ERIC Number: EJ901833
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2010
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0155-2147
EISSN: N/A
Writing (in) the Nation
Sawyer, Wayne
English in Australia, v45 n2 p7-20 2010
The current version of the draft National Curriculum (1.0.1) remains a document which dis-integrates the subject through its three strands and fails to conceptualise a relationship between these strands. Drawing on curriculum history, I argue that this stands in strong contrast to a curriculum such as the 1971 NSW Syllabus for Years 7-10, which was integrated by an overarching vision that dealt with language modes, contexts, knowledges and skills. This vision was partly provided by the work of James Moffett, on whose work I draw to address the National Curriculum approach to writing in particular. I adapt Paris's notion of "constrained"/"unconstrained" skills in order to argue for a renewed concern with rhetoric and style and for actively teaching towards "surprise". (Contains 4 notes.)
Descriptors: National Curriculum, Curriculum Development, Foreign Countries, Secondary School Curriculum, Educational History, Writing Instruction, Elementary School Curriculum, Language Arts, English Curriculum, English Instruction
Australian Association for the Teaching of English. English House, 416 Magill Road, Kensington Gardens, SA 5068 Australia. Tel: +61-8-8332-2845; Fax: +61-8-8333-0394; e-mail: aate@aate.org.au; Web site: http://www.aate.org.au
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Opinion Papers; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: Elementary Secondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A