In 1984, the Commissions on Composition, Curriculum, Language, Literature, Media, and Reading of the National Council of Teachers of English presented reports on important educational trends and issues. The Commission on Language suggested that the move toward curriculum reform stemming from national reports on quality in education could have negative results. The Commission on Curriculum stressed the need for language arts curricula combining the best of current practice and theory, a stronger humanities background in elementary teacher education, a more balanced language arts curriculum at all levels, and careful monitoring of technology's impact on the curriculum. While identifying the inclusion of minorities in classroom materials and the emphasis on storytelling as literature as positive trends, the Commission on Literature noted a general decline in students' exposure to literature. The Commission on Reading discussed information dissemination, the current sociopolitical climate, the reading curriculum, and emerging theoretical issues, while the Commission on Composition focused on teacher preparation and teaching strategies in writing. Finally, the Commission on Media reported a modest renaissance of interest in media use in English but expressed concern over a number of problems, including the failure to integrate the media into the curriculum and the lack of media-related competencies in teacher certification. (MM)