UNIT 20: The foreign language area in the curriculum.

Educational project and curriculum school

project criteria.
20. El área de lenguas extranjeras en el currículo. Criterios a reflejar en el proyecto educativo de centro y en el
proyecto curricular de centro.
1. INTRODUCTION
2. ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
3. THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE AREA IN THE CURRICULUM
3.1. General considerations
3.2. The main goal of this area
 UNIT 20: The foreign language area in the curriculum. Educational project and curriculum school project criteria.

1. INTRODUCTION
2. ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM
Spain has been in a process of reforming the Education System at all levels. This reform affects the structure of
the different stages and the curricular elements. The Spanish education system is built according to some basic
principles set out in the 1978 Spanish Constitution, whose Article 27 recognises the right to education as a
basic right that authorities must guarantee; and some basic organic laws, like LODE General Law 8/1985, that
regulates the right to education of the Spanish Constitution and states the main purpose of education (enabling
people develop their personality and play a useful activity in society).
Our current educational law is Law 8/2013, 9th December for the improvement of educational quality
LOMCE which modifies the Organic Law 2/2006, 3rd May (LOE) in some important aspects.
LOE(desarrollar) establishes the basic structure of the Spanish Education System but this structure has been
reorganised by LOMCE(desarrollar). The following areas of Education are introduced:
According to LOMCE, the organisation and stages of education are established as follows:

 Infant/Pre-primary education: Non-compulsory stage for children aged 0-6, still regulated by LOE. It
is divided into 2 cycles: in kindergarten (0-3) and school (3-6), which covers several areas: Read.write
skills, acq. FL /techno/ math/control body.
 Primary Education: It is a six-course (for children aged 6-12) compulsory stage organized into areas
which have a global and inclusive character to acquire the key competences. The emphasis is on catering
for diversity and on preventing learning difficulties, dealing with these as soon as they are detected.
The Law has incorporated a diagnostic evaluation to detect difficulties at the end of 3rd level with no
academic repercussions. Also, at the end of 6th level, there is an external exam in which competences
are measured: The results will be informative for Secondary. In order to facilitate the transition from
Primary to Secondary Education, students receive a personal report of their progress on finishing
Primary Education and starting Secondary School.
 Compulsory Secondary Education consists of 4 academic years (ages 12-16), in which basic elements
of culture are transmitted. It was reorganised by LOMCE.
 Bachillerato: is a non-compulsory 2-year stage. It consists offers three different modalities organised
into different routes students choose. It gives the basis to enter university or a higher level course of
vocational training. To enter university, a common entrance test is needed.

3. THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE AREA IN THE CURRICULUM

It is necessary to start by defining what we understand by the term “curriculum” and curricular concretion. In
Article 6 of LOMCE, curriculum is defined as “the regulations of elements that determine the teaching and learning
processes for each of the different education levels”. The elements to be considered are: objectives, key competences,
contents, evaluation criteria, evaluable learning standards and teaching methodology, which will be explained in
depth throughout the next section.
The government determines the minimum teaching requirements in the country in the basic curriculum for
Primary Education, reflected in Royal Decree 126/2014, 28th February. As for our Autonomous Community,
the Primary Education Curriculum is set up by Castilla- La Mancha Decree 54/2014, 10th July.
Within the LOMCE, areas are classified as follows:

 Obligatory core subjects (which should take up at least 50% of the school timetable):
 Natural Science,  Mathematics and
 Social Science,  First Foreign Language
 Spanish language and literature,
 Obligatory specific subjects among which students should study two in each course. They are:
 Physical Education,
 Religion or Social and Civic Values
and at least one the following areas:
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 Art,
 Second Foreign Language or
 Religion and Social and Civic Values.
 Elective subjects dependent on the Autonomous Community or School.
Once the basic aspects of the Primary Education Curriculum have been set, another process begins known as
curricular concretion which may be defined as “the particularities of the compulsory curriculum in a specific teaching
situation”. We find four levels of curricular concretion:

