Designing a curriculum for both fundamental scholar skills and SEL

• In Event: Keeping the Bar High: Achieving Quality Education in Conflict Contexts

Proposal

The original theory behind accelerated learning (based on Gardner, Lozanov, Bruner, or Charlick’s work) focused, in a northern context, on enabling more effective learning, depth, and clarity. This conception of accelerated learning required a well-resourced environment. Because there are numerous challenges in Southern countries, agencies and governments working in developing countries later adopted a very different model of accelerated learning.

The ERSA’s ALP is a carefully conceived hybrid between the original theory of accelerated learning, focusing on efficient learning and teaching methodologies, and the revised Accelerated Learning Profile for Conflict Settings. Numerous challenges do not preclude the use of ambitious and efficient educational techniques. On the contrary, it makes them necessary. Although Malian resources are scarce (technical, infrastructural, nutritional...), the conflict context and the reduced time requires efficient and caring teaching, as well as adapted materials - even more than in favorable contexts. In order for ERSA’s ALP to meet all target children’s needs, ERSA designed a high-quality instructional approach:
- Focused on skills rather than on contents. The Adapted Program for Resilience and School Reinsertion centers (PARIS in French) reading and writing curriculum is based on skills rather than contents, as is the official curriculum.
- Balanced literacy. Guided reading and writing, as well as class news or word work games, offer students opportunities to try to solve problems, and to learn actively. Balanced literacy is learner-centered and interactive, because it emphasizes independent learning and the development of autonomous strategies to complete a task.
- Differentiated pedagogy. PARIS is based on differentiated pedagogy that includes the establishment of links between learning and children’s real-life experience or prior knowledge. Both in math and language, objectives are presented at various levels to allow all children to progress and remain on task.
- An open and active approach in math. All daily PARIS math lessons include problem/puzzle solving, and manipulatives. This provides children the opportunity to find different ways to solve one problem.
- A caring classroom: All facilitators are trained in how to make the classroom a caring space. This includes the facilitators’ code of conduct, interactions with students, attitudes towards children, class management, instructional practices, attention to the emotional well-being of students, to children’s rights, and to respect of girls’ rights, promoting a participatory class, and positive discipline (techniques to maintain discipline without punishment) ...
- A curriculum of “Living Together” (Vivre-ensemble) responding to the conflict-sensitive context. One-third of the instruction time is devoted to the “living together” curriculum, which contains varied content related to life skills, peace building, conflict mitigation and prevention, WASH, arts, and physical activities. Many activities provided in this curriculum are directly inspired by Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences. Some others are derived from healing classes, such as artistic activities or expression/discussion activities. All intelligences and abilities are valued through Vivre-ensemble activities.

The presentation will first describe how this curriculum is expected to meet children's needs. Secondly, lessons learned for the practical implementation of this curriculum will be shared, highlighting challenges and results achieved. To conclude, it will make some recommendations to address challenges in implementing this kind of curriculum in conflict settings. 

Author

• Sylvaine Von Mende, Education Development Center (EDC)