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The West Australian quotes ETA out of context
Bethany Hiatt’s need to sensationalise the statistics that show a decline in the number of students studying E005 English Literature required her to omit much of what I said when interviewed for the front page article in The West Australian on 8 February.
I made the same point as Dave Wood about the shift of students to the English course when it was made a list 1 subject in 2004.
I also explained that the decline was partly a consequence of a small TEE cohort in schools with strong vocational programs. The ‘cohort effect’ means that students are better challenged in larger classes, and potential Literature students have a better chance of reaching a higher TER in a class of 20 English students, than in a small class of Literature students. In such circumstances, schools are responsible in reducing their TES program to ensure effective class sizes. Often this meant not offering Literature.
Finally, I suggested that students who hail from higher middle class backgrounds come to Literature with more cultural capital, (richer reading backgrounds, more educated parents, and generally more literary ‘experience’) and are therefore more suited to preparing the analytical essay responses that are primarily used as the assessment tool for English Literature. I believe the current examination structure disadvantages students from lower socio economic backgrounds, which is a pity, as the Literature course itself is as relevant and worthwhile for such students as it is for students in bigger middle class schools. It is this last point that Bethany construed as me saying