grundmål

Grundmål, literally “basic goals,” is a term used in the Danish education system to describe the core learning objectives that students are expected to achieve in a given subject and grade level. They form part of the national curriculum and are intended to express the minimum knowledge, skills, and competences that all students should have acquired by the end of a course, term, or school stage in primary and lower secondary education.

Typically grundmål are organized by subject and grade and are often broken down into smaller components called delmål (sub-goals). These sub-goals describe concrete abilities or knowledge elements that students should demonstrate. Teachers use grundmål to plan instruction, structure assessment, and monitor progression. In reporting to parents and authorities, reaching the grundmål serves as a reference point for a student’s development.

Grundmål coexist with other levels of goals in the Danish curriculum, such as kompetencemål (competence goals) that emphasize applying knowledge in real-world situations. The balance between grundmål and delmål or competence goals can vary across curriculum versions and reform cycles. Some reforms have moved toward greater emphasis on competencies while maintaining grundmål as a baseline for minimum expectations.

Examples of subjects that contain grundmål include Danish, mathematics, science, and social studies, with subject-specific targets for different grade bands. While the exact formulæ differ between curriculum versions, grundmål generally cover knowledge, understanding, skills, and evaluative abilities relevant to the subject.

Overall, grundmål serve as a national reference point for teaching and assessment, aiming to ensure consistent educational standards while allowing schools some flexibility in implementation.