In Aotearoa New Zealand the curriculum is provided through Te Whāriki: Early Childhood Curriculum, and The New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. These curricula provide the basis for educating all children, including BLENNZ learners who are blind, deafblind or have low vision.
There is also a body of knowledge and skills specific to blind, deafblind and low vision learners that is not inherently addressed in Te Whāriki or The New Zealand Curriculum. This is known as the Expanded Core Curriculum. The Expanded Core Curriculum is a tool that supports learners who are blind, deafblind and have low vision to access and participate in the regular curriculum, as well as develop independence skills. Adopted internationally, the Expanded Core Curriculum is critical to supporting positive learning outcomes. It is complementary to the regular curricula and does not replace it.
The Expanded Core Curriculum forms the basis of BLENNZ programmes of teaching and learning.
The Expanded Core Curriculum covers the following areas of learning:
- Communication e.g. concept development, tactile communication (e.g. braille)
- Sensory Efficiency skills
- Physical Abilities
- Developmental Orientation and Mobility
- Social skills
- Life skills
- Assistive Technology
- Career and Future Planning
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Te Whāriki is the Ministry of Education’s early childhood curriculum policy statement. All early childhood education services are required to deliver a curriculum that empowers young children to be confident... Read more -
The National Curriculum includes two documents: New Zealand Curriculum Te Marautanga o Aotearoa These documents provide guidance to schools that help to determine the direction of student learning, from two... Read more -
Tēnā koutou katoa I am delighted to introduce the BLENNZ Curriculum it has been compiled in consultation with a wide range of people from across the BLENNZ network and with... Read more
