Instructional Strategy for Curriculum Alignment Essay

Total Length: 686 words ( 2 double-spaced pages)

Total Sources: 5

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The field of education has experienced significant reforms in the past decade because of the need for a standards-based, accountability-centered, and systematically-integrated approach for enhancing the quality and outcomes of learning (Porter & Smithson, 2001). As a result of these reforms and need, policymakers, researchers and other relevant stakeholders in this field have become interested in examining the curriculum delivered to students. This interest has primarily focused on the link between the taught curriculum and the intended curriculum. In light of this, curriculum alignment has emerged as an important aspect towards promoting the success of student learning and achievement of learning goals and objectives. In this regard, aligning the intended curriculum, taught curriculum, and learned curriculum is vital towards enhancing learning outcomes.

According to Seitz (2017), curriculum is defined as all courses offered at a school or the learning of students as directed by the school. Therefore, the intended curriculum is defined as standards, guidelines, content, and frameworks that teachers are expected to deliver to students. On the other hand, taught curriculum refers to the content delivered to students by teachers based on the expected curriculum. The learned curriculum refers to the content that has been learned by students with respect to their level of competence/proficiency.

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While the alignment of these three curricula is crucial to the achievement of learning goals and objectives, it’s a complex and time-consuming endeavor (Watermeyer, n.d.). As a result, there are various practical, organizational, and instructional strategies that can be utilized to align the intended curriculum, taught curriculum, and learned curriculum.

The most helpful strategies in ensuring the alignment between these three curricula is instructional strategies. Drake & Burns (2004) states that instructional strategies provide a suitable framework for internal alignment of these three curricula. In this regard, internal alignment takes place when instructional strategies and classroom assessments reflect the intent and language of standards, frameworks, and guidelines of education. Instructional strategies are defined as techniques utilized by teachers/instructors to help students become independent and strategic learners (Alberta Learning, 2002). These strategies are considered effective when they help students to independently choose suitable measure for learning and accomplishing desired goals and objectives.

With regards to curriculum alignment, the use of instructional strategies helps to ensure that the learned curriculum reflects the intended and taught curricula. The most beneficial instructional strategy for curriculum alignment is scaffolded instruction. According to Winn (1994), scaffolded instruction is….....

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"Instructional Strategy For Curriculum Alignment" (2017, November 15) Retrieved June 30, 2025, from
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Latest Chicago Format (16th edition)

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"Instructional Strategy For Curriculum Alignment", 15 November 2017, Accessed.30 June. 2025,
https://www.aceyourpaper.com/essays/instructional-strategy-curriculum-alignment-2166528