 First level: the compulsory curriculum enacted by the Ministry of Education Culture and Sports and the
Autonomous Communities.
 Second level: the curriculum adapted to a specific school which is reflected in the Educational Project
and the Teaching Programmes elaborated by the Teaching staff.
 Third level: each teacher adjust the curriculum to the specific characteristics of a group by developing
teaching class programmes and planning a set of units.
 Fourth level: when necessary, the curriculum will be further adapted to certain pupils by means of
Individualized Work Plans.
Let men now justify the inclusion of the foreign language in the curriculum by looking at some general
considerations about its importance:
3.1. General considerations
The Organic Law for the Quality of Education entails a new framework for teaching and learning foreign
languages and considers the improvement of language learning as something necessary. This Law extends
language teaching to all stages of education
The European Union and the Council of Europe provide sharp lines of linguistic policy regarding
educational and working needs in foreign languages. Language learning is understood as a basic competence that
Europe and citizens should acquire.
Nowadays, international barriers are breaking down and people can easily come into contact with other cultures
and languages through travel or information and Communication Technologies. One aspect of this
globalisation is the growing trend for using English as an international language. There are several reasons
for introducing English as a foreign language in the official curriculum.
Foreign languages allow students to access a wider range of professions, to improve their channels of
information and to communicate with people from different countries. The success in business and international
relations is closely linked to the mastery of foreign languages, particularly in the context of the European Union,
where people and goods can move freely through the member states.
Learning a foreign language and its culture develops cognitive and social abilities. It helps children to overcome
their natural egocentrism, as they realise that there are other ways of living and thinking. At the same time, this
contact will foster tolerance and respect towards the foreign culture and people, as well as a better understanding
and appreciation of their own language and culture.
Moreover, children at this age are less distanced from the age in which they learn their first language and they are
still good at understanding and imitating what they hear. Besides, they realise that the same functions and
notions they have just learnt in their native language can be expressed using a different language.
3.2. The main goal of this area
The curricular purpose of modern foreign languages is not to teach a foreign language but to teach how to
communicate using it. Therefore, our main aim is to enable our pupils to reach communicative competence.
Chomsky said that “a speaker has got a subconscious knowledge of the grammar rules of his language which allows him to make
sentences in that language”.
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But, in linguistic theory, both grammaticalness (competence) and acceptability (performance) are considered.
Therefore, Dell Hymes stated that the sources of acceptability are to be found in the following aspects of
communicative competence:
A. Systematical potential: related to the system for creating language a speaker has.
B. Appropriateness: The speaker knows what language is appropriate in a given situation.
C. Feasibility: He or she knows whether something is possible in the language.
D. Occurrence: He knows how often something is said in the language.
Canale and Swain describe communicative competence as “the underlying systems of knowledge of vocabulary and skill
in using the sociolinguistic conventions for a given language.”
Canale mentions four subcompetences of communicative competence:

 Linguistic competence Ability to use the grammar, syntax, and vocabulary of a language. It asks: What
words do I use? How do I put them into phrases and sentences
 Discourse competence  It knows how to interpret the larger context and how to construct longer
stretches of language so that the parts make up a coherent whole. This subcompetence asks How are words,
phrases and sentences put together to create conversations, speeches, emails, articles?
 Sociolinguistic competenceIt relates to how to use and respond to language appropriately, given the
setting, the topic, and the relationships among the people communicating. This subcompetence asks Which
words and phrases fit here better? How can I express a specific attitude (courtesy, authority, friendliness, respect)? How do I
know the other’s attitude?
 Strategic competence  Ability to use strategies to improve communication and recognise and repair
communication breakdowns. It asks How do I know when I’ve misunderstood or when someone has misunderstood
me? What do I say then? How can I express my ideas if I don’t know the name of something?
In the early stages of language learning, instructors and students may want to keep in mind the goal of
communicative efficiency: learners should be able to make themselves understood, using their current proficiency
to the fullest, trying to avoid confusion in the message and using strategies for managing problems in
communication. This has been incorporated into the teaching requirements for primary in Spain.
According to Royal Decree 126/2014 and Castilla La – Mancha Decree 54/2014, we have to bear in mind
socio–cultural aspects in learning a foreign language; this makes reference to traditions, festivals, and special days
in the English culture, as well as the ability to use the language in accordance with the rules of the society, among
others.
Communicative competence acquisition is seen as a creative construction process. Our pupils, drawing on
mother tongue and general cognitive strategies and on the linguistic input they receive, establish hypothesis to
form new rules about the foreign language system. This system, or interlanguage, is gradually contrasted and
improved as new input is presented to our pupils. Therefore, error is seen as an integral part of the learning
process, as it is the manifestation of the effort our pupils are making to acquire the new system. This acquisition
process may be fostered in ways which do not require a linguistic response (Total physical response techniques).
During this stage we will try to familiarise our pupils with the target language also as a means of cultural and
social transmission.
3.3. General stage objectives
The General Stage Objectives guide the teaching-learning process. They must be observable, measurable and
done by learners. In our Curriculum they are defined as references to the achievements that the student must
attain at the end of the educational process, as a result of the teaching and learning experiences intentionally
planned for this purpose. These General Stage Objectives for Primary Education are extracted from Royal
Decree 126/2014, February 28th (Article 7) and CLM Decree 54/2014, July 10th.
Primary education will contribute to the children development of the skills that will enable them to:
UNIT 20: The foreign language area in the curriculum. Educational project and curriculum school project criteria.

a) VALUES AND NORMS OF COEXISTENCE To understand and appreciate the values and standards of
living, to learn to act in accordance with them, to prepare for active citizenship and respect for human rights and
pluralism inherent in a democratic society.
In the English language area these known social situations could be worked through games that are
played in groups or any song, rhyme or dramatization.
b) INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP WORK HABITS. To develop individual and team work, effort and
responsibility in the study as well as attitudes of self-confidence, critical sense, personal initiative, curiosity,
creativity and interest in learning, and entrepreneurship.
This aim is taken to the English language area when they are asked to collaborate with others in
cooperative activities.
c) PACIFIC RESOLUTION OF CONFLICTS. To acquire skills for the prevention and peaceful resolution
of conflicts, enabling them to function independently in the family, as well as in social groups with which they
are associated.
d) KNOWLEDGE AND RESPECT TOWARDS DIFFERENT PEOPLE AND CULTURES. To know,
understand and respect different cultures and differences between people, equal rights and opportunities for
men and women and non-discrimination of people with disabilities.
This aim is inherent to the English language area, since the knowing of a new language also implies
the knowing of the culture in which that language is used.
e) KNOWLEDGE AND PROPER USE OF SPANISH LANGUAGE. To know and use appropriately the
Spanish language and, if any, the co-official language of the Autonomous Community and develop reading
habits.
f) ACQUISITION OF A FOREIGN LANGUAGE. To acquire, in at least one foreign language, skills to
enable them to express and understand simple messages and function in everyday situations.
This aim is on which English language area relies.
g) DEVELOPMENT OF MATHEMATICAL SKILLS. To develop basic Maths skills and initiative in
solving problems that requires elementary operations of calculation, geometry and estimates, as well as being
able to apply to situations in everyday life.
This aim is related to the English language when using numbers or operations in the English
classroom, in order to know the vocabulary related to it.
h) KNOWLEDGE OF MAIN ASPECTS OF NATURAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE. To know the main
features of Natural Science, Social Science, Geography, History and Culture.
i) PROPER USE OF ICTS. To use information and communication technology and develop critical
awareness of the messages sent and received.
This aim is taken to the English language when using specific vocabulary used in new communication
technology, as well as when making use of ICT themselves.
j) USE OF DIFFERENT ARTISTIC EXPRESSIONS. To use representation and artistic expression and
start to build visual and audio-visual proposals.
This aim is applied to the English language when using drama techniques or role playing situations.
k) VALUE OF HYGIENE, HEALTH AND SPORTS. To rate hygiene and health; accept their own body
and that of others, respecting differences and using physical education and sport to encourage both personal and
social development.
This general aim could be related to the English Language area when working out activities like, for
example, “Healthy food”, “Sports” or “Body parts”.
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l) KNOWLEDGE AND VALUE OF ANIMALS. To know and appreciate those animals closest to us and
adopt forms of behaviour which contribute to their preservation and care.
m) DEVELOPMENT OF AFFECTIVE SKILLS. To develop emotional skills in all areas of personality and
in their relationships with others and an attitude opposed to violence, prejudice of any kind and sexist
stereotypes.
In the English Language area this could make reference to the different games, songs, rhymes or
dramatizations planned with the intention of relate with others showing a respectful attitude.
n) PROMOTION OF ROAD-SAFETY EDUCATION. To promote road safety education and respectful
attitudes which affect the prevention of accidents.
Besides, teachers must establish the learning objectives that they propose for the students in each unit. They
should be designed to make the Curriculum more concrete, with the intention of making the contents more
specific, adapted to the group and its educational needs and children’s features. They are based on the adaptation
and interrelation of the Stage Objectives, the Evaluation Criteria, the Evaluable Learning Standards, the Rubrics
and what the teacher wants to get in every didactic unit, from the Content Blocks. LEY RELACIÓN
3.4. Key competences
In Lisbon 2000, the Council of Europe stood out the importance of working through competences. Before that,
in 1996, UNESCO had talked about the benefits that competences have in the teaching learning process.
Key Competences can be defined as the set of skills, knowledge and attitudes that are considered to be
necessary for individuals to achieve a complete personal, social and professional development. Therefore, these
competences must be promoted in every stage as they are needed for a full participation in the current society.
Thus, through a lifelong development, individuals will acquire higher levels of performance transferring the
knowledge acquire to the circumstances they will have to cope with in their lives.
Taking into account Castilla – La Mancha Decree 54/2014, July 10th (Article 3.2) and Royal Decree 126/2014,
28th February (Article 2.2) the seven Key Competences for Primary Education are the following ones:

