"The New Zealand Curriculum" expresses a vision for young people who are contributing and participating members of society. While this social vision is supported by the inclusion of key competencies, the curriculum document says little about content and its role in developing this participatory agency. This article uses interview data…

Mutual support and dialogue across secondary and tertiary English is vital work in urgent times. In this article, the authors examine Australia's secondary-tertiary English education nexus, building on previous scholarship to explore points of connection and disconnection with a view to identifying sustainable ways of supporting points of…

The researcher attempted to ascertain the extent to which the English language textbook, English for Class 8, endorsed by the Punjab Textbook Board is compatible with Pakistani learners' language learning needs. The purpose of the study was to investigate the degree the prescribed textbook facilitates language acquisition, its meaningful…

How to understand and argue for the nature and place of literary texts and experience in contemporary English curriculum has been and continues to be the subject of much debate. While literature as traditionally conceptualised remains an important presence in much English curriculum, the notion of what "literature" is, or what the…

The paper reports on a research study investigating the professional identity of English teachers in the secondary school in the UK, and the effects of their subject philosophies and their conceptions of learning on their teaching. The various and often competing definitions of the subject have a long history, and a number of factors have been…

Discusses how films of Shakespeare's plays can be used to teach literary analysis in the classroom and to nurture an interest in Shakespeare. Suggests some books for teachers which specifically address Shakespeare and film. (PRA)

Undertakes research into tension between structural planning and individual autonomy in the teaching of English and the dynamics of English departmental work in secondary schools. Examines the nature of constraints to individuals' autonomy, such as the British National Curriculum, to arrive at tentative conclusions as to whether they constitute a…

This article presents extracts from interviews with 14 teachers of English. It indicates some of the tensions which result for such teachers from having to prepare Year 9 students for the "national" tests in English toward the end of Key Stage 3. These are high-stakes tests: they supply the means to compile school "league…

Argues that the quality of interaction in the English classroom depends on teachers, students, and the culture they share rather than on external forces like examinations. (MM)

Examines George Herbert's sonnet "Prayer" to argue for the integration of literary and linguistic approaches to the critical appreciation of poetry at both A/AS and university levels of the GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Presents a model analysis of the sonnet and discusses why its distinctive linguistic and literary features…

Considers the long-term future of the teaching of English. Discusses what English is for, what the content of English should be, what progression in English is, how the English curriculum should be assessed, and implications for teachers. Recommends actions the National Association for the Teaching of English should take to influence the upcoming…

Effective drama teaching improves the following student skills: speaking and listening, reading and writing through developing thinking, communication skills, and critical analysis. Drama is part of young people's core curriculum entitlement in the United Kingdom. It is included in the English Curriculum Orders and in the Key Stage 3 Framework for…

Between 1991 and 1995, the Scottish Office Education and Industry Department funded a national evaluation of the implementation of the 5-14 Development Programme based on information gathered from both primary and secondary schools. This Interchange is concerned with secondary school perspective alone. Data were gathered from a nationwide…

Focuses on the effects of the British National Curriculum and the SATs on teaching and changes in how poetry is examined. States that some teachers view these changes as having a detrimental effect on student poetry experiences, while others see a positive advantage in the changes. (CMK)

In England, drama is part of young people's core entitlement in the National Curriculum Orders and in the "Framework for Teaching English: Years 7, 8 and 9." It exists as an academic subject in its own right as GCSE (General Certificate of Secondary Education) and beyond. This guide is intended for teachers of drama within English, as…