TEMA 20

TOPIC 20. THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE AREA IN THE CURRICULUM. CRITERIA TO BE REFLECTED IN THE EDUCATIONAL PROJECT AND THE CURRICULAR PROJECT

TEMA 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. Different levels of the curriculum regarding the L2 2.1.First level 2.2.Second level 2.3.Third level 3. Criteria to be reflected in the educational and curricular project.

The Organic Act 1/1990 of General Organisation of the Educational System introduced some important changes, aimed at improving the quality of education in Spain. Among these changes we can mention:  The extension of compulsory education to the age of 16 years old  The establishment of new educational stages such as: Infant Education, Primary Education, and Compulsory Secondary Education.  These stages are organised in cycles, which is the period that should be considered for teaching programs and promotion.  The establishment of a curriculum which, in spite of having certain aspects which are compulsory for all the country, is also open and flexible, as the different autonomous educational services could adapt it to their real context. Then, each school should adapt the official curriculum to their real environment by means of the design and development of the Curricular Project.  Besides, the Centres have the right to define their educational options, their objectives and their organisational structure that will make possible the attainment of such objectives. These aspects must be included in a document called the Educational Project.

Then, taking into account these basic aspects of the educational reform, we are going to deal with: 1

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The Foreign Language area, as it is reflected in the official curriculum.

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The criteria to be reflected in the Educational Project and the Curricular Project, in relation to this area.

2. THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE AREA IN THE OFFICIAL CURRICULUM: The teaching of a foreign language is included among the areas of Primary education, as we can see in the articles number 14 of the Organic Act 1/1990, and also in the article number 5 of the Royal Decree 1344/91, which established the national curriculum for Primary Education. According to these legal documents, the teaching of that foreign language starts in the second cycle. However, in most autonomous regions of Spain, the teaching of a foreign language has been brought forward to the first cycle. The importance given to the learning of a foreign language in current society has to do with certain social, educational and psychological demands, summarised as follows:

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Social demands: derive from the need of communicating with people from other countries in a world, which is becoming a ‘global village’. Besides, the ability of communicating in a foreign language (especially in English) is quite useful to travel abroad, and for the transmission of news and knowledge.

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The Educational demands have to do with the development of cognitive and social abilities by means of the learning of a new language and its culture. This knowledge help children to overcome their natural egocentrism, as they realise that there are other ways of living and seeing reality different from their own. At the same time, this contact will help them to develop tolerance and respect as well as a better understanding and appreciation of their own language and culture.

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Finally, the psychological demands refer to the need of introducing them to the learning of a foreign language, as young as possible, because they are less distanced from the age in which they learn their first language than teenagers or adults, and they are still good at understanding and imitating what they hear. Besides, they

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realise that the same functions and notions they have just learn in their native language, can be expressed, equally well, using a different language. Once we have seen the importance of teaching a foreign language in Primary education, we are going to see how the foreign language area is reflected in the official curriculum through the analysis of its different elements.

There are three fundamental principles governing the current Organic Law of Education ( LOE ) 2/2006 3 May. These principles, which are closely linked to the teachinglearning foreign language , are: o The first is to try to provide quality education to all citizens who are in the education system , so that the objective now is to try to increase the level of the students so that they achieve maximum performance capabilities in all intellectual , cultural, affective and social . This requires , among other things, the teaching of foreign languages , the benefits are known to contribute to the improvement of all previously mentioned aspects , fostering understanding and oral expression and written , interaction with others , social relations, ... o In the second of these principles is talk about the necessary attention to the existing diversity of students in our schools and the difficulties this leads to the coexistence in schools. o Finally , the third principle of the LOE mentions the convergence process of education and training systems of the European Union , which has led to establish achieving common educational goals for the facing future generations adequately to the new society in which we are, and cope with challenges such as: sustained economic growth, improving employment , social cohesion, ...

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Curriculum planning would materialize at three different levels: 1) The first level. The National Government would match, in which the basic aspects that constitute the core curriculum of primary education would be set. In this first curriculum framework, basic skills, as well as ensuring minimum educations are included.

