Text choice for the English (language arts) classroom in New Zealand: Balancing needs and environment in the face of a potential move to increased accountability at Years 9 and 10

Abstract

The approaches of 17 experienced secondary school teachers of English in New Zealand to choosing text, reported through semi-structured interviews, aligns well to one strand of theory about adolescent literacy. This theory, based on empirical research, advocates taking account of students’ interests and backgrounds when choosing texts. New Zealand secondary school English teachers’ sense of unencumbered autonomy to choose texts may come under pressure from signalled policy moves for increased accountability for progress in literacy between the primary and secondary school years. The pattern internationally has been for movements to increase accountability to result in a narrowing of curriculum approaches.