by Frances Stanford

Created on: April 06, 2011   Last Updated: April 12, 2011

Curriculum compacting is the term that is now used to describe enrichment programs that are being utilized in classrooms for higher ability students. In the past they were completely different from the regular curriculum and were often thought of as busy work for students who knew the answers to all the questions and had their work completed correctly before the main body of students in the class. Today, however, it is related to differentiated instruction and is a way in which teachers can ensure that the brighter students are getting just as much out of the instructional time as the students who really need it.

Curriculum compacting really means that you determine what learning outcomes in a given unit of study can be eliminated for certain students in the class. It is a waste of time for both the teacher and the students to devote time to teaching students about concepts when they probably already know more about the topic than the teacher does. This narrows down the area in which the teacher needs to provide these students with direct instruction and can individualize the areas so that the curriculum caters to their needs.

Instead of doing the usual practice work that the other students in the class are working on, these students can work on more challenging projects that peak their interest and extend the curriculum beyond what is offered in the textbook. It accelerates the content so that the students who are more capable can feel that they are actually learning. It does not mean that the teacher will simply use the learning outcomes of the next year’s work because this may interfere with other teachers and schools who are not as competent in preparing the students.

Curriculum compacting means that the teacher does need to do extra planning. It may be that there are only one or two students in the class that need this extra work, but the time spent in determining what objectives they have already mastered will cut down on the interruptions in class. The students will also feel that they are valued for their knowledge and at the same time they will not feel any different from their classmates because they are still working on the same unit of study, albeit in a different manner.

The curriculum is already being modified in the classroom for the lower ability students so that they can have a better understanding of all the concepts they are expected to master in the course. It is only natural that the curriculum should also be modified to meet the needs of those who need extra help in a different manner. 

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