Language and the 6th and 7th Form English Syllabus

This paper explores some of the issues raised by the use of the word 'language' in the proposed syllabus in relation to linguistic diversity, literacy and national identity, and what the implications are for the study of language as a cohesive foundation across the syllabus. The discussion includes a comparison of parts of the Report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Teaching of English Language, produced by the Department of Education and Science in Britain in 1988 (The Kingman Report) as it has some interesting parallels with what is going on in our own education system. Although ours is obviously on a much smaller scale, it reflects some disturbing trends in English curriculum reform.