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In its simplest sense, curriculum integration is an attempt to encourage students to make

connections between the subjects they pursue. With curriculum integration, we remove the

barriers between subjects and allow students to learn in a holistic way. This way of thinking

guided my supervisee and I in determining how we would integrate Spanish with other subjects.

It was a new way of viewing the teaching of Spanish for the supervisee as she, like many

teachers, teaches her subject in isolation. Through discussion about curriculum integration

however, she was able to recognize how other subjects could be incorporated in various lessons.

We decided that the exercise would take a multi-disciplinary approach to make

connections between different subject areas with one theme. A component of the Spanish

curriculum for secondary schools, is to help students understand and appreciate aspects of

Hispanic culture. It was decided that we would use one of the topics that was currently being

taught in Spanish and relate it to an appropriate aspect of Hispanic culture.

The level chosen to attempt curriculum integration with was form two as students were

learning about different types of shops, one of which is clothing. The cultural frame suggested in

the Spanish curriculum is traditional and contemporary dress in Latin America. My supervisee

and I then began to think of how the topic would be taught to students. Together, we decided that

we would focus on traditional dress in Latin America and students would be divided into groups

for a ten-minute presentation on various types of traditional wear. Each group would comprise of

five students and would present on one type of traditional Hispanic clothing. Thus, our idea of La

vestimenta cultural de América Latina was created.

As previously mentioned, we wanted our attempt at curriculum integration to follow a

multi-disciplinary approach. The subject areas we began to see making connections with the

project were History, Geography and English. Although it is not a timetabled subject for students
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at the school, we also wanted students to make a connection with their library skills. After

establishing what the focus of the project would be, we briefly shared the idea with colleagues in

the Social Sciences and English departments to get initial feedback on the idea. Colleagues

reacted favourably and were willing to attempt integrating their subjects with Spanish to help

students learn more.

With the positive feedback, Heads of Departments were approached for permission for

teachers to collaborate on strategies that would be implemented during two of their timetabled

subject periods as students worked on the project. A meeting was held to discuss how the

teachers would help students to connect with the project in different subject areas. Several ideas

were discussed, and it was decided that all groups would be given a clothing item to present on,

with details such as who wears the item, when it is worn and where it is worn.

History was a subject that we saw being critical to the project as students would be asked

to research the historical ways of dress for people in Latin America. In History, students were

learning about early Latin American civilizations and aspects of their culture. The History

teacher proposed to help students with their projects by discussing the time periods that the items

were created and what they represent in Latin American culture.

We asked the Geography teacher to collaborate with us as students would be required to

locate which Latin American country was associated with the specific item of clothing. To assist

with curriculum integration, the teacher decided that she would include the topic as a part of her

map skills class where students would be taught the proper use of an atlas through locating the

specific countries for each type of clothing. In addition, students would be taught how to draw a

map to show the area where the clothing originated.

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The English teacher offered to help students through a class on developing good

presentation skills. Students would be asked to present orally as well as to write about their

traditional wear. Two of the English periods would then be used to teach students what to

include in their written part of the assignment as well as be given advice on how to present a

topic orally.

The library staff was also included in our curriculum integration initiative as students

needed to be taught how to use online and print resources for their project as well as simple but

proper guidelines in citation of their sources for their bibliography. The library staff was willing

to assist, and students were timetabled to use the library for two classes to access information on

their clothing item.

Our curriculum integration project was a success in various ways. Students enjoyed the

project as it facilitated cooperative learning and the development of new skills in presentation

and research. Students also indicated that they were able to understand and remember more

about their items as they were learning about them in different classes. Most importantly, the

students had fun while they were learning, and they had numerous opportunities to be creative.

Teachers also benefitted from the exercise as we had the opportunity to reinforce the idea that

our students do not learn in a vacuum and that connections can be made between subjects. The

greatest benefit to me was the collaboration that occurred between teachers as we were united in

our quest to make the topic enjoyable and to ensure that the content was covered.

Curriculum integration is therefore necessary if we want to give our students a quality

education with a curriculum that is relevant and meaningful to them.

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Proyecto: La vestimenta cultural de América Latina

You and your group will be required to do an oral presentation about an assigned unique type of
clothing from the Hispanic world. Your group can decide how you will deliver the information:
Drama, PowerPoint Presentation, Posters or another format. You must speak with me about your
chosen method of delivery before you begin working on the project.

Your presentation will include the following information en español:

• what your item is (¿un vestido? ¿sombrero? etc.)
• where people wear the item (include a map)
• who wears this item (¿hombres, mujeres, muchachos, todos?)
• when it is worn (¿todos los días? ¿un día de fiesta especial?)

Your presentation will be between five to ten minutes long and must make use of at least three
pictures of your type of clothing. In addition, your presentation will explore a cultural
connection e.g. bullfighting for the traje de luces.

This project will require you to use various sources of information. Therefore, we will be visiting
the library for two classes to learn about conducting searches for information and how to
correctly state where our information came from.

Your English, History and Geography teachers will also be involved in this project and we will
discuss how this will happen. We are looking forward to your great presentations and hope you
have fun!
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Assignment Sheet

Groupa Prenda de vestir La Foto El Origen Conexión

Cultural
1 traje de luces España Bullfighting

2 Sevillana dress España La feria de

Sevilla OR
El baile flamenco

3 Charro suit México La música

mariachi

4 Mantilla España La mantilla en la

pintura

5 Sombrero México Mexican Hat

Dance