2) Two. At a second level, each Autonomous Community, completing its own autonomic regulation curriculum of primary education.

3) During the last delimitation, schools have the power to develop and finalize the curriculum established from previous levels. Therefore, schools and teachers that integrate play an active and dynamic role thus responding to the principle of academic freedom that the LOE (art. 6.4., And art. 120) attributes to them.

1)

First level

Curricula takes into account the cycles and areas of knowledge. Thanks to the different cycles , we understand a curriculum that focuses on the student, their needs and interests as an individual. We also would help to highlight the element of student learning , which is the protagonist of their own learning ; responding the same way to a developmental characteristics that comprise the cognitive and social .

In the book "Handbook of self-training for language teaching , foreign culture ," Guillen Diaz Castro Prieto ( 1998 ) can be understood that in the 60s the concept of curriculum start focusing on the acquisition of skills and abilities. Thus incorporating questions such as: what to learn , what to teach, how, how much , etc.

" The curriculum is essentially a plan for learning [ ... ] plan the curriculum is the result of decisions affecting three different issues : selection and organization of content , choice of learning experiences; plans to achieve optimal conditions for learning to occur " ( Taba , 1974:73 ) 4

The definition we presented here highlights the following three factors : content , learning experiences and conditions . On the one hand , it is clear that the contents are being strongly emphasize in the law. However, " the choice of learning experiences " or "conditions" the same can not be predicted by a curriculum, although planning to reach an appropriate level . The educational realities define the learning process for the most part . "In the practical experience that students can find the actual curriculum. " (Gimeno Sancristán . J. and Gómez Pérez , A. , 1992) Regarding the EFL , in our context , since 1993 the teaching of foreign languages has been made compulsory from the third grade of primary school . The law that currently rules the education in Spain , the LOE (2006 ) , states that the purpose of the step ( art. 16 ) of primary education is to provide students an education that allows them to strengthen their personal development, gain skills and knowledge related to speaking, listening , reading, writing , numeracy , work habits , creativity, etc. . In its objectives of primary education stage: " Acquire, in at least one foreign language , skills to enable them to express and understand simple messages and function in everyday situations. " Being highlighted adjectives as "basic communication " with reference to competition, and " everyday " about situations. Communicative need is a glimpse of what that elementary students get to be competent in communication. Also , speaking of everyday situations, it refers to contexts of everyday life , and the opportunity to take them out by another language, a foreign is given.

Let us clarify the conceptualization of competence , based on various definitions of authors , relating and comparing each other. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, CEFR (2002 : 9) states that :

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" The use of language - learning - including comprises the actions performed by people who , as individuals and as social agents develop a range of competences , both general and language communication skills , in particular. People use the powers available to them in different contexts and under different conditions and restrictions in order to perform activities involving language processes to produce and receive texts related to issues in specific areas , bringing into play the strategies that seem most appropriate for carrying out the tasks performed. The control of these actions have participants produce reinforcement or modification of their competences.”

Learning a foreign language would encompass both from the linguistic and communicative view, a matter of mastering " competition" ( competence ) and " performance" ( performance ) .

" Linguistic theory is mainly focused on the ideal speaker-listener in a completely homogeneous speech community who knows its language perfectly and who does not affect grammatical level irrelevant conditions as memory limitations , distractions , shifts of attention and the interest and errors in applying their knowledge of language to actual performance " ( Chomsky, 1965 : 3). Chomsky, in 1980 , recognized that in addition to grammatical competence , there is also the pragmatic competence . Pragmatic competence refers to the knowledge of the conditions and providing appropriate language use according to various purposes . It would seem obvious that there are two skills: grammar and pragmatics of language ; referring to " know about " , and "know how " to formal and informal, to the communicative and grammatical respectively.

