As the secondary school English elective curriculum developed in the 1960s and 1970s, it adhered to four major philosophical beliefs: the importance of student and teacher interest, the necessity for change and variety, the rejection of the core curriculum, and a dedication to relevance. These tenets determined the following characteristics relating to the curriculum's content or structure: (1) student choice, a characteristic indigenous to all elective programs; (2) teacher creation of courses; (3) nongrading; (4) phasing to indicate level of difficulty; (5) longevity of courses; (6) literature emphasis; (7) short elective courses; (8) variety of teachers and students; (9) college model; (10) varied materials; (11) no sequencing; (12) no curricular requirements; and (13) innovative courses. (AEA)