While reading and writing are core subjects that are heavily emphasized, the implementation of standardized testing has changed the way teachers teach English. NCLB outlines very specific guildlines and expectations for teaching reading and writing; I wonder what, in the process of carrying them out, has been left out of the curriculum, what has been gained?
In order to answer these questions, I plan to interview High School English teachers, both at Arts High School and my own former high school, Harrison High. Some questions I will ask include:
- How long have you been teaching English?
- What is your overall opinion of NCLB?
- Did you teach English before the implementation of NCLB?
- If so, how has your experience teaching English changed since then?
- What, exactly, has NCLB been trying to get our students to learn in regards to Language Arts/Literacy?
- What do you feel about the expectations NCLB has for reading/writing instruction?[eg. are they realistic?]
- How have your instructional methods have been affected by the implementation of NCLB and standardized testing?
- In your experience, have the NCLB standards for teaching English been successful when implemented in the classroom?
- What changes would you make to NCLB/NJ Core Content Curriculum Standards in regards to Language Arts/Literacy?
I will start by researching the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards for Language Arts and Literacy. From there, I will have a better understanding of what the standardized tests are supposed to measure and how they are measured. After collecting the data from the high school English teachers, I hope to understand what impacts NCLB has had on the instruction of English. As a future English teacher, this question has been at the back of mind all semester, and I'm curious about what English teachers have to say about it.
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