Another view would be offered by Hymes , who openly criticized the concept of language competence in order to defend the communicative competence, including different linguistic dimensions , but also extralinguistic dimension as well as communication channels and various codes ; that is receptive and productive, while oral written . 6

In other words , the definition of competence would be conceived as a set knowledge and language skills , sociolinguistic , strategic and discourse which happen at a communicative event. Indeed , foreign language, as indicated by the legislation itself is an area of knowledge ; which means having objectives, methodology and content simultaneously characterize that distinguish them from other areas . Even mentioned in article 18 paragraph entitled " Organization " in paragraph 4 states that " In the third cycle of the stage, the educational authorities may add a second foreign language " Not all students learn at the same pace , nor intended. Which means that , as teachers , this should be bear in mind in planning the curriculum areas ; specifically the area of foreign languages need much more planning and organization of activities such as anticipating future problems of classroom learning . As a result, states that it is not always appropriate introducing two or more languages. For some students it will be advantageous , for others not so ; different rates of learning that require different views that focus the educational reality of the establishment in question refers to language teaching . There are advantages and disadvantages , the foreign language teacher must assess and carry out appropriate actions or didactic implications . In Article 19 , referring to the pedagogical principles , it is called " particular emphasis on attention to the diversity of students in individualized care ,as prevention of learning difficulties in the implementation of enforcement mechanisms " . Show the importance of attention to possible difficulties that may present some students in the process of teaching - that schools and therefore work to achieve that objective . However, it seems non-existent reference to those students with high abilities , and also require focused attention to expanding the horizons of their core competencies .

Regarding the section on evaluation (Article 20) is not mentioned at any time the need for assessment of the process of learning a foreign language, although its relevance is above objectives outlined in the stage of Primary Education indicating , although the definition of English as a foreign language as an area of knowledge .

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2)

Second level

So far, the first block would have analyse the legislation at a national level. The second level stands for the regional decree of the Community of Madrid (2007 ) where you would place greater emphasis on these aspects.

The legal approach of the curriculum for each of the areas includes an introduction to specific methodological guidelines and their contribution to the acquisition of basic skills ; the objectives to be achieved by students at the end by organizing step cycles; contents with their corresponding evaluation criteria , which specify the scope of such content and the assessment of its acquisition by students .

Since, as we have previously stated , the LOE established the language as a field of knowledge , this decree considers it as the same. In this area of foreign language knowledge of English membership in the European Union and its framing in the Common European Framework of Reference are repeats .

It is said that the foreign language " must be given in a neutral and appropriate manner to the growth process " ; so it would have as a basic factor maturational learning characteristics of students in Primary, and accordingly , set goals , content and methodological lines .

The same structure characterized by four blocks that is also used in another area of knowledge of Spanish language is followed. These blocks are set around an ontogenetic evolution : listening, speaking , talking, reading, writing, language skills and finally , socio-cultural aspects .

It would be relevant here to refer to Vygotsky which based its conception of how language is created in the theory of Sapir ( 1921, quoted by Vygotsky, 1934) , by which argues that language is a source of unity of communicative functions and representative of our environment. According to this author, the language does not necessarily depend on the cognitive development , but the interaction with their environment. 8

Therefore, the student learns to speak by listening , than perceived and observed his surroundings; this is how it allows the person to go in more complex ways relating to their environment and receive from it more and more information with which will build the world's knowledge of the person. 1) Analyzing the four blocks we found that , in the first block (listening and speaking ) the " variety of discourses , common expressions , phonetic and prosodic nuances " manifests itself as a vehicle using speeches and didactic purpose . 2) In the second, called "Reading and writing " , the knowledge of the written language. Obviously the level or degree to which such knowledge is not equal for all our students , varying depending on several factors: maturational characteristics , methodology, work resources, etc. . Regarding this last point, a brief reference is also made , recommending the use of facilities for (Internet , dictionaries, etc. . ) To encourage and promote improved understanding and composition of written texts. 3) In the third paragraph, states that knowledge of a foreign language should start from the usage scenarios and then inductively acquire a functioning rules of the language. 4) Finally , the sociocultural aspects that contribute to intercultural awareness of customs of a different country. Until then, speak very general guidelines on how to conduct an implementation in classrooms EFL .

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As goals are concerned , we could make a distinction between those of conceptual, procedural and attitudinal nature . Conceptually would : identify phonetic aspects of rhythm, intonation. Among the objectives would emphasize procedural knowledge expressed both oral and in writing , and be able to carry out a comprehensive reading . And, attitudinal assessment of foreign language would find , in our case English. Then, the contents related to the first , second and third cycle is indicated; with an increased focus on the latter. 

