Teaching of english to be updated

The Australian, 10 June 2008; The Australian, 11 June 2008

The Arts, English and Literacy Education Research Network Symposium was held on 7 June 2008, where academics and educators discussed the introduction of a national English curriculum.

Dr Tim Wright, the headmaster of Sydney Church of England Grammar School (Shore), argued that English should not be a compulsory subject for senior secondary students. He claimed that the New South Wales Year 11 and Year 12 English curriculum was an ‘intellectual challenge’ for many students, and was ‘beyond many students’. Dr Wright also indicated that English was often seen by students as ‘arbitrary’ while parents ‘felt alienated’ from the English curriculum and ‘were deeply cynical about it’.

By contrast, a lecturer at Monash University, Mr Baden Eunson, argued at the symposium that ‘English is not too hard, but too easy’. He believes that current English curricula place more importance on the study of literature rather than the study of language, usage, spelling and grammar and punctuation.

Mr Eunson believes that this was due to the ‘osmosis fallacy’, where he claims that students do not automatically learn to write proper English from reading literature. ‘We need to teach English teachers how to teach English, and instead of maintaining a false dilemma between language and literature, reconceptualise these areas as two sides of the one coin. There is no literature without language, and no language without literature,’ Mr Eunson said in his symposium address.

The New South Wales representative on the National Curriculum Board, Mr Tom Alegounarias, also addressed the symposium, and argued that a national curriculum should address what the community, rather than teachers, believed students should learn. He stated that ‘the test for inclusion of content will not be what the teaching profession wants. Its contents should be measured against its purposes, which are to meet the community's interests. It is an expression of the community's intent and expectations.’

Mr Alegounarias also indicated that the national curriculum should not be a technical document or designed solely for teachers. He claimed that the national curriculum ‘should be direct, transparent and accessible. Informed parents and community members need to be able to understand and recognise what learning will be required.’

 

 

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