Curriculum slippage and sustainable learning

Curriculum slippage refers to the reinterpretation of goals, contents and processes of learning at different phases of the implementation process. Slippage can adjust, distort or even subvert the original intentions of curriculum planners. This presentation reports on a study of (in)coherence in the College English Test (CET) in the People’s Republic of China. It compares key features and contents of the CET syllabus, popular textbooks and the assessment instruments, and finds significant variations across and within these curriculum products. The slippage creates dilemmas for the teachers and students. Which pedagogy and what learning is most effective for achieving the best assessment outcomes? To what extent should class time be devoted to aspects that are not likely to be assessed? Such disconnections could create barriers for sustained effective teaching and learning. This presentation is intended to stimulate discussion on what forms of “loose coherence” is desirable among the various curriculum products. Copyright © 2019 CESHK Spring Conference.