In the first cycle , mainly potentiate oral communication.

This type of

communication is a two-way process between speaker and listener , and therefore , compares productive skills of speaking and the receptive skill to understand. Receptive does not mean passive, both listening and reading , learners are actively involved in the process of interpreting and negotiating the meanings of the message. It boosts the basic situations in dialogue form , in English and in any language teaching, both the initiation of learning as its sequel , with more complex communication tasks . It is necessary that the classroom is a place where the word recover , but also giving to silence the value it deserves. Foreign language teachers can play with the artistic and playful use of language so that the student comes into contact with it spontaneously. As Unamuno said " The language itself was a toy : played with him. " . Work results in oracy , thus implying creativity and expressiveness of child language . 10

In the FIRST CYCLE: - The most important skill in the first cycle should be listening. - We must not force children to speak until they are ready to do it. Then at the beginning they can show what they have understood by means of non-verbal actions such as movements, gestures, drawing, cutting, pointing, colouring... - Total Physical Response ( TPR) activities and songs are a good way to help them link words and actions, and express themselves in English in a funny and meaningful way. -

Written language should be avoided, especially in the first year of the cycle, because they are learning to read and write in their native language and the complex English spelling could be confusing for them.

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Contents should be taught by means of didactic units, organised around meaningful topics as: Family, Friends, Christmas, Things of the classroom, The house, Food, Toys, Clothes...

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Children must be already familiar with such topics in their native language. Then, the coordination with the tutor-teacher is very important to establish the sequence of the different didactic units along the cycle.  In the second cycle , the integration of contents are more specific : listening and extracting specific information , previously known production of oral texts through active participation , led writing texts with different communicative and playful , etc misconduct. Notably , within the block 3 : knowledge of the language , actions are mentioned as places close description of students to express possession, expand vocabulary, physical descriptions , etc. . You can see a linguistic level , which has advanced considerably over the first cycle , based almost solely on observation and oral communication. Here come into play and skills of written communication . While in the oral, the student is guided by an intuitive grammar, less structured

syntax, using nonverbal aspects and help him in his speech ; in the field of writing , motivation is not present in all cases, some planning about what you are writing is considered necessary . Accordingly , speech would be used primarily for interaction and the use of language in different communicative contexts , and written language would be intended primarily for the development of various texts , with a target of transmission .

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Listening is still the most important skill, and we must help children to: Understand the global meaning of simple oral messages and extract specific information previously required in contextualised situations. - The oral messages they have to understand should present a simple structure and vocabulary and deal with topics related to children’s interests and needs (such as school, home, family, games, sports...) As far as the development of speaking is concerned, pupils in the 2nd cycle must learn simple linguistic structures, which can be applied to a great number of communicative situations. These situations could be: *Habitual communicative situations in the classroom such as: greeting, identifying oneself, asking for permission, and asking for help. * Situations created by the teacher to promote learning, such as: Identifying and placing objects, people or places, expressing quantity, expressing likes and dislikes, giving simple instructions... In these situations teachers should promote pupils interest in oral communication by means of group activities (simulations, games, and role-plays) where language is used with a communicative aim In spite of the importance given to oral language, the written code is also present in the 2nd cycle from the first day. As far as reading is concerned, we should help students to develop their reading abilities in the foreign language, working on words, short sentences, class instructions, simple descriptions and very short stories, supported by pictures. Children must start just identifying the written form of words and sentences that they already know in the oral form. Then, matching written words and sentences with pictures is the typical reading activity at the beginning of the second cycle.

As far as writing is concerned, we must consider that at this age ( 8 to 10 years old) the communicative needs related to writing are still very limited, even in their native language.  Very short descriptions  Lists to perform tasks ( such as the list of things they need for a party, or a shopping list)  Short messages between classmates (for example short orders in games: go to the door, dance, stand on your chair, go to the left/right...)  Birthday cards, and invitations, Christmas cards...

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Finally, socio-cultural contents in the 2nd cycle should refer to the daily life of children in the English-speaking countries, including aspects such as: schedules, celebrations and festivals, shops, traditional tales and songs. 

