REPORT RESUMES ED 016276 24 EA 000 909 RECENT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENTS AT THE MIDDLELEVEL OF FRENCH, WEST GERMAN, AND ITALIAN SCHOOLS. BY SPRINGER, URSULA K. CITY UNIV. OF NEW YORK, BROOKLYN COLL. REPORT NUMBER BR..5.4451 PUB DATE 67 CONTRACT OEC-610211 FORS PRICE MF-41.00HC-S9.72 241P. DESCRIPTORS.- *TEACHING PROCEDURES, *COMPARATIVE EDUCATION, *CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT, *MIDDLE SCHOOLS, EDUCATIONAL CHANGE. CURRICULUM PLANNING, *EDUCATIONAL INNOVATION, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION, SOCIAL STUDIES, MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION, SCIENCE INSTRUCTION, ORGANIZATION, STUDENT ENROLLMENT, BIBLIOGRAPHIES, CHARTS, EDUCATIONAL COUNSELING, CURRICULUM EVALUATION, FRANCE, WEST GERMANY, ITALY, BROOKLYN, FRANCE, WEST GERMANY, AND ITALY ARE SUBJECTS OF AN INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDY TO ACQUAINT AMERICAN EDUCATORS WITH WHAT THE EUROPEAN SCHOOL AUTHORITIES CONSIDER GOOD SCHOOL PROGRAMS, AND WITH THE'DIRECTIONS IN WHICH THE AUTHORITIES ARE MOVING TO ADJUST SCHOOLS TO THE NEEDS OF MODERN SOCIETY. INFORMATION FOR THE STUDY WAS OBTAINED BYTHE AUTHOR THROUGH INTERVIEWS, PERSONAL CONTACTS, LITERATURE, AND SCHOOL AND STATE RECORDS. MIDDLE SCHOOL CURRICULA IS DISCUSSED IN TERMS OF (1) RECENT REFORMS,(2) THE STRUCTURE AND CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM,(3) THE NATURE OF AND PLANNING OF THE CURRICULUM, (4) CHANGES IN GENERAL CURRICULAR POLICIES, (5) INNOVATION, (6) DEVELOPMENTS IN SUBJECT PROGRAMS* AND (7) QUANTITATIVE COMPARISONS OF CURRICULUM PROGRAMS. APPENDICES CONTAIN A BIBLIOGRAPHY, DIAGRAMS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND THE CURRICULA. (HW) RECENT CUARICULUE DEVELOPENTS AT THE MIDDLE LEVEL OF FRENCH, WEST GE16:AN, AND ITALIAN SCHOOLS A Report Al*)\ by `) Ursula K. 41pringer, Ph.D. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, EDUCATION it WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATING IT.POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. RECENT CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENTS AT THE MEDDLE LEVEL OF FRENCH, WEST GERMAN,AO ITALIAN SCHOOLS by URSULA K. SPRINGER, Ph*D. Brooklyn College of the City Universityof New York Report of a Study Financedby a CooperativeResearch Grant of the U.S. Office of Education New York,1967 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGEMNTS viii Chapter I. THE MIDDLE LEVEL AS FOCUS OF THE RECENT rtrronms. 1 II. STRUCTURE AnD CHMACTERISTICS OP THE SCHOCL SYSTEM 13 III. T1ATUnE AND PLANNING C))? TPE CURRICULU1. 31 IV. CHANGES IN GENERAL CUT niculaw POLICIES 48 V. INNOVATIONS ON THE MIDDLE LINEL 62 VI. DEVELOPIIENTS IN SUIWCT PRonnAns 81 Nat_onal Language . 82 Foreign Languages 89 Social Studies 105 Mathematics 124 Sciences 132 VII. QUANTITATIVE COIIPARISONS 07 CURRICULAR PROGRAMS. 150 VIII. CONCLUSIW 171 Summary 171 Evaluation 181 Concluding Thoughts. 188 BIBLIOGRAPHY CHARTS LIST OF CHARTS I. Total Structure of the SchoolSystems II. The Liddle Level - Structureand Terminology III. France, Curriculum Development,Academic schools,l95819-G5 Classical Type and kodern Lanzuageand Science Type France,CurriculumDevelopment,Semi-AcademicSchools, 1961-65 France,CurriculumDevelopment,Non-AcademicSchools, 1961-64 Germany, Hesse - Curriculum Development,1956/7-1961/2 Academic Schools, kodern Language and,science Type Germany, Hesse - CurriculumDevelopment,1956/7-1961/2 Academic Schools, Classical Type Germany, Hesse - CurriculumComparisons Non Academic and Semi-Academic Schools, 1956(still effective) IX. Germany, Lavaria and Berlin -Comparison of Curriculum Development, Semi-Academic Schools(4-Year Type), 1960 -1965 X. Germany, Northrhine-destphalia Curriculum Development 195(0-66, Non-AcademicSchools XI. Italy, Curriculum Development -Academic Schools, 1944/53-1953 XII. Italy, Curriculum Development -Non-AcadeiLic Schools, 1936-1963 XIII. France, Germany, Italy - All School Types Distribution of Academic and Non-AcademicSubjects in Total Hours for Grades6, 7, and 8 XIV. France, Germany, Italy - A11 School Types Distribution of Subjects in jo forGrades 6, 7,and 8 .V. France, Germany, Italy - All School Types Distribution of Academic Subject Groupsin Total Hours for Grades6, 7, and 8 XVI. France, Germany, - AllSchool Types - Comparison of Total Hours perGrade with Proportions of Academic VersusNon-Academic Subjects PREFACE and the de- Little is knownin this countryabout the nature Europe, althoughmany aword of tails of schoolcurricula in Pestern the 'superi- praise isspoken--especially inpolemic context--ahout writing in thefield of ority- of Euroneenschools. Research and concentrated on thesocial dimen- comparative educationhave largely schools, enrollmentratios, sions of the scho/e4(eccess to secondary