From Needs Analysis to Negotiated Class Work Within the National Primary English Curriculum

From Needs Analysis to Negotiated Class Work Within the National Primary English Curriculum

  Based on the perspectives of a learner-centered curriculum, this paper mainly explores needs analysis and negotiation within the Korean National Primary English Curriculum(KNPEC). In a learner-centered curriculum. it is seen as essential to analyze the needs of the main stakeholders: -learners- in order to develop or revise a curriculum. Moreover, a curriculum should be recognised as a collaborative effort between teachers and learners, since learners are closely involved in the decision making process regarding the content of the curriculum. In reality, however, most of the key decisions relating to the curriculum used to be determined before any encounters between teacher and learner in Korea. In particular, Korean students lie within a compulsory educational boundary based on the national curriculum, which poses difficulties for their participation in the process of decision-making within their learning. Within this context, this paper explores the possible methods of needs analysis and negotiation between a teacher and students in a primary English classroom, discussing the issues arising in needs analysis and negotiation in the classroom. This paper aims to provide some insights for developing, revising or implementing a curriculum; moreover it offers meaningful information for the successful realization of a curriculum.