By TeacherPaddy · Last updated
What an indicator code is
Ghana's standards-based curriculum for basic schools, published by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA), is organised in levels: strands, sub-strands, content standards and indicators. Each content standard and indicator has a code that shows exactly where it sits. The code is a short address: it tells you the class, the strand, the sub-strand, the content standard and the indicator.
The codes belong to the official curriculum documents. TeacherPaddy does not create them; it uses them as they appear in the curriculum.
How a code is built
For Basic 1 to Basic 9, an indicator code has five parts separated by full stops:
Class . Strand . Sub-strand . Content standard . Indicator
The example below is illustrative only: it was made up to show the structure and does not refer to a real indicator. Always take real codes from your curriculum document.
| Part | In the example | Means |
|---|---|---|
| Class | B4 | Basic 4. Basic 7 to 9 are the JHS classes. |
| Strand | 1 | The first strand of the subject for that class. |
| Sub-strand | 2 | The second sub-strand within that strand. |
| Content standard | 3 | The third content standard in that sub-strand. The content standard's own code is the first four parts. |
| Indicator | 4 | The fourth indicator under that content standard. |
A code with four parts is a content standard; a code with five parts is an indicator. Schemes sometimes write a range such as "…3-5" to mean indicators 3, 4 and 5 of one content standard. Kindergarten documents are organised a little differently, so check the codes used in the KG curriculum itself.
How teachers use codes in planning
- In a scheme, the codes show which content standards and indicators are taught each week (see the Scheme of Learning guide).
- In a weekly plan, the indicator codes at the top tell anyone reading it exactly what the week teaches (see how to plan a teaching week).
- To find more detail: with the code, you can turn straight to the indicator in the curriculum document and read its exemplars, which suggest activities.
- To track coverage: ticking off codes as you teach them shows what has been covered and what is left.
Using the official curriculum document
- Use the curriculum document for your class and subject, from your school or the official publisher.
- Find the strand and sub-strand you are teaching in its tables.
- Read the content standard, then the indicators under it, and note their codes exactly as printed.
- Read the exemplars for ideas on how to teach the indicator.
Mistakes to avoid
- Writing codes from memory: one wrong digit points to different content.
- Adding spaces or stray full stops inside a code (write "B4.1.2.3.4", not "B4. 1.2.3.4.").
- Mixing codes from different classes or from an older version of the curriculum. Curriculum documents are revised from time to time.
How TeacherPaddy uses codes
TeacherPaddy keeps the curriculum's own codes and wording. Its schemes list the codes week by week, and when you plan a week you choose the indicators by code, so every plan points back to the curriculum. You can see how plans are built in the sample Scheme of Learning.