This paper explores the continued cultural consecration of narrow forms of knowledge and literate practice in senior Australian English curricula. Despite the prevalence of Personal Growth approaches to English throughout Australia in the latter decades of the Twentieth century, the analysis of curricula reveals a contradiction between stated…

Australia has recently moved from having curricula developed within individual states to national curricula, including in English. This move in Australia has coincided with debate over Michael Young's call for 'bringing knowledge back in'. English has historically been epistemologically unstable with an ever-contestable knowledge base, and this is…

This article begins by discussing the Australian Curriculum: English and its remit to contribute to this nation's reconciliation agenda. Ever cognisant of our individual identities as non-Indigenous teachers and teacher educators and our relations to this topic, we hone in on one Content Description from Year 10, and analyse one stimulus text, an…

Poetry, as a textual form for critical study and composition, continues to occupy a significant place in Australian senior secondary English syllabus documents and classrooms (cf. Carter, 2012). Indeed, within the senior secondary English syllabus in New South Wales (NSW), poetry remains one of the core mandatory types of texts for study by the…

This paper examines the King's Oxfordshire Assessment Project, which took place in the UK and explored the use of coursework as a means of terminal assessment. In particular, it considers the findings of the six English teachers who were involved. In a standards-based curriculum all six teachers supported 100% coursework. The paper looks at how,…

Describes the history of the secondary school English curriculum in New South Wales, Australia since 1911. Examines the gradual shift from centralized control over curriculum development to an emphasis on teacher control over course content. (MM)

Criticizes the secretaries of state for education and science because their nationally agreed upon statements on course objectives, content, and assessment methods are too narrow and confining. (DF)

Describes a multicultural English course for gifted high school students in Canada. A tone of understanding and acceptance is set through appealing to students' own experiences in an interdisciplinary approach to world literature. Reading examples of postcolonial writings broadens student horizons and makes them more willing to explore a…

Feminism and gender in the construction of English as a university discipline and the historical development of English are discussed. Generally, English is studied by women and taught by men. The teaching of English today is examined through interviews with four university English department lecturers in the United Kingdom. (SLD)

This curriculum outline introduces the components of a creative writing course which acquaints students with various forms of Japanese poetry. First, the goals and student objectives of the course are presented, emphasizing the history and different forms of Japanese poetry such as "renga," a kind of challenge poetry which will be used…

This curriculum outline illustrates the components of a course which introduces students to an understanding of short stories and novels and emphasizes the broadening of their world view through the use of Asian and Asian-American stories. First, the goals, student objectives, and methodology of the course are presented. Next, a syllabus of the…

This curriculum outline introduces the components of a course which acquaints non-native English-speaking college students with Pacific Rim cultures while providing the writing and reading skills necessary for success in college. First, the goals and student objectives of the course are introduced, emphasizing the use of the Pacific Rim cultures…

This curriculum outline introduces the components of a world mythology and contemporary literature course which incorporates an Asian module focusing on Chinese mythology. Following a course description that discusses the rationale for incorporating Chinese mythology, the goals and student objectives of the course are introduced, emphasizing the…