CORE DECISIONS 1
Curriculum Change Plan: Part 4 - Core Decisions
Courtney Goins
School of Education, Liberty University
Word Count (body only): [1509]
Curriculum Change Plan: Part 4 - Core Decisions
Curriculum Model
When developing a curriculum change plan for explicit and systematic phonics
instruction for early elementary students, particularly kindergarten students, the Taba
curriculum model is the most appropriate guide for this change. The Taba curriculum model
focuses on the needs of learners by beginning with the diagnosis of students' needs and then
formulating the objectives, content, and organization of the content (Endeley et al., 2021). Hilda
Taba believes that learning should be a sequential and logical process, which aligns with the
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need for an explicit and systematic phonics instruction for all students. Taba’s curriculum model
was a linear model influenced by Ralph Tyler, which focused on how elements were connected.
Ralph Tyler’s model focused on four stages or principles of curriculum and instruction, which
included defining the purpose of the school, selecting the related educational experiences,
organizing those experiences, and evaluating the objectives (Bhuttah et al., 2019). Hilda Taba
built upon Ralph Tyler's curriculum model by introducing and emphasizing the role of teachers
in curriculum development (Bhuttah et al., 2019). Her approach to curriculum development
became known as a grassroots approach because of her emphasis on the importance of
teachers. This curriculum method outlines seven steps, including the diagnosis of needs,
formulation of objectives, selection of content, organization of the content, selection of learning
experiences, organization of learning activities, and evaluation (Bhuttah et al., 2019). Her
curriculum model places teachers' input at the center and demonstrates how their input is
integral to every aspect of the development.
Hilda Taba’s curriculum model is known as a grassroots model, which began from the
influence of Ralph Tyler. Her model was a linear model, similar to Tyler’s, but she sought more
information at each stage of development and believed that patterns were integral to the
teaching and learning process (Print, 2020). Taba wrote several books on curriculum, but her
most widely known, Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice, examined the process of
creating curriculum and how teachers should participate in its development (Bhuttah et al.,
2019).
Hilda Taba’s curriculum model believes that curriculum should be a sequential and
logical process (Endeley et al., 2021). This aligns with the need for explicit and systematic
phonics instruction. The structured literacy model, which supports all students in reading
instruction, shows how Taba’s model aligns with the needs of students to support their reading
instruction. The first connection is the need for differentiated instruction to accommodate and
meet the needs of all students, and then the connections move to the principles of effective
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instruction, including that it should be explicit, sequential, cumulative, multimodal, data-driven,
targeted, feedback, highly interactive, and scaffolded (Webster, 2023). Looking at both
structured literacy and Taba’s model, you see connections that could bring success for all
students in a systematic and explicit instruction model.
Hilda Taba’s curriculum model can help drive the curriculum change to bring systematic
and explicit instruction to early elementary classrooms. This curriculum model looks at
sequential and logical processes in curriculum development, focuses on student needs, and
teacher engagement throughout the entire development. Incorporating Hilda Taba’s curriculum
development model with explicit and systematic instruction enables teachers to meet the
diverse needs of their students in a clear, logical, and sequential manner, providing students
with the skills they need in a way that is understandable and allows them to see growth.
Allowing teacher input in the process of systematic and explicit phonics instruction empowers
them to take control of reading instruction in their classroom, as they are the ones who know
their students best.
Balyer et al. (2017) discuss the relationship between teacher empowerment, engagement, and
student success. When teachers can provide their students with what they need, students can
be more successful.
Assessment
Assessment is a crucial part of building a systematic and explicit phonics instruction
program. To create a student profile, teachers need formative, summative, and informal
assessments. Diagnostic assessments enable teachers to adjust their pacing, differentiate
instruction according to student needs, and inform decisions on whether students are ready to
progress to the next step in the systematic process (Stu-McCarthy, 2023). This approach will
work with initial screeners to begin, allowing teachers to understand the skills students possess
initially. This will show teachers where to begin in their systematic and explicit instruction.
Teachers will then use both formal and informal methods throughout the instruction to assess
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students’ growth. Informal assessments can include observations and feedback, small-group
learning, or questioning techniques (Webster, 2023). Formative assessment for systematic and
explicit phonics instruction can also include word reading assessments, spelling assessments,
dictation assessments, and decoding assessments (Stohlman, n.d.). Using formative, summative,
and informal assessments to track student learning enables teachers to identify missing
concepts more quickly and take targeted actions to support student success.
Data-driven instruction enables all students to succeed in the classroom. As Christian
educators, when we analyze student data and understand their strengths and weaknesses, we
can provide them with the guidance they need in a manner that demonstrates love and respect
for the student and their abilities. The Bible tells us in John, a new commandment to show love
to those around us, “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you
are to love one another” (Christian Standard Bible, 2017/2019, John 13:34). Tony Evans (2017)
goes on to explain that “Biblical love is the decision to compassionately, responsibly, and
righteously peruse the wellbeing of another person” (p. 2264). Educators must be willing to give
of themselves to help students become the best they can be. Love and respect demonstrate to
students that they are valued members of the classroom, and in turn, guide them toward
success.
