Qualifications and Curriculum Development Agency

Janet White (QCA) outlines the scope of this strand of English 21.

• Will reading and writing still be basic skills in 2015? What skills will all learners need then?
• What should we teach about the spoken word, given the significance of English as a global language?
• How should our literary heritage be defined, given the changes in our society?
• How can we nurture imagination and creativity?
• How will the learning of English be related to other subjects?
• How should English change in response to our diversity in language, ethnicity, gender and personal needs?

In this strand we are looking for ways to take English forward, particularly in schools. We want to focus on pupils’ experiences of English in the classroom and think about how these may change in the next 10 years. By 2015 we want to make sure that the heart of the subject is renewed and thriving.

The generation of pupils starting school now will undoubtedly face different demands on English in the wider world. As the workplace alters we need to work with employers to examine how this will influence what is expected of school literacy. It is unlikely that schools can cover every possible demand on literacy in later life, so one of our aims must be to teach written and oral language in ways that inspire future growth.

The literary heritage

Ideas about English change over time, but two themes endure. One of these is about a ‘heritage’ of literary texts that no pupil should leave school without reading. We want to consider what ‘heritage’ means in our multi-ethnic, multicultural society and in a context where the boundaries between literary and non-literary texts are increasingly blurred in both print and electronic media. What should a reading heritage be for pupils in 2015?

The place of grammar

The other enduring question is about the place and extent of grammar teaching. We want to discuss how we teach about the rules and conventions of English, and whether knowledge about grammar contributes to our understanding of both creativity and correctness in language use. Just as we ask whether all pupils should read some texts, so we might ask whether there is some explicit knowledge about language that all pupils should have as part of their study of English.

Discussions about these questions link with other key themes, which include:

• starting out in English
• the spoken word
• basic skills and beyond
• inclusion and diversity
• an entitlement for creativity.

Starting out in English

Key questions here are about the balance between pupils’ experience of language as play, and teaching them basic skills in literacy and spoken language. The teaching of reading and writing will need to change in a context where young pupils can use online curriculum resources before they start school. In 2015, what will be different about reading and writing at home from the social and cultural context of the classroom? The process of composing texts is made easier by new electronic tools and the demands of reading may increase as texts become more varied in form and presentation. What should be the principles behind teaching speaking, listening, reading and writing to children aged 3–7?

The spoken word

English has multiple roles in the communication of knowledge, power and influence in the global economy, and the effective use of talk is key to many of them. Pupils need to be able to discuss and debate ideas with a wide range of other speakers, not just in their local area but also internationally. Do we need to give space in English lessons for talk to be taught more systematically? Just as it is important to develop pupils’ skills as speakers, so too they need to learn more about ways of listening critically and responsively. Can we envisage a ‘heritage’ of spoken texts comparable to the canon of written ones?

Basic skills and beyond

In 2015, the ability to write letters, read newspapers and explain ideas may still be basic, even though the media may change. Employers rightly stress the need for accuracy and clarity in written and spoken English, yet English is more than functional expression – it is a medium for drama, humour, analysis, romance and much more. How can we avoid packaging ‘basic skills’ in ways that exclude some learners from encountering English as flexible resource for expressing all their ideas and feelings? Will schools have a unique role in encouraging a long-term commitment to reading and writing? As citizens in a democratic society, all learners need to be alert to how language and images are used and their power to persuade and deceive. Skills of critical reading and listening are likewise ‘basic’ to communication in English and teaching these skills need to keep pace with new developments in technology, so that learners can make judgements about language in different formats.

Inclusion and diversity

English has made a unique contribution to understanding and valuing the diversity of cultures, language and races in our society. Over the centuries the English language has evolved through international contact, and our ideas about what is correct are constantly challenged and refreshed as new expressions enter through cultural contacts, trade, travel and media usage. The spread of English as a global language brings many more speakers of English into contact with one another and challenges ideas about ‘whose’ English we use and our identities as speakers. English is both a sought-for commodity and a perceived lever of control. In terms of what is read, written or spoken about in schools, how far is English responsive to this fast-moving global environment? In the classroom, English as the medium of instruction is bound up with different levels of pupils’ success. We want to explore positive ways of teaching, which are responsive to our increasing diversity in language and ethnicity in the twenty-first century, bearing in mind the different characteristics of groups of pupils whose life opportunities often depend on how well they do in English.

Creativity and imagination

Learners need to be inspired to innovate and think in new ways. The imagination has always been at the heart of English – readers enter new worlds in books and shape their own meanings in language. Much work of this kind is already done in the classroom, but schools cannot do everything themselves. Some schools already work regularly with writers and arts organisations and we want to widen awareness of how working with other partners can help support pupils’ creative development. How can we give pupils the confidence to see that creativity in using language is fundamental to their growth as learners in all aspects of the curriculum?

A key idea for discussion is that of a ‘creative entitlement’ for all pupils, which might involve contact with a living author, seeing a live staged performance, or having direct experience of what is involved in creating a piece of ‘verbal art’ of their own choosing. What could we put in place to make this a reality for learners in 2015?

Outcomes

In covering so much ground, we anticipate ending up with a wealth of ideas and proposals to take forward. We look forward to working with you to inspire debate on the different themes, and to your help in deciding the priorities that will make English in the twenty-first century an exciting and worthwhile subject for all learners.