I've heard about an expanded curriculum for students who have disabilities. What is this curriculum and what is the relationship of this curriculum to the general curriculum that I teach? Also, how do I help students acquire the knowledge and skills in this curriculum?
The expanded curriculum refers to learning goals for some students that go beyond those in the general education curriculum and include goals in areas such as motor skills, independent living skills, and social/emotional development. While these expanded sets of skills may only be necessary for some students (e.g., motor skills for a child who has a physical disability), adding these skills for the child who needs them supports him or her to succeed in the general education curriculum.
Factual Information
As a general education teacher, you will work closely with special education teachers in your school when offering an expanded curriculum for one or several of your students. In fact, you will find that the special education teacher will take the lead in implementing the expanded curriculum. Although your special education colleague is in a leadership role, you will need to work closely with him/her because your shared knowledge about the child will support you both in helping the child achieve independence in the area where the expanded curriculum is needed (e.g., motor skills) and in achieving goals related to the general education curriculum.
Classroom Activities
No classroom activities are available at this time.
Collaboration
No collaborative activities are available at this time.
Resources and Links
- The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving educational outcomes for individuals with exceptionalities, students with disabilities, and/or the gifted. CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies, sets professional standards, provides continual professional development, advocates for newly and historically underserved individuals with exceptionalities, and helps professionals obtain conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice.
- For a review of how the expanded curriculum is described in national standards, refer to sections 1.03, 1.07, 4.01, 7.01, 7.03, 7.09, and Principle #8 in the INTASC (Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) beginning teacher standards.
- The American Foundation for the Blind website provides information about implementing the areas of the expanded curriculum for students who are blind or visually impaired.