In the third cycle there are included some notable differences in the various

blocks. In block 1 called listening and speaking ; content as listening, understanding and information extraction from both computer and audiovisual material exposed ; production suitable for the autonomy messages, and complexity for their age . In block 2: Reading and writing , animation files are set to read , as they could be reading and understanding various texts that meet the students' interests and their language proficiency and stresses and the progressive use of strategies reading . Speaking about the importance of writing , the composition of written texts of various kinds is highlighted. Regarding the knowledge of the language , you can see an extension of content . As for the uses of language , we find the description of people, animals , landscapes and objects ; of past events or future plans , and relevance is given to the enhancement of vocabulary. Upon reflection of the language , discrimination of phonemes most important relationship with the graphical representation of pronunciation and vocabulary and expressions, are content to be placed as remarkable. In the last block , concerning sociocultural and cultural awareness , knowledge of customs of the target language and cultural performing tasks , files that have been treated with continuity from the first year of primary school are remarkable . Then, a comparative summarizing what content are introduced in a novel and what , by contrast , enjoy continued therapy and adapted in each cycle will be discussed . We must help students to go from comprehension to production. The development of oral language is still the main objective. The oral texts they must understand in this cycle will be more complex and longer than in the previous one, as children are already familiar with the sounds of the foreign language, and they are able to use communicative strategies to understand such as: listening for specific information or just to get the general meaning of an oral text, predicting what they think may come next, inferring opinion and attitude from the intonation of the speakers or deducing the meaning of new words from context 13

The oral texts we must offer them must be also related to their interests and needs. For example:

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Descriptions of places or people.

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Conversations between children about their daily life, hobbies, or opinions.

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Fantastic situations based on traditional tales.

Regarding the oral productive skill (speaking) pupils in the third cycle are able to:

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Use verbal and non verbal strategies to be understood (Verbal strategies could be: using a word instead of another, replacing an specific word they don´t know for a more general one or explaining the meaning of a word they don´t know;

Non verbal strategies are: making gestures or sounds, drawing, or pointing to objects, to solve communicative problems) 

Use social relation formulas and expressions, which are used to satisfy basic communicative needs such as greeting, congratulating, thanking, apologising, introducing oneself.... In this cycle most children know what expression they should use according to the communicative situation.

Then, by means to these abilities, they are able to participate in oral exchanges to express their basic communicative needs in the context of the classroom or in real or simulated contexts related to their daily life (dealing with topics such as: home, food, animals, sports, holidays...) correctly enough to be understood.

Regarding WRITTEN COMMUNICATION, in the third cycle we must consider:

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The development of intensive and extensive reading:

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Intensive reading refers to understand every word of short texts (short descriptions or stories, personal letters, advertisements or labels). Extensive reading refers to get the global sense of longer texts, such as: tales, comics or simple books for children with redundant visual support. To read this kind of texts children can resort to the help of the teacher or the dictionary. The most important thing in extensive reading is enjoying the texts.

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Writing in this cycle will focus on the production of short simple texts in response to oral or written stimulus, aimed at different readers and adapted to the different communicative situations. These written texts will include: short personal letters, descriptions and stories.

Finally socio- cultural contents in this cycle will deal with aspects related to daily life in the

English-speaking countries and also with other socio-cultural aspects of those

countries related to the student´s interests, for instance: cars, sport, famous people on pop stars, cinema, environment, cities, famous buildings, sports...

COMPARATIVE BETWEEN THE IMPORTANCE GIVEN TO THE L2 DEPENDING ON THE CYCLE The first thing to discuss would be established in the three cycles is the first differentiation seen in terms of the first two cycles , which speak of "Understanding and speaking " while the third presents " Listening, speaking and conversing ." It seems obvious that to understand what a person is talking about is the importance to be heard and understood him at the same time, so what we are trying to convey with this is the matching of the nomenclature between understanding and listening; need to listen to understand, and understanding is not possible without listening.

