In each era of curriculum reform the prevailing perceptions of what the school curriculum must accomplish define the standard of cultural literacy for our society. E. D. Hirsch believes that contemporary youth lack cultural literacy and that without this knowledge of the fundamental facts of U.S. culture they cannot effectively read or…

Reviews the value of topic work with regard to the British National Curriculum guidelines on curriculum planning. After years of concentrating on issues of content in planning, consideration of basic aims and values in education is again urged. Topic work allows teachers to teach in depth areas of personal expertise and interest in a local…