Curriculum, subjects, number of hours

Pupils, who have acquired primary education, start lower secondary education. The lower secondary education programme lasts for 6 years. The compulsory lower secondary education programme consists of two cycles. The first cycle lasts for 4 years and is implemented in grades 5-8 grades. The second cycle lasts for 2 years. It is implemented in grades 9-10 (gymnasium I-II).

Lower secondary education is organised according to the Description of Primary, Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Education Curriculum, General Plan of the Lower Secondary and Upper Secondary Education Curriculum for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 and other legal acts. The Minister of Education, Science and Sport approves these legal acts. The scool prepares its curriculum according to these douments.

Preparation of school curriculum

Schools prepare the curriculum in accordance with education programmes. A school’s curriculum describes the education contents, organisation of the education process, evaluation of pupil achievements, etc. The curriculum is prepared by a work group appointed by the head of school. The work group is led by the school head or other appointed person. The curriculum is approved by the head of the school by agreement of the school’s council or institution having founder status.

The syllabus of each subject is covered over two years in general education programmes. The school itself decides the order to be followed for each subject in the curriculum. The curriculum is presented for one or two years. Compulsory and optional subjects, modules are specified in the school curriculum.

According to the general education curriculum and general plans, the lower secondary education programme consists of the following areas of learning:

• moral education (religion or ethics);
• languages (Lithuanian language and literature, other native languages (Belorussian, Polish, Russian, German), foreign languages);
• mathematics;
• natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics);
• social sciences (history, geography, citizenship, social and public activity, economics and entrepreneurship, psychology);
• the arts (art, music, dance, theatre, contemporary arts);
• information and communication technology (ICT);
• technologies;
• physical education;
• general competencies and life skills education (human safety, health education, ethnic culture, etc.).

Cognitive, cultural, artistic, creative activity (hereinafter – cognitive cultural activity) is a compulsory, inclusive part of the educational process. Schools take into account the contents of general programmes, achievements and pupil age and decide how many lessons per school year will be dedicated to cognitive cultural activity. At least 10 hours (lessons) per school year are dedicated to compulsory social and public activity.

According to the general education plans, numbers of lessons per week devoted to the lower secondary education programme by day and distance learning in groups in the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 school years:

Remarks:

* in schools which teach in an ethnic minority language;

** number of hours (lessons) per year.

Table lists: subjects and minimum number of compulsory lessons per pupil per week, recommended distribution of weekly subject lesson in each class, number of hours dedicated to non-formal education, number of lessons per week, dedicated to meeting a pupil‘s educational needs, providing learning aid – for lower secondary education programme parts I and II.

Explanation of table contents. For example, “Biology grades 7 and 8: 2;1 / 1;2 / 3;0“. Possible option for distribution of lessons: 2 lessons in grade 7 and 1 lesson in grade 8 or vice versa, or 3 lessons in grade 7. Art and music lessons 1;1 and 1;1 in grades 9-10 and in grades I-II gymnasium can be substituted by a contemporary arts programme. Schools can choose other options for the distribution of lessons.

Some schools teach an ethnic minority language as a subject, and some schools teach in an ethnic minority language. In the first case, the ethnic minority language is taught according to the mother tongue programme. Other subjects, except foreign languages, are taught in Lithuanian. Other chosen subjects can also be taught in the ethnic minority language.

In schools which teach in an ethnic minority language upper secondary education programmes are implemented bilingually: in the ethnic minority language and in Lithuanian. Each school ensures that a minimum number of subjects are taught in Lithuanian. If parents or pupils request that more subjects be taught in Lithuanian than it is required by legal acts, the school must ensure it.

Teaching methods and materials

Possibility to choose learning methods and measures

In pursuing general education goals, every teacher is free to select the educational methods and measures, to combine several of them and create his/her individual style of instruction. The specific education methods should reflect the actual situation: the needs and abilities of pupils, skills and characteristics of each individual teacher as well as the changing socio-cultural context. Teachers have the right to propose his/her individual programmes and choose various ways and forms of pedagogical activities. In choosing methods the teacher has to base the teaching process on interpretative and not on reproductive methods.

Teachers are encouraged to use new computer and information technologies in the educational process. The project method is one of the methods that easily integrates formal and non-formal educational content. From the 2017/2018 school year, cognitive, cultural, artistic, creative activities are compulsory, that is an integral part of the educational process. The school itself chooses how many lessons it will dedicate to it per year. Cognitive cultural activities can take place in environments outside the school, for example, in museums, open access centres, virtual learning environments, etc.

Textbooks and exercise books are not compulsory learning tools. Teachers can choose other sources, videos and audio recordings and other learning tools that promote pupils' creativity, autonomy, etc. The “money follows the pupil” methodology foresees funding for the acquisition of learning tools.

Personalisation of curriculum content

The general curricula provide real possibilities to be involved in the development of the curriculum content, i.e. by tailoring it to the individual needs and abilities of their learners, aligning the curriculum content with the school’s objectives and also the teacher’s experience and available resources. Individual teaching methods are used when working with gifted pupils and pupils with special educational needs.

Teachers use teaching methods which encourage pupils’ activity and independence, stimulate critical, creative and constructive thinking, problem-solving abilities, awareness of the situation and responsibility for their actions.