In recent years, China has continued to make policy changes and improvements in view and in reference to newer iterations of educational models and in the pursuit of a more holistic education. From the "double reduction policy" to the "3+1+2" new college entrance examination reforms aimed at a more all-round development, to the "family education promotion policy" focusing on supporting and guiding families themselves ......
The introduction of these new policies has not only given children a fairer and higher quality education, but also revitalised the entire educational landscape in China as never before. In September last year, another major education policy concerning primary and secondary schools nationwide also began to spread rapidly after its release, this policy also emphasised and redefined the meaning of education in this new era: it was the 2022 Chinese Curriculum Standards issued by the Ministry of Education in April 2022.
What's different in 2022 Chinese Curriculum Standards?
The new curriculum standards, which has been in development since 2019, brings together the wisdom of nearly 300 distinguished academics, subject experts, education specialists, key teachers along with education administrators, to develop a blueprint for the education of people in schools all across China over the next decade and beyond.
The new curriculum standards clearly reflect that the future of compulsory education will be oriented towards core competencies, standardising curriculum objectives and literacy, better structuring curriculum content, increasing practical subject learning & standardising academic quality, and providing students with quality and balanced development opportunities through integrated teaching and assessment, large unit design, structured thinking and teaching, cross-curricular thematic and project learning, along with homework and question design reforms provide students with a high-quality and balanced approach to development. The new approach is really refreshing to many parents, and the proportions and curriculum design of the 16 subjects have become the primary focus of attention.
The changes in the new curriculum standards are particularly striking for Chinese literature and culture. Not only does Chinese top the list of all subjects with 20-22% of total lesson time, but it also incorporates four new core literacies in the curriculum: cultural confidence, language use, thinking skills and aesthetic creativity. In addition, the integration of more traditional cultural knowledge is also a major highlight. Starting from literacy, writing, reading and appreciation, the teaching of literary texts and poetry will be carried out in contextual, practical and integrated learning activities to help students form positive cultural values, excellent character development and key competencies.
English has always been seen by many as one of the 'four main subjects' for children. In this reform, the amount of time spent on English has been significantly reduced, with a ratio accounting for 6-8%, behind both PE and Art. However, this does not mean that learning English is of less importance. On the contrary, the reformed English lessons will return to the language itself and will demand a certain level of understanding, application, and practical use from students. For example, the old vocabulary requirement for compulsory education was 1,600 words, but the new standards has increased the vocabulary to 2,000 words at the highest level, which is a serious challenge to students' knowledge and ability to learn English in general, and will require students to actively learn HOW to use the language rather than simply knowing rules.
In line with the new concept of all-round development in education, morality, physical education and the arts have finally been given a new lease of life. The former "Morality and Life" and "Morality and Society" in primary school and the former "Thought and Virtue" in secondary school have been integrated for nine years to become "Morality and Law", accounting for 6%-8%; the former "Physical Education" has been expanded to "Physical Education and Health", which accounts for 10%-11%, and includes six new categories of sports (athletics, ball games, gymnastics, water sports or ice-sports, traditional Chinese sports and emerging sports); "Art" subjects are also not far behind, with a very high percentage of 9%-11%, while music and art are the main lines of study, incorporating content from a number of areas such as dance, drama, film and television. The renewed emphasis on courses such as physical education and the arts also speaks volumes about the country's recognition and support for the concept of diversified education, and moreover predicts the immediate need for skilled field personnel in the coming era.
This new policy took the Chinese Ministry of Education three years to promulgate, and the 2022 Chinese Curriculum Standards set out the teaching objectives and implementation requirements for each subject, and are the basis for the development of teaching materials and the basic outline for schools to follow in developing their curriculum.
Whether public, private, bilingual, or international, all schools and levels of education will be affected by these new reforms. The new curriculum will be the key to children's future learning & growth, and will guide schools in setting new educational goals and developing an education that will nurture the talents of a new era.
——ACZS Primary Academic Management Team
7 Key Words of
Our Education
Good tools are a pre-requisite to the successful execution of a job. As a future-oriented school, ACZS is already a blend of Chinese and Western cultures and pedagogies, and the new curriculum standards are in line with the approach we have already committed ourselves to and has inspired us to do even more. In this div, we will share 7 dimensions of the school's new integrated education in the compulsory education stage, taking both reference and guidance from the new curriculum standards.
