The new curriculum and the urban-rural literacy gap: The case of one county in Western China

Abstract

This article aims to explore the impact of the new curriculum reform launched in 2001 urban-rural achievement disparities. It documents a pilot study on teachers' experiences in teaching literacy to children in primary one in a poverty-stricken county in western China. Interviews with teachers in various types of schools indicate that the curriculum load of Grade 1 literacy is too high in all schools, in both cities and villages, for teachers to complete within the designated curriculum schedule. Teachers in all schools under study have to extend student literacy learning time in various ways. The study also reveals that, under the same constraints of an overloaded curriculum and insufficient teaching time, student achievements vary significantly between city and rural schools. Although family support may be an important reason for the variation, the study suggests that teacher attitudes toward and initiative to cope with the new curriculum challenges also play a critical role in deciding student learning effectiveness. © 2011 M.E. Sharpe, Inc. All rights reserved.