The introduction to each curriculum statement gives the philosophical
and educational rationale for the subject and the thinking that underpins
the new emphases. It outlines the structure of the curriculum and the
methodological approaches assumed in the content. The aims and broad
objectives provide a clear statement of the general and particular learning
and developmental goals of the subject.
Overview tables present an outline of the content, while planning pages
provide guidance on the sequence and progression of the objectives. The
content of each curriculum statement is laid out at four levels—infant
classes, first and second classes, third and fourth classes, and fifth and sixth
classes—and articulates a progressive and developmental learning
experience.
The principal division of content in each subject is the strand, and the
number of strands varies with the nature of the content in a particular
subject and curriculum area. The strand unit is a subdivision of the strand and
focuses on the more specific areas of learning that will achieve the
developmental goals of the strand. Each strand incorporates detailed content
objectives. These encompass the learning experiences and the activities that
enable the child to acquire and develop the knowledge and understanding
that the strands and strand units address. In many cases the content
objectives are further elucidated by exemplars. Summaries of the skills and
concepts to be developed at the different class levels are also presented.