Evaluation
Evaluation of the proposed curriculum change plan for explicit and systematic phonics
instruction in kindergarten will include various strategies, including components of the Taba
Model of curriculum development. Explicit and Systematic phonics instruction begins with a
data-driven approach, which focuses on collecting data based on how students perform on
various assessments and screeners (Webster, 2023). Teachers will start this process with initial
screeners that will identify what students already know in relation to phonics skills, such as
letter names, letter sounds, word reading, and identifying sounds in various positions. This will
enable teachers to utilize the data from the screeners to create fluid groups and track student
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progress and areas of need. The data will also enable the creation of clear objectives and a
learning sequence. Both Taba’s curriculum model and explicit and systematic phonics instruction
emphasize a sequential and logical progression in instruction. However, Taba believes that
teachers should be involved in evaluating students and the curriculum. Teacher engagement
fosters a supportive and safe environment for students, enabling them to develop self-
confidence and mastery of skills (Kentucky Department of Education, 2025).
The evaluation of the curriculum change plan will include diagnostic screeners, formative
and summative assessments, as well as progress monitoring data, which will be used to
determine how each student is progressing in relation to the objectives being taught. Teaching
early elementary students through an explicit and systematic approach enables teachers to
build on previous skills cumulatively, progressing from simple to complex skills (Kentucky
Department of Education, 2025). The curriculum change plan will enable students to build on
their reading skills through progress monitoring, allowing teachers to track students' progress
and provide them with the opportunity to adjust lessons as needed to meet individual student
goals and achieve their objectives (Kentucky Department of Education, 2025).
Teacher engagement is crucial for evaluating this curriculum change plan. Teachers know
their students best and have the ability to provide frequent progress monitoring to guide
instruction and provide feedback as necessary to increase student success (Kentucky
Department of Education, 2025). When teachers are engaged in the curriculum process and can
make decisions regarding their students and what they need, their problem-solving abilities
improve, and they exhibit a greater commitment to the school (Balyer et al., 2017). Curriculum
evaluation allows teachers and stakeholders to analyze student data and the effectiveness of
teachers and resources. When student progress and curriculum are analyzed, teachers and
stakeholders can make judgments about the effectiveness of the curriculum and the objectives
for students (Button, 2021). Furthermore, when teachers are allowed to provide valuable input
about student progress and the quality of the materials used to guide instruction, they offer
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crucial information for evaluating the curriculum. When curriculum evaluation is practical, it
enables students, teachers, and stakeholders to observe the growth, abilities, and quality of
instruction. When that evaluation is combined with theories such as Hilda Taba, who pushes for
teacher engagement and a logical and progressive curriculum, then teachers can understand the
growth their students are making, see how the resources are helping their students achieve,
and provide valuable feedback that will allow quality instruction for students both inside and
outside the classroom.
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References
BALYER, A., OZCAN, K., & YILDIZ, A. (2017). Teacher empowerment: School administrators' roles.
Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 17(70), 1–18.
https://doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2017.70.1
Bhuttah, T. M., Xiaoduan, C., Ullah, H., & Javed, S. (2019). Analysis of Curriculum Development
Stages from the Perspective of Tyler, Taba and Wheeler. European
Journal of Social Sciences, 58(1), 14–22.
Button, L. (2021). Curriculum Essentials: A Journey. University of Colorado Colorado Springs.
Endeley, M. N., & Zama, M. A. (2021). Perspectives in curriculum studies. Spears Books.
Evans, T. (2019). The Tony Evans Bible commentary: Advancing god’s kingdom agenda.
Holman Bible Publishers.
Kentucky Department of Education. (2025, September 10). Structured literacy. Structured
Literacy - Kentucky Department of Education.
https://www.education.ky.gov/curriculum/EarlyLiteracy/Pages/structured_literacy.aspx#: ~:text=Structured
%20Literacy%20Defined,decode%20words%20explicitly%20and%20s
ystematically.
Print, M. (2020). Curriculum development and design. Routledge, Taylor & Fracis Group.
Stohlman, S. (n.d.). Systematic, explicit phonics instruction. Teacher Professional Development
Series. https://doe.louisiana.gov/docs/default-source/literacy/k-2-teacher-pd-session-
5systematic-explicit-phonics.pdf?sfvrsn=c56f6718_3
Stu-McCarthy, K. (2023). Structured Literacy: An Effective Approach for All
Students. Learning to Teach Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
Through Research and Practice, 12(1). Retrieved from
https://openjournals.utoledo.edu/index.php/learningtoteach/article/view/788
The Tony Evans Study Bible: Advancing God’s kingdom agenda. (2019). Holman Bibles.
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Webster, D. (2023, December 12). What Is Structured Literacy? An Introduction. Core Learning.
September 13, 2025,
https://www.corelearn.com/what-is-structured-literacy/#:~:text=Structured%20literacy
% 20is%20a%20systematic,to%20practice%20the%20skills%20taught.
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