But what isbeing taught, structural reforms,pciliticz. ofeduca4lion). these questionshave been gen- how the school prearamcsare arranged- study is an attemptat shedding some erally neglected. The nressnt in three Europeancountries. light on theofficial school nrograms not only France, West(lermany, and Italyhave been selected but chieflybe- because I know themwell and speaktheir languages, qestern nations onthe cause they arethe three largestand leading economic achievementsare ofworld- continent. Their cultural and each other havebeen, wide renown andinfluence. Their contacts among all primarilybellicose as history for centuries,intensive and not at proud of their textbooks may lead usto believe. All three are very strengthening theunity of European characterand todaycollaborate in Europe. other in manyrespects that The three countriesresemble each have common rootsand are relevantfor education. Their cultures development (thoughslower in comarable levels. Their industrial aspirations of the Italy) is similar as arethe socialand material systems (multiparty,ideology-based) Peoples. Their political ii resemble each other more than each resemblesthat of say, England or the U.S. Although lest Isrmany is a federal nation, the administra- tive features within its Lander (= states) are similarlycentralized as those of rrance or Italy on thenational level. The ministries of education, for examnle, are nownrful authorities of central control. Among the eleven Lander I selected four that represent afair range of urban and rural, Catholic and Protestant elements- Berlin, Hesse, Northrhine-qestphalia, Bavaria. The school systems of the nree countries share similarintel- lectual and social foundations as well as the problems resultingfrom this heritage. Their public schools rsceived their basic character during the mid-nineteenth century, an era of social classdivisions which pervaded the schools and all ideas on suitable education for the different strata of population. In recent years these nations have begun attempts of adjusting their school systems to the needsof modern tines. Similarly motivated by socio-economic changes, the three countries are now aiming to onen secondaryeducation to larger numbers of their youth. After some preliminary steps, experiments, and statements of nrincinles, during the 1c150's, the governmentsof the three countries almost simultaneously (in 1963-64) butindepend- ently initiated concrete reforms in their school systems. These re- forms are of great social significance 2 they replace the age-old policy of restricted access to secondary schools--the traditional instrument of class differentiation--by a policy of broadeningthe access to secondary education. To accomplish their objectives, how- ever, Prance, West Germany, andItaly chose somewhat different paths. The changes focus on the mi(2dle level (grades5 or 6 to 8), iii i.e., the years inwhich the decisions cnfurther school careers are curriculum of the made. This is why this studyconcentrates on the that middle level, examiningthe development ofthe school programs lainly two ques- accompany thestructural changes of thereforms. tions guide the analysisof the officialschool programs anddirec- revised patterns tives 1) in what manner and towhat extent do the concu-: with theavowed goal of broadeningeducational opportunities, and 2) to what extent dothe revisions includemodernization, i.e., attention to training in contemporarymodes of thought, andin skills and knowledge needed forccmoetent living in ourtimes? The comparative analysisapplied in this study seemsuseful in demonstrating the range ofdifferent approaches incoping with analogous problems underconnarable conditions. It also serves to highlight the common elementsof the reform processes.this, in turn, may lead tocautious generalizations abouttrends that seem typical The extent of for continental (west)European schooldevelopments. comparison has generally beenlimited to description,analysis, and interpretation of the programs,omitting the explanation ofthe in the causes ofdifferences as functions ofthe complex variables matrixes of national characteristics.Causal explanation wouldhave required much more attention tothese 'background'variables in the three societies. It should furthermorebe clearly stated thatthis study assesses thenormative dimensions, notthe actual uses of the cur- quite a ricula. The picture of'reality", in its many varieties, has scientists and, for different relevance--oneof interest to social This study example, to specialistsin educationaladministration. iv deliberately concentrates on the ideasand Clans that give shape to the instructional work of the schools. These ideas and developments are assumed to be ofinterestto American educators. If the results as shown in this renort do not annearstartling or