Through the reform, the future of both primary and secondary education will focus on developing students core competencies as a key goal. In addition to the basic core curriculum of Chinese, English, Mathematics, Morality, Art, Physical Education and Music, ACZS also incorporates the diversity of cultures and pedagogies from around the world, providing our students with extension and inquiry classes such as English Mathematics, Extended Sports, Science Exploration, and Information Technology. In addition, a wide range of co-curriculum activities create opportunities for children to explore different fields to develop their interest and talents.
At the same time, our World Ready Programme, a cornerstone programme at ACZS, aims to develop pupil’s all-around skills outside of just their academics, and cultivates well rounded talents prepared for the future, and help pupils to enter the world fully prepared to meet any challenge they may face. Our students will be digitally ready, culturally ready, academically ready, work ready, socially ready, and life ready to allow them to stand on the future stage with confidence through the diverse platform and programmes provided by our school's holistic education.
Academic Quality Standards
One of the key additions of the new curriculum standards, 'Standardised Academic Quality', is a holistic picture of students' academic achievement. It will not only reflect the actual level of students' core literacy and academic achievement at the end of the learning period, but also summarise and guide teachers' teaching methods and quality. At ACZS, we will provide a more detailed criteria to assess each child's growth and learning in a comprehensive and personalised way, taking into account the characteristics and realities of different grades and subjects. Regular parent-teacher meetings, principal's coffee and internal open days are also organised to update parents on the status of their child's learning and to clarify the next stage of learning goals in our tailor-made learning programmes.
Within the new Curriculum Standards is a phrases that appears frequently, 'real-life situations' ACZS also shares this philosophy, and is committed to creating an environment of learning and exploration that is closely linked to the real world, and in doing so, develops children's comprehensive problem-solving skills. The school not only empowers students to explore subjects on a day-to-day basis through a multi-faceted, open learning space, but also through activities that extend from the classroom (e.g. visits to museums, science museums, television stations, folk culture, etc.) and allow students to deepen their knowledge and interest in dealing with real-life events.
Unlike monotonous lectures and rote memorisation, ACZS also takes subject practice to a whole new level while following the guidelines of the new curriculum standards. We encourage children to move away from rote learning to the flexible application of learning and understand in depth the subject itself. The school's academic team will reorganise and design all subject content to highlight the practical application of knowledge and skills, while teachers will guide students to "learn by doing" and "do by learning", so that their knowledge and subject skills can be put to use in real life, and allow students to develop the ability to summarise and infer.
Interdisciplinary Learning
We all know that solving complex social problems involves not only the knowledge of a single discipline, but also a wide range of different skills. Interdisciplinary learning is highlighted in the new curriculum standards and something we have always been committed to providing at ACZS. This approach helps break down the barriers between subjects and develop a broader range of knowledge and cultural literacy, and children can integrate the knowledge and skills they have learnt, form a more complete knowledge structure, and gain a first-hand appreciation of the diversity and complexity of the real world.
The new curriculum standards clearly state that "we should promote integrated learning, explore large-unit teaching, and carry out integrated teaching activities such as thematic and project-based learning". As one of the traditional strengths of ACZS, almost every one of our teachers has a deep insight into project-based teaching. For example, the theme of a particular class may be building a swimming pool, and the teacher will provide key materials for this on a student-centred basis and build an open and inclusive learning environment. Students are able to explore the process from the beginning of the design to the identification of materials, engineering facilities and calculations and finally explore making the product on their own, fully stimulating their own interest and initiative through the learning process.
After the new curriculum standards have been implemented, the assessment system for compulsory education has undergone a radical change: examinations are no longer the only criterion for measuring a child's performance. At ACZS, we recognise the comprehensive, process-based and formative assessment process. Our assessment of students will include daily observations and records, teacher-student dialogue, group work and performance during the completion of projects, all to provide a big picture understanding and determination of students achievement and understanding of learning objectives and progress. All subject teachers receive training and are required to be proficient in keeping detailed records of each child's learning and creating a unique 'growth profile'.
The the new standards have brought forward thinking approaches and new teaching solutions that have inspired countless educators in ways that cannot be put into words, and have driven every school forward one after another, ACZS was one of them and was proud to have already developed a programme that really meets and aligns with the new curriculum standards. The new standards have reinforced our philosophy of student-centred education, developing core competency and nurturing future diverse talents.
We believe that education is a noble endeavour that needs to be constantly refined and polished and requires endurance through challenges. Only by keeping a keen eye on the times, striving to be at the forefront of the world's educational trends, continually looking back to reflect, and constantly learning & innovating, can we bring a more ideal future to our children.
