ABSTRACT

As demonstrated in chapters 8 and 9, the teaching of English has moved from one end of the continuum to the other. And, as Simmons et al. (1990) remind us, that the interim periods of momentary balance were usually disrupted by some socio/political event that reverberated beyond the political arena and into the educational one. Innovation, a movement toward one end of the philosophical continuum or the other, was sure to follow. Another look at the chart at the beginning of chapter 5 recalls the issues and topics with which today’s English teachers are grappling-issues including teaching multicultural literature, teacher training reform, international perspectives, technology, standards and assessment. These issues are, indeed, socio/political in nature. For example, regardless of who is in the classroom or what kind of training they have received, students, for the most part, still are not making high scores on state and national exams. Furthermore, many students still do not read on level by third grade. Coupled with all this is the changing face of the US population. Hispanic, African American, and Asian are the fastest growing groups in the country. In some states, such as Texas, the now minority populations are predicted to become the majority populations by 2030. In regard to Texas, the most pressing concern is how to educate the growing minority populations, and that concern is quickly becoming a major issue in other states. In addition to the growth of the minority populations, is the rapid change of our nation from an industrialised to a information society. We can communicate with almost any country in the world at any given time. Students no longer simply think about what the neighbourhood friends are doing after school; rather, many race home to access the internet to communicate with international peers. No longer do students go home after school to work in the fields or tend the livestock; instead, many return to urban neighbourhoods to apartment complexes and concrete playgrounds. Yes, urban centres are experiencing rapid growth, and with that growth comes opportunities to quickly access sports arenas, theatres, museums, and other cultural offerings. However, while there are many positive aspects of urban life, it also brings problems. Students often live in inadequate housing, spend their lives on the streets as members of gangs or prostitution rings, and are

exposed to the world of drugs. All this is changing the very fabric of our schools and the nature of what goes on in all classrooms. And, since English or language is the basis of all we do, the English teacher is often expected to ‘fix it’ all.