THE STATE OF ENGLISH
October 26th 2008 23:53
THE STATE OF ENGLISH
in Australian Education 2008
Recently there's been yet more calls for reform and change to the English curriculum and frankly it seems to me the whole issue boils down to two problems.
Teachers however good or bad they are need to accept students whether they are going to Uni or TAFE or straight to a job after they finish school need to be literate in practical plain English. They need to be able to read write and understand and create a wide variety of texts, not just exam essays, class projects and assignments, but "TEXTS" ranging from a simple business letter to a submission for a grant, from a logo or slogan for marketing and PR to a full script for a film or documentary, and much more.
The other main problem is this: IS there too much "Theory" and "Text" ?
For some students reading literature at high school may be the only exposure they get.
A school excursion to a play may be the only time they see live drama.
Perhaps they need to be exposed not just to "themes" but to "genres".
I dont think there's anything wrong with studying a film that's related to a classical text!
I think its good we have more Shakespeare!
Students however also need to be able to read and write business technical and scientific material.
Perhaps there would be a lot less complaints from employers and university lecturers if there was a Compulsory Practical English Composition Unit for ALL SENIOR English students whether they're going to Uni or Tafe or elsewhere?
This could include advanced grammar and comprehension testing, basic logic and reasoning skills, rhetoric and argument, "creative" compositions and scripting and practice in writing business documents of all sorts, including text for web formats?
The HSC should be proof students can understand read write edit and create TEXT whatever kind of text that is?
Reforms will hopefully make Theory and Text a Basis for Practice and Diversity?
What the curriculum and English teaching need is Balance and figuring out a way to maintain that balance and assure students of all kinds and at all levels get the skills they need. Perhaps we need less concern about ideology and more emphasis on HOW.
How will Reforms lead to students getting the skills they need? Will they?
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Comment by Norm
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