 Competence in linguistic communication (clc): ability to use the language for communicative purposes. It
is the most important competence in the Foreign Language class.
 Competence in mathematics, science and technology (cmst) It refers to the ability to apply mathematical
and scientific thinking and technological skills to solve everyday problems and situations.
 Digital competence (dc): adaptation to the changes of the new technologies to be competent in current digital
society.
 Learning to learn (l2l) implies learning using strategies and fostering organization and learning management
being motivated.
 Social and civic competences (scc): show empathy, respect and tolerance towards others, with civic attitudes
in the democratic society.
 Sense of initiative and entrepreneurship (sie): transform ideas into actions with planning and critical spirit
to achieve the objective.
 Cultural awareness and expression (cae): knowing and appreciating cultural and artistic demonstrations as
personal enjoyment. It also fosters creativity.
The main educative goal is to acquire competences through the evaluable learning standards and using an
observable process. In this sense, it is essential to take into account the Order ECD 65/2015, 21st January,
which describes the relationship between competences, contents and evaluation criteria for Primary Education,
Compulsory Secondary Education and Bachillerato.

3.5. Contents
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The contents are knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes that contribute to the achievement of objectives and
the acquisition of key competences. The basic national curriculum i.e. Royal Decree 126/2014 distinguishes
four blocks of contents which are:

 1st Block. Comprehension of oral texts.

 2nd Block. Production of oral texts: expression and interaction.
 3rd Block. Comprehension of written texts.
 4th Block. Production of written texts: expression and interaction.
However, in our Autonomous Community, we have two main blocks of contents appearing in the current
Castilla – La Mancha Decree 54/2014, which, in turn, are made up of different specific contents:

 BLOCK 1: Comprehension of oral and written texts

o Comprehension strategies (Mobilization of prior information on task and topic type)
o Sociocultural and sociolinguistic aspects (Interest in knowing customs, values, beliefs and
attitudes)
o Communicative functions (Greetings, introductions, apologies and acknowledgements)
o Syntactic structures (Temporal relationships (when, before, after)
o High frequency lexicon (reception) (Personal identification)
o Sound stress rhythm and intonation patterns (Approach to the rhythm and sound of the
language through rhymes)
o Graphic patterns and basic spelling conventions (Observation of words that are always
capitalized)
 BLOCK 2: Production of oral and written texts
o Production strategies of oral messages (Expression of the message with clearness and coherence)
o Production strategies of written messages (Clear expression of the message adjusting to the
models)
o Sociocultural and sociolinguistic aspects (Social conventions, norms of politeness and registers)
o Communicative functions (Description of people, activities, places and plans)
o Syntactic structures (Temporal relationships (when, before, after)
o High frequency lexicon (production) (Daily activities)
o Sound, stress, rhythm and intonation patterns (Use of some aspects of phonetics, rhythm, stress
and intonation)
o Graphic patterns and basic spelling conventions (Use of basic punctuation marks)

3.6. Methodological guidelines

The Primary Education methodology will be comprehensive and interdisciplinary. The different areas of
learning will have to be interrelated, and they mutually supplement and reinforce each other.
The Act states that the aim of methodology “is pupil’s overall development by integrating. Teaching will be
individualized and will be adapted to each child’s learning pace”.
The multiplicity principle advocates that there is not an only valid method. In fact, it may vary according to the
contents, students, the teacher, the objectives or the context. Being considered the set of strategies, procedures
and actions organized and planned by teachers, consciously and reflexively, the methodology has the main aim
of enabling the students’ learning and the achievement of the objectives proposed with the enhancement of
competency learning joined to a communicative approach which favours learning processes and motivation to
learn. As we stated before, the main goal of FLT is to get our pupils to acquire a communicative competence in
English. Furthermore, we must take into account the methodological guidelines for Foreign Language
established in Castilla- La Mancha Decree 54/2014, 10th July.
3.7. Assessment
Assessment of the pupils’ learning processes will be continuous and comprehensive. Regarding assessment is
firstly important to define what we understand by the term. The term assessment is normally used in reference to
UNIT 20: The foreign language area in the curriculum. Educational project and curriculum school project criteria.

all those activities undertaken by teachers, and by their students in assessing themselves, that provide information
to be used as feedback to modify the teaching and learning activities. Evaluation is an essential tool for analysing
the effectiveness of both the pupils’ learning and the teaching practice, so as to make the necessary decisions to
improve it.
According to the Article 20 in LOMCE, the assessment of students' learning will be continuous and global and
take into account their progress in all subject areas. Evaluation in Primary Education in our autonomous
community is regulated by Articles 9 to 12 of CLM Decree 54/2014 and it is developed in Chapter III of the
Order of 5th August 2014, which regulates the organization and Assessment in Primary Education in the
Autonomous Community of Castile- La Mancha.
Evaluation criteria are the referent to be taken into account when designing evaluation activities. These criteria
are settled down in RD 126/2014 and have been sequenced according to the six different levels of Primary
Education in Castile- La Mancha in CLM Decree 54/2014.
LOMCE has included as a novelty the so called Learning Standards. These are a new curricular element that
they can be defined as the specifications of evaluation criteria which should be clear, measurable and evaluable to
grade pupils' performance. They will value the degree of fulfilment of the different key competences. Evaluable
Learning Standards are divided according to the degree of complexity into three categories: basic (which should
take up at least 50% of the maximum score), intermediate and advanced (not exceed 10% of the maximum
score).
In the event of these not being achieved, it may be advisable for them to stay in that course for another year,
taking into account the conditions established by the government in agreement with the Autonomous
communities. The opinion of the teacher, tutors, inspectors and psychological and pedagogical team will be
taken into account.
3.8. Adaptation of the teaching to individual needs (AÑADIR D. 66 & D. 85)
In order to guarantee equity, LOE (Title II) deals with students with special needs and establishes the resources
required to cater for them to ensure their full integration. The Title covers more precisely the educational
approach towards students who require certain support and special attention as a result of social
circumstances, physical, mental or sensory disability or who show serious behavioural problems. Over
the last decades, the Spanish education system has made significant advances in this area and must continue to
make further inroads. Other groups requiring special treatment are gifted students and students who have
joined the Spanish education system later.
The educational response must be based on the principle of inclusion, regarding the diversity of students as a
principle, not as a measure which corresponds to the needs of a few.
The Law also addresses inequalities through specific programmes developed in schools or in geographical
areas where remedial teaching is required, and through study grants and subsidies aimed at guaranteeing the right
to education to everyone.
We will now specify the general objectives for the stage relating them to the Foreign Language area.
3.9. Evaluation
We first may mention the LEY, which regulates the current evaluation process along with the Decree 89/2014.
This order’s main idea is that evaluation must be continuous and global. Both evaluation criteria and learning
standards (established by the RD 126/2014) are going to be the referents to check the degree of acquisition of
the competences and the achievement of the objectives proposed. COMPROB. CON PROG
The aim of evaluation is to know the level of competence got by students in the development of basic skills.
It is the way that learners have to check the previous and final knowledge of students. In the evaluation process
we have to give answer to three questions:
UNIT 20: The foreign language area in the curriculum. Educational project and curriculum school project criteria.

 What to evaluate? Evaluation Criteria are the specific references to evaluate the learning process in
the students. They describe what we want to value and what learners must reach, regarding both
knowledge and competences.
For each block, we have several criteria that indicate what pupils have to reach in order to be successful
in the achievement of the competences. They are also related to the learning objectives proposed.
They can be summarized in the identification of the sense in an oral or written text, the employment of
different strategies to comprehend and to produce, the function of a text or speech, sociocultural
aspects, the comprehension and management of the most common structures and words, to recognize
phonetic or orthographic elements, to participate in conversations or to build texts applying graphic
patterns. COMPROB. CON D54
On the other hand, Learning Outcomes / Evaluable Learning Standards show the competence level
that pupils must reach at ending the stage. They are specifications of the evaluation criteria that allow the
definition of learning results, and they make more concrete what the learner must know, understand and
do in each area. They should be observable, measurable and gradable. With them, we can check the
students’ efficiency and the aim reached. Their design must contribute and make the evaluation process
easier. Comprob con ley y poner
Taking into account the Evaluable Learning Standards given by the R. D. 126/2014, it is convenient to
adapt them to the level we are designing the didactic units for, creating certain standards to be reached at
the end of this grade and also to each single unit.
Rubrics are helpful in this process, which are tools which allow us to make the evaluation impartial.
They provide us with references to value every aspect of the educative process, giving information for
making decisions and they also show the clear relationship among the elements of the Curriculum. To
elaborate a rubric, we first analyse the learning objectives; then we establish the relation among
competences and evaluation criteria; afterwards, we define the learning standards; and finally, we describe
the levels of acquisition of these standards.

 When to evaluate? (PROG)

 How to evaluate? The evaluation techniques are the teacher’s resources to evaluate pupils. We can
make use of the reports, exams, direct observation, co-evaluation, self-evaluation, daily work, attitude,
homework, teacher’s evaluation and teacher’s self-evaluation.

4. EDUCATIONAL PROJECT AND CURRICULUM SCHOOL PROJECT CRITERIA

According current legislation, the Educational Project and the Curriculum School Project are worked together as
just one document which is The Educational Project known as PE.
4.1. The Educational Project
The Educational Project is a document which specifies the decisions taken by the educative community, through
the School Board, about basic educative options and the general organization of the school. It must include the
school distinctive features, aims and objectives, and organization and these are:

 Who are we?

 What do we want?
 How do we organize ourselves?
In addition to this, The Educational Project consists of:

 General stage objectives

 Contents, Learning standards, Key competences etc according to CLM Decree 54/2014
 Methodological strategies
 Evaluation criteria (What, how, when to evaluate?)
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 Attention to pupils with different needs, etc.

(Our Educational Project has emphasized the acquisition of communicative competence, even by those pupils
with special needs, as one of the main aims of our teaching. Provision should be made for pupils who need to
use:

 Non – sighted methods of reading, such as braille, or acquire information in a non – visual or non –
aural way
 Means of communication other than speech, including technological aids, signing, symbols or lip –
reading
 Technological aids in producing written work
 These provisions should guarantee the fulfilment of the educative community’s aims.))