Curriculum, Subjects, Number of Hours

Development of curricula

The material and competences which are important to the educational process at primary school are laid down in curricula, education plans or framework plans which may be subject-related, area-related or interdisciplinary.

In all Länder, the educational standards of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz) for primary education also form the basis for the subject-specific requirements for teaching German and mathematics in primary school. The educational standards describe the competencies that pupils should have acquired in German and mathematics by the end of the fourth school year. To implement the Bildungsstandards (educational standards) for the primary sector, the subjects in the curricula are adapted accordingly. The educational standards define the objective, whereas the curricula reveal concrete and binding competence expectations for specific subjects. In addition to educational standards, the competencies and goals formulated in the strategy of the Standing Conference Education in the Digital World (Bildung in der digitalen Welt) of December 2016 (last amended in December 2017) have led to a review or revision of curricula in all Länder. For further information on quality assurance and quality development by means of educational standards, see the article on quality assurance in early childhood and school education.

Curricula or education plans for the primary school as well as for other types of school are the responsibility of the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs in the Länder. They take the form of instructions from a higher authority and, as such, are binding on teachers. It is the responsibility of the head teacher to ensure that the current curricula are taught at his/her school. At the same time, curricula are formulated in such a way that the teachers can act to perform their pedagogical responsibility. Nevertheless all the teachers of a specific subject at one school hold conferences to reach a consensus on methods, contents  and assessment criteria as well as, depending on the individual Land, also teaching and learning aids.

A curriculum or education plan is usually drawn up as follows. Once the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs of a particular Land has reached the decision to revise or completely reorganise a curriculum, a commission is appointed usually consisting in the main of serving teachers, including heads, as well as school inspectors, representatives of the school research institute of the Land concerned and of experts in the relevant disciplines from institutions of higher education. As a rule, it is the job of the commission to devise a curriculum for a certain subject at a specific type of school, for a specific school level or for a type of school. It will then work on a draft. Experience gained with previous curricula is taken into account when it comes to devising new ones. In some Länder curricula are launched on a trial basis before being finalised and becoming universally valid. Finally, there are set procedures according to which the commission may consult associations, universities and parents' and pupils' representative bodies.

As soon as a new curriculum or education plan has been completed and is introduced on a definitive or preliminary basis at schools, the in-service training institutes for the teaching profession maintained by the Ministries of Education and Cultural Affairs are charged with training teachers to work with it. Textbook publishers also embark on a revision or completely new edition of their titles.

A central database with curricula or education plans for schools providing general education is accessible on the website of the Standing Conference.(www.kmk.org)

Subjects

As a rule, the primary school curriculum includes the following subjects in partivular: 

• German
• Mathematics
• General studies
• Foreign languages
• Art
• Music
• Sports
• Religion / Ethics / Philosophy
• Handicrafts / textile design

Interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary work is the driving force in the context of all subjects. German, mathematics and general studies hereby form the core subjects in primary school.

. In accordance with the “Agreement on Work in Primary School” (‘Vereinbarung zur Arbeit in der Grundschule’), teaching in the subjects of this core area takes up more than half of the total teaching (at least 53 hours of at least 94 hours). The minimum number of hours includes non-subject-specific comprehensive or project-oriented teaching, which particularly strengthens mathematical and linguistic skills. When determining the time frame, it should also be taken into account that language-sensitive teaching is considered a teaching principle, and that language education is the task of all subjects. 

Individualised support

Educational diagnostics and the counselling and individualised support that build on them are among the core tasks of primary school.

Individual support is based on the pupils' initial learning and development situations as well as their different interests, strengths, potential and talents. High-quality teaching that caters for individual differences is always the basis for targeted educational support. Building on this, targeted support can be provided for individual groups with specific developmental needs or additional individual support for pupils with persistent learning or developmental needs.

Primary schools receive professional support in the field of diagnostics and guidance from counselling teachers, school psychologists, school social workers, child and youth welfare organisations, the school doctor service or special education institutions.

Cross-curricular topics

The subject-specific curricula are supplemented in the Länder by various overarching educational areas. Pupils acquire interdisciplinary skills that enable them to meet subject-specific requirements on the one hand, and to focus on significant individual and social tasks and concerns on the other.The Standing Conference emphasises the significance of these topics in schools through resolutions and recommendations on individual lesson contents. The following overarching lesson contents play a role in teaching at primary schools: language education, intercultural education, media education and education in the digital world, health education and promotion of physical activity, MINT education, education for sustainable development, democracy education. More detailed information ist available in chapter 6.3.

Besides, in recent years, the curricula or education plans of the Länder have increasingly taken into account the concept of lifelong learning. The acquisition of fundamental knowledge, abilities and skills, as well as the acquisition of a knowledge that will serve as an orientation aid for further learning, together with the development of key competences, have become main educational objectives.

Teaching Methods and Materials

Teaching methods

In the “Agreement on Work in Primary School” (‘Vereinbarung zur Arbeit in der Grundschule’), the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder (Kultusministerkonferenz) formulates the following principles for teaching and learning in primary school:

Heterogeneity and inclusion

Teachers see the diversity of pupils as an opportunity for productive learning from and with each other. Different talents, strengths and interests are made accessible for this purpose and enrich the teaching. In this context, particular importance is attached to promoting emotional and social development in primary school.

Individualised learning situations promote the development of pupils in the sense of educational justice. Primary school combines the general educational offer with supplementary educational, counselling or support offers. The professions involved act in a coordinated manner according to individual needs and also offer all-day development and learning opportunities.

Competence orientation and self-efficacy

Learning is an individual, self-directed and social process that is professionally designed by teachers. This includes communication, interaction, reflection and collaboration. The focus on skills and competencies centres on the learning process in both cross-curricular and interdisciplinary contexts, both in and out of school. The skills acquired enable students to successfully cope with different and unknown situations in which they are required to apply their knowledge, thus experiencing self-efficacy.

Communication and language sensitivity

In primary school, language is consciously used as a means of thinking and communicating in order to link subject-specific and linguistic learning. Key elements here are teachers‘ language-sensitive attitudes and the systematic integration of targeted support for pupils’ linguistic and educational language activities into lessons.

Digitality and basic computer science education

Analogue and digital work are linked in the sense of high-quality teaching. An age-appropriate, critical reflection of the effects of digital applications on oneself and on the community also belongs in this context. Pupils use digital services, tools and media in a way that makes pedagogical sense and is appropriate for their age in an adequate learning environment. The aim is to develop user skills and to use digital possibilities creatively and productively.

Media education and computer science content in the classroom helps students to acquire digital and computer science skills. This takes into account the culture of digitality.

Life-world orientation and participation

Primary school builds on the reality of the students' lives and addresses it in an age-appropriate and topic-related way. Teachers incorporate the experiences, questions and concerns of the students into their lessons. Teaching and school life offer a variety of opportunities for participation, for example in the context of student councils and class councils. These promote responsibility for one's own learning process and can increase motivation to perform. Primary school takes into account the specific ways of thinking and experiencing the world of students through holistic learning approaches.

Life-world orientation and participation

Primary school ties in with the reality of the pupils‘ lives and addresses it in an age-appropriate and topic-related way. Teachers incorporate the pupils’ experiences, questions and concerns into their lessons. Teaching and school life open up a wide range of opportunities for participation, for example in the context of pupil representation and class councils. These promote responsibility for one's own learning process and can increase motivation to perform. Primary schools take into account the specific ways in which pupils think and experience the world through holistic learning approaches.

Educational diagnostics and support

Educational diagnostics and the counselling and individual support that build on them are among the core tasks of primary schools.

Individual support is based on the pupils' learning and developmental starting points as well as their different interests, strengths, potential and talents. High-quality teaching that is differentiated internally always forms the basis for targeted educational support. Building on this, targeted support can be provided for individual groups with specific developmental needs or additional individual support for pupils with persistent learning or developmental needs.

Performance requirements that are individually appropriate, challenging and achievable promote motivation and a willingness to achieve, a love of learning and self-esteem. Intelligent and regular practice is essential, especially for the acquisition of basic skills.

In addition, the primary school monitors the acquisition of skills by pupils in both a formative and a summative way, based on state-specific guidelines. The results are incorporated into constructive performance feedback. Further information on performance assessment in the primary school can be found in the chapter on assessment in primary education.

Unterrichtsmittel

It is the task of the teachers' conference to select textbooks from the regularly published lists of textbooks which are, in some of the Länder, approved by the Ministry responsible for school education. The use of digital media (multimedia) and the internet is becoming increasingly important, both as a teaching aid and as something to be taught and learnt. The latest information about the use of online resources in teaching and internet projects can be found on the Education Servers provided by the Länder Ministries and is also accessible via the national information portal maintained by the federal and Länder authorities, the German Education Server.