Provides a history of the National Council of Teachers of English's guidelines which are put forth every 10 years. States that before 1986 the guidelines served mainly the function of informing graduate and undergraduate programs of principles to build or modify programs in English education. Questions who shall control teacher education in the…

Explores reading as discursive practice, assuming that all readings are produced by particular groups to represent their specific interests. Constructs a reading of English education over the past century, focusing on a humanist conception of individualism promoted through personal growth pedagogy, and on the shift toward a poststructuralist view…