles and trends that dictate the relevance of specific knowledge and abilities of schoolchildren (Biesta, 2019). At the state level, the structure of examinations, which are uniform for each student who wishes to continue their studies or demonstrate documented knowledge, is essential.
Problem
According to the indicators obtained, the program used in the school has lost its relevance and does not fully fulfill its educational functions. Given the diversity of mathematics and English subjects, the approach to identifying problems and shaping a new program should be comprehensive. Learning English in the existing curriculum is not designed to accommodate significant gaps in learners’ knowledge, making new learners a problem.
Math is not a highly dynamic subject, unlike English. Linguistic education develops daily as the target language develops. In addition to the essential functions of mastering grammatical rules, reproducing phonetic sounds, and developing communication skills, many additional components can be laid within the learning process. Naturally, schoolchildren get acquainted with the culture of many countries where the studied language is their mother tongue. Modern trends in building an intercultural society meet the requirements of social responsibility. In this regard, it is necessary to expand the cultural function of the learning process in modern programs of learning English in the framework of school education. It contributes to the educational process, respect within the class team, and the further socialization of the student.
The study of foreign languages always, at its core, contains communication, regardless of the approach. Vocabulary-based techniques provide sufficient rapid impact but not deep understanding (Itmeizeh & Hassan, 2020). Grammar-focused approaches are designed for more reliable and long-lasting results (Moradkhani, 2019). However, reading, listening, and communication combine any approach to teaching a foreign language. Communication, moreover, indirectly and explicitly develops several other functions and capabilities of the student: thinking skills, adaptation, flexibility, critical thinking, and practical and polite communication skills. As a result, a particular type of thinking is formed from these skills, including cultural aspects. The study of a foreign language can be built on creating intercultural situations within which the student will conduct a dialogue, be immersed in another culture, and interact with it, exchanging experiences. In such intercultural situations, the difference in knowledge will be smoothed out between students, and lessons will be more interesting. More details about this will be written in the plan.
Curriculum Plan
An integrated approach must be applied to the creation of a new program. First, learning English needs to be diversified with new techniques that introduce a cultural dimension. These techniques include thematic lessons with different attributes that demonstrate a different culture (Makhmudov, 2020). In addition, it is possible to use game techniques, including quizzes that promote the development of intuitive knowledge (Cinkara, 2020). The competitive aspect and playful form will create a more relaxed atmosphere in the classroom, which will help smooth out the difference in knowledge. Another technique can be called drama – the straightforward process of staging intercultural scenes. Students try on different roles and can put themselves in the shoes of a different culture. With the correct presentation of the teacher and practicing the language, such an interaction can cut into the children’s memory and, as a result, improve their intercultural intuition (Wuryandari, 2021). These activities will increase the engagement and personalization of classroom lessons, where grades are no longer the only indicator of student personality development.
Second, the participation of students in the direct creation of lesson materials improves the perception of the educational environment, within which it is comfortable to acquire knowledge. Therefore, the approach to the curriculum should include interactive student participation. Programming involves a plan to smooth out the difference in knowledge gradually. Since the influx of students from closed schools is not a permanent event but a one-time action, decisions in this area should be quick. The division into permanent groups can be avoided so that students do not develop unequal relationships. If necessary, to reduce the burden on teachers, groups will be formed according to the instructions of competent specialists and, sometimes, according to students’ wishes, built on friendship. Therefore, the solution to the problem must be sought in additional hours of study for those who come from closed schools. Naturally, such additional classes will be open for everyone who wants to improve their level of English and remain accessible to parents. In this regard, this event will require financial injections for fair remuneration of overtime for teachers. This activity will help eliminate the low literacy and reading levels of problem students, and if successful, it can establish itself in the school as a unique trait that emphasizes individualism.
Thematic English lessons can be held in the format of various events. Their importance is great enough in the face of the arrival of new students who will fill the existing classrooms. The first time in the classroom, the focus will be shifted from grammar to the cultural aspects of language learning. Children will be able to get to know each other and make friends in an unusual environment. Moreover, with the proper approach of the teacher, the decorated classrooms with various artifacts of a different cultures will contribute to the immersion of students in the educational process. Teachers can get to know new learners better by personalizing regular lessons with questions for the kids. Thematic lessons are also short-term events for solving the indicated problem, but their effect is likely to be positive in the future. With the help of such events, the school will be able to accept new children in a friendly manner and create a comfortable environment for their adaptation to such a stressful situation for any child.
In addition to thematic lessons, various activities for children should also be held approximately quarterly during school or non-school time. Firstly, this activity will also allow children from other schools to join the established team of the class and avoid conflicts against the background of a difference in knowledge. New students will be able to get better acquainted with the school building, in connection with which larger events will need to be held in the assembly halls. They will be able to improve their grammar, vocabulary and syntax during additional hours of classes, which will be free and recommended to all children who have transferred from other schools.
The influx of new students will require organizational changes within the school. First, since it was decided not to divide the children into groups for their better psychological state and to avoid conflicts on this basis, the increased load on teachers will need to be leveled. The school will need to expand its teaching staff by hiring another specialist. In addition, it will be necessary to revise the schedule, which will assess the occupancy of classrooms and the placement of all work hours in all classrooms. Finally, in the classrooms themselves, where space is provided, it will be necessary to increase the number of seats. All these activities will require financial injections, but in this situation, they are laid down for the long term.
It is necessary to change the approach to forming homework in mathematics and English. First, it should not take much time to solve – no more than 15-20 minutes is optimal in many modern programs (Buyukalan & Altinay, 2018). Pupils should consolidate the material received in the lesson, and only with the time of teaching will they be offered additional research. As part of the search for new information, students will get acquainted with the information technology device and develop the skills necessary everywhere. However, any such assignments must contain creativity that does not restrict the student to strict job requirements. This fact contributes to an increase in the student’s involvement in the educational process.
Second, an introduction to homework assignments of unusual materials. In English, children will be able not only to read and do the exercises at home but also switch to puzzles and simple logic problems. The short time and ease of completing homework will fuel student motivation and also encourage engagement in science.
Finally, moving away from traditional methods is more conducive to teamwork. The atypical nature of the tasks is accompanied by work in groups, in which children learn the essential skills of working in a team and learning the subject. Cultural statements and quizzes in English are also taught playfully. In mathematics, such tasks are assigned to the organization of solving a particular multi-component problem or a quiz.
However, as a rule, such programs do not provide a platform and instructions for studying theoretical material. This responsibility falls on teachers’ shoulders, making it difficult for competent specialists in this field to readjust to a new program. Nevertheless, teachers often talk about the disadvantages of the traditional approach, which is confirmed by statistical indicators of academic achievement (Sevinc & Lesh, 2018). In this regard, it is necessary to set aside time for approbation and implementation of the new program before it will yield results and not raise questions and conflict situations.
Implementation
Consequently, specialized teachers in English will be involved in this school to create a new program. For the first time, consultants will be hired – experts from the field of education, and teachers from other schools – who will be able to share their experience and all the nuances of using such programs. Parents will be actively involved in the assessment the first year after the introduction. There will be many dissatisfied parents of students, significantly if academic performance deteriorates in the first months. However, parents, students, teachers, and invited experts will continually evaluate control systems for these innovations.
It is better to take the summer period to prepare for the application of this program when the school is not overloaded with routine work. After drawing up the program, it is necessary to draw up a plan for computerizing classes according to the load and draw up an appropriate schedule. A budget needs to be set aside to pay for the extra hours of English teachers and for various organizational points for the comfortable acceptance of new students. In parallel, the school administration will look for programs to receive grants for the technical equipment of the school. These stages are accompanied by expert assessment and consultation.
Conclusion
As a result, after applying these changes, the approbation of the programs from the beginning of the academic year will be controlled by questionnaires drawn up for each group of stakeholders. In case of positive results, the application of the program continues. In the case of negative ones, it is possible to involve experts and carefully work with questionnaires to identify the cause of negative obstacles. At the end of the academic year, the academic performance results are compared in comparison with the previous one. It is worth being prepared that the benefits of the application will be reaped only in the long term, which is why the program’s application will always continue, except for the preservation of negative indicators for two years.
As a result, the school will be able to maintain prestige and show itself in a difficult situation of an influx of students and their comfortable accommodation and friendly acceptance. Moreover, the English language curriculum will be revised, which will now contribute more to improving the atmosphere in the classroom through immersion in the cultural aspects of the language, quizzes, thematic lessons and theatrical situations. In general, the new program fully meets the school’s philosophy and takes into account the requirements of all stakeholders, which should lead to good results in the long term.
References
AbuJbara, N. A. K., & Worley, J. A. (2018). Leading toward new horizons with soft skills. On The Horizon-The Strategic Planning Resource for Education Professionals, 26(3), 247-259.
Biesta, G. (2019). Obstinate education: Reconnecting school and society. Brill.
Buyukalan, S. F., & Altinay, Y. B. (2018). Views of Primary Teachers about Homework (A Qualitative Analysis). Journal of Education and Training Studies, 6(9), 152-162.
Chiazzese, G., Fulantelli, G., Pipitone, V., & Taibi, D. (2017). Promoting computational thinking and creativeness in primary school children. In Proceedings of the 5th International Conference on Technological Ecosystems for Enhancing Multiculturality (pp. 1-7).
Cinkara, E. (2020). Quiz Study as a Professional Development Activity for Tertiary-Level EFL Test Writers. TESL-EJ, 24(3), n3.
De Franchis, V., Usai, M. C., Viterbori, P., & Traverso, L. (2017). Preschool executive functioning and literacy achievement in Grades 1 and 3 of primary school: A longitudinal study. Learning and Individual Differences, 54, 184-195.
Itmeizeh, M., & Hassan, A. (2020). New Approaches to Teaching Critical Thinking Skills through a New EFL Curriculum. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 24(07), 8864-8880.
Makhmudov, K. (2020). Ways of Forming Intercultural Communication in Foreign Language Teaching. Science and Education, 1(4).
Moradkhani, S. (2019). EFL teachers’ perceptions of two reflection approaches. English Language Teaching Journal, 73(1), 61-71.
Rozbacher, A., Selci, E., Leiter, J., Ellis, M., & Russell, K. (2017). The effect of concussion or mild traumatic brain injury on school grades, national examination scores, and school attendance: a systematic review. Journal of Neurotrauma, 34(14), 2195-2203.
Sevinc, S., & Lesh, R. (2018). Training mathematics teachers for realistic math problems: a case of modeling-based teacher education courses. ZDM – Mathematics Education, 50(1), 301-314.
Wuryandari, D. A. (2021). Teaching media in studying collocation for increasing students’ language intuition. LADU: Journal of Languages and Education, 1(4), 171-177.