Questions of English

The impact and content of English as a subject on the curriculum is once more the subject of lively debate. Questions of English sets out to map the development of English as a subject and how it has come to encompass the diversity of ideas that currently characterise it. Drawing on a combination of historical analysis and recent research findings Robin Peel, Annette Patterson and Jeanne Gerlach bring together and compare important new insights on curriculum development and teaching practice from England, Australia and the United States. They also discuss the development of teacher training, highlighting the variety of ways in which teachers build their own beliefs and knowledge about English.

Autorentext

Robin Peel is Senior Lecturer at the University of Plymouth, Annette Patterson is Senior Lecturer at James Cook University, Australia and Jeanne Gerlach is Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Arlington, United States.

Inhalt

1. Introduction 2.'English' in England: its history and transformations 3. Beliefs about English in England 4. Shaping the English Specialist: initial teacher training for English teachers in England 5. 'English' in Australia: its history and transformations 6. Beliefs About English in Australia 7. Shaping the Specialist: qualifying as an English teacher in Australia 8. 'English' in the United States: its history and transformations 9. Beliefs About English in the United States 10. Shaping the Specialist: requirements of programs leading to teacher certification in the United States 11. English for the Twenty-First Century? summary and conclusions