Rethinking English in Schools Towards a New and Constructive Stage

Why should young people study a subject called English? This question lies at the heart of this fascinating monograph, which brings together the diverse perspectives of many leading thinkers about English and literacy education. This meticulously researched and well-written collection takes as its starting point the importance of the history of the subject in the formation of its constitution and its boundaries. First and foremost, it proposes that questions of aims values have informed these choices. Equally, it suggests that returning to these educational questions helps us to understand curriculum and pedagogy in complex ways that a simple focus on content and methods neglects. Curriculum and pedagogy bring learners, teachers, institutions and the wider society into the debate. Building upon the long tradition of socially critical work in English Education, this book provides a timely, original and distinctive opportunity to consider responses to the question why English? as well as the more radical, why not?

Viv Ellis is University Lecturer in Educational Studies at Oxford University and Tutor for English Educational. Carol Fox was formerly Reader in English Education at the University of Brighton. Her research on young childern's oral storytelling and the literature of war and peace in education has been widely influential. Brian Street is Professor of Language in Education at King's College, London and Visiting Professor of Education at the University of Pennsylvania. He has written and lectured extensively on literary practices from both a theoretical and applied perspective.