1) On the first block , we can interpret an allusive evolution oral stands . On the one hand the first cycle work listening to sentences and simple words , which is increasing in difficulty in the second cycle to refer to specific information . In the third cycle , listening to messages from media or audiovisual resources or digital character is mentioned. 15

2) In block "Reading and writing " , a section called " Reading activities " that will be present at the ` totality of the three cycles is presented ; on the other hand , with respect to writing, in the first cycle of an initiation spoken of it, in the second, then the third and exposes the importance , highlighting the basic features that should model the tasks aimed writing.

3) In the group on the knowledge of the language , we can distinguish a difference between uses of language produced ( refer to what uses has a foreign language to take place within a situation of communicative character , for example, greeting , farewell in the early stages , to develop these skills at higher levels ) and reflection on foreign language.

The elements comprising the uses of language will follow the same line will be focused on similar goals : communicate, identify objects or people , implement vocabulary and be properly used in every situation. However , all will be working with different limits and goals , both age chords held by the students, and their cognitive and psycho-evolutional capabilities ; therefore progression appreciated procedural content . For example , although in the first cycle containing procedural and communicative, would be the farewell or greeting , as in the second novel aspects like taking own information and even talk to other people and identify them are introduced.

4) Speaking on matter relating to reflection on language , would highlight that the same goals are maintained: work and boost at a level adapted to each cycle, stress , rhyme and pronunciation. Much will have to see in them what activities are carried out in the classroom, and how students respond to these.

5) Finally , sociocultural and cultural awareness content they find great similarities in the first two cycles ; however in the third cycle the process leads to the knowledge of various customs or social forms shown in countries where the target language is spoken.

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2.3. Third level After analyzing the legislative framework relating to education in the first two levels of detail , we will talk about where curriculum planning makes sense in the reality of the classroom. As Candlin ( 31 1984) states : Curriculum is generally concerned with making statements about language learning , learning purpose , experience , evaluation , and the role and relationships of teachers and learners . Syllabuses , on the other hand , are more localized and are based on what actually happens at the classroom level.

This is the place in which the teacher interacts with the curricular material , on which he will respond in a decision that span multiple elements that illustrate the process of teaching and learning a foreign or second language . At first , comes into the educational center projects which , in addition to a set of characteristics that distinguish the particular school , too, they select what content and values , and what procedures will be put in Primary Stage practice differentiating between cycles , and indicating which are most suitable for purchase , taking into account the socio-cultural characteristics. This task would be continued in the faculty of Foreign Languages , which would be directly responsible to plan , sequence and produce contents adapted to the characteristics of the student center.

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3. THE EDUCATIVE PROJECT OF THE CENTRE AND THE CURRICULAR PROJECT One of the aspects that the Educative Reform has put more emphasis on, is the need to give more independence to the centres, since they are the key of the educative system. This autonomy is extremely necessary, because the educative process cannot be the same in all the centres, since it has to answer the cultural and socioeconomic context in which centres are placed, as well as students and their families. The reflection about all these specific needs must give the lines to establish the specific features that make the centre have its own educative style. It is good that all the centres have their own choices.

3.1. The Educational Project of a Centre is the document that comprises the decisions or ideas taken by the whole educative community with respect to the basic educative options and to the general organization of the centre. In the Educative Project of a Centre and according to the sociocultural and economic context of the same, we must establish the decisions taken regarding questions such as who we are, what we want, etc., for instance:

- The signs of identity. - The objectives or aims of the centre in which these signs are concreted. - The revision of the general objectives of the Curriculum. - The relations of cooperation amongst all the persons in charge of putting the objectives into practice. -

The organization that will make these objectives possible, which is specified in the "Reglamento de Régimen Interior".

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3.2. THE CURRICULAR PROJECT

+The decisions established in the Educative Project must be specified in the Curricular Project where these principles are explained in order to answer questions like what, when and how to evaluate and teach.

+The most important idea of the Curricular project is that is a process and therefore, it is never ended and it has to be revised very often, because the quality of the teaching can always be improved.

+There are some steps that must be followed to elaborate the Curricular Project: - Elaboration:

Body of teachers of the Stage

- Coordination:

Committee of Pedagogic Coordination

- Approval:

Teaching Staff of the centre

- Report:

Educative Council

- Supervision: Technical inspection

+The aims of the curricular project are:

1. To increase the coherence of the educative practice through the decisions taken by the whole body of teachers of a stage. 2. To increase the competence of the teachers through the evaluation of their work. 3. To adjust the ideas of the curriculum to the context.

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+In order to achieve these aims, the Reform has created a more opened curricular model. This model is characterized by the fact that the educative administrators, that is, the M.E.C., establish a lower level of prescription, and therefore they favour the autonomy of the teaching bodies.

+In the curricular project the prescriptions of the M.E.C. are specified according to the peculiarities of the Comunidades Autónomas and , then, of every centre. The objectives that the educative process tries to achieve in every stage, are explained in the "Reales Decretos de Currículo". The internal decisions taken for every stage are specified in the Curricular Project. Therefore, a centre in which there are students from 3 to 12 years old, will have a single educative project, but two curricular projects: one for the first stage (Infantil) and another for the second (Primaria).

+Once the curricular project has been established, the Programmes of Class will be made. This third level of concretion will comprise the decisions taken for every specific group of students. 3.2.1. BASES OF THE CURRICULAR PROJECT

+We have four great sources to elaborate the Curricular project:

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The educative project.

- The analysis of the background. -

The basic curriculum that the M.E.C. and the Comunidades Autónomas have established.

- The experience derived from the teaching practice of the centre.

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+The Educative Project will be a guide as long as the identity signs of the centre and its aims are specified in it. +The analysis of the context is fundamental, since the aim of the curricular project is to concrete and adapt the decisions that the M.E.C. has taken regarding education in all schools, to the specific needs of every centre. +In the curricular project, the context is analyzed according to the students of every stage, which usually have very difterent features. It also comprises the methodological options, the evaluation or the best way to organize the sequence of the abilities and contents in the cycle. +Another source from which the curricular project is specified, and one of the most important, is the previous experience of the centre that will be more or Iess explicitly explained in its programmes.

3.2.3.EVALUATION

+We will evaluate. -

The students' Iearning,

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The process of teaching and our own teaching practice, with relation to the achievement of the educative objectives of the curriculum.

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We will also evaluate the curricular project itself, the teaching programme and the actual development of the curriculum. +In order to evaluate the Iearning process we have to take some decisions regarding

the situations, strategies and instruments of evaluation. The requisites that the procedures of evaluation must fulfill are:

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To be varied.

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To give concrete information.

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To use different codes.

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To be applicable to more or Iess structured situations of the learning activity.

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To evaluale the transference of the Iearning to different contexts.

+The evaluation is determined in the Curricular Project and, therefore, it must also be decided how to communicate its contents to parents, students, and the rest of the teachers.

+In conclusion ,in the Curricular Project we must also concrete when, how and what we have to evaluate.These aspects must follow three basic lines:

 Initial evaluation: Through this, the teacher knows the actual and previous knowledge his students have in order to develop the didactic unit with the best results. Previous knowledge is what the students already know both regarding the conceptual aspects, and the procedures and the attitudes that are going to be involved in the development of the unit. However, through the activities, the knowledge of the students in these three aspects must be checked. This helps the teacher to readjust his teaching to the reality of his students in order to make them capable to relate the new information with that they already have and therefore, to achieve a significant learning. 

Formative evaluation: The different activities the unit has, constitute by

themselves a procedure of formative evaluation. Throughout the whole didactic unit the students have the chance of analyzing their own progress, since every activity includes a moment to reflect, comment or contrast, their achievements and learning problems. The teacher also readjusts the following settings depending on the results they get. 

Summative evaluation: It is the evaluation of the learning that the students have

achieved throughout the unit. The activities designed to evaluate, follow the same patterns of the activities done throughout the whole unit. This make possible that the

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teacher judges their work according to the same criteria established to achieve the objectives proposed in the development of the unit. +In the Curricular Project, we must as weIl include the criteria to promote the students to the next cycle: "In the context of the process of continuous evaluation when the progress of a student does not globally respond to the programmed objectives, the teachers wiIl adopt the suitable measures of educative reinforcement and of curricular adjustment".

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