To evaluate the effectiveness of a traditional college English program, 100 incoming freshmen (Group A) were requested to postpone freshman English to their sophomore year; another 100 (Group B) were asked to postpone the first term to their sophomore year; another 100 (Group C) were asked to postpone their second term to the sophomore year; and…

Sixteen articles are presented which deal either generally with this issue's theme, "Elective Programs in English," or specifically describe and/or evaluate experiences with particular elective programs or courses. Included in the "Current Reading" section is a brief bibliography of articles and books, recent and old, on elective programs in…

This instructor's manual explains the premise on which the text is based: that ideas on a particular topic are made up of input from several perspectives. The authors disclaim that the manual is telling teachers how to teach the text. Instead, the manual, like the textbook, is a series of "probes": suggestions to stimulate thinking and discussion.…

This collection of papers concerns itself with language in a total situation. Specifically, there is a concern for linguistic capability, how it is to be defined, how it can be assessed, and how it is to be developed. Seven sections are included: (1) Introduction: Context of Situation; (2) Language in a Social Perspective; (3) Language and…

The origin and characteristics of an English course on classical mythology in Western art are described as a basis for suggestions about the use of art and music to accompany the study of mythology. Various versions of each myth are explored in the course. (AA)

Describes a five-meeting cycle which enables a high school English department to cooperate in making constructive curriculum changes. (DD)

Defense of fantasy as part of the regular English curriculum. (AA)

Description of a career awareness program which interfaces with a junior high school English curriculum. (STS)

Discusses the quality and value to students of recent Broadway plays. Noting that dramatic output is limited in size and content, recommends the use of an international English-language repertory for the education of young students. Cites British, Australian, Canadian, Caribbean, African and South African authors. (JG)

Criticizes a previously published article by Peter Abbs for misunderstanding sociolinguistic and structuralist influences on English curriculum. Includes a response from Abbs.

Suggests an approach to teaching the poetry of T. S. Eliot.

Expresses the belief that campus novels reflect the way English has been seen during recent years and comments that they form an important and entertaining treatment about the future of English as a subject of teaching. (DF)

Examines the teaching of poetry in Australian schools as it has been attempted in the past few decades and questions whether poetry teaching can be more successful even with the new understandings of language development and literary response. (HOD)

Describes an "open English," independent study course for non-academic students. (DD)

The Carnegie Foundation commissioned a series of essays as part of the Carnegie Initiative on the Doctorate (CID). The essays and essayists represent six disciplines that are part of the CID: chemistry, education, English, history, mathematics, and neuroscience. The essay explores the Ph.D. in English and suggests changes the author would make in…