Analyzes Chinese policy toward secondary English curriculum during five time periods, 1956-present. Focusing on links between politics and education and on the role of a centralized bureaucracy gives only a partial picture of curriculum development, which also includes a widening base of stakeholders, increasing sensitivity to teacher concerns,…

Analyzes the appropriateness of textual media in the construction of meaning by reviewing the psychological research on semiotics and multiple intelligences that support a broadened notion of text, and presenting findings from research on the construction of nonprint texts in disciplines other than English. It suggests that exclusively focusing on…

Examines why a literature-based multicultural curriculum failed to engage students from a predominately white, working-class middle school in the South in discussing racism. Results from an ethnographic study indicate that this failure was primarily the result of dominant mainstream beliefs embedded in the institution of schooling and in the…

Reports on a study of students' preferences for social studies, English, and science courses among 888 secondary students. Finds that seventh graders preferred social studies over science, but this preference weakened substantially as students advanced into high school. Finds that boys preferred social studies over English throughout high school.…

An overview of the literature of listening illustrates the lack of sufficient research in this area. A 1955 survey of curriculum guidebooks and bulletins for the inclusion of listening demonstrates the effect of limited research: most documents devoted anywhere from two to six pages to listening in elementary through secondary school levels. In…

Noting that although learning disabled (LD) students are attending college in increasing numbers there are few specific course strategies for helping these students (except for adaptations of existing programs and emphasis on elementary or secondary students), this paper reviews resources on a variety of topics as they relate to LD students. Among…

Discusses early experiences of children with literature, and the development of and growth in their response to literature. Argues for a response-centered, rather than criticism-centered, curriculum. (SRT)

As a result of preliminary observations of word processing in elementary level language the seven case studies presented in this report reveal the effectiveness of current word processing (WP) activities within their respective instructional contexts. Each study is presented separately, detailing the classroom context, tasks and outcomes, program…

This inquiry into the role of literature in English as a second language is based upon an examination of six basic issues or principles: (1) the position of English as a foreign language within a country; (2) the aims of English instruction within a country; (3) the way in which the native literature is taught in a country; (4) the availability of…

Conceived at an executive board meeting of the International Federation for the Teaching of English, this book describes the classroom practices of English teachers in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, England, and the United States. The 82 articles are divided into the following areas: (1) a history of teaching English in each country; (2) new…

Summarizing the results of informal discussions among the commissions and standing committees of the National Council of Teachers of English, this paper outlines key educational trends and issues in areas of the English language arts. Various sections of the paper contain information from the commissions on English language, literature,…

In 1984, the Commissions on Composition, Curriculum, Language, Literature, Media, and Reading of the National Council of Teachers of English presented reports on important educational trends and issues. The Commission on Language suggested that the move toward curriculum reform stemming from national reports on quality in education could have…

Summaries of trends and issues in the teaching of English that have been identified by four commissions of the National Council of Teachers of English are presented in this report. The first summary in the report, by P. Bryant of the Commission on Composition, stresses the need for prospective English teachers to be well-grounded in the techniques…

This document highlights the findings of a committee formed by The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) to assess the status of film at all levels in American education. The introduction by the editor, William Costanzo, stresses that film is best understood in relation to the language arts--not as a "visual aid" but as an…

The essays in this collection are designed to provide an overview of the most pressing issues and ideas with which English teachers contend today and will contend in the near future. The contributors, 22 English teachers and educators, have attempted to view change in a sufficiently broad perspective to enable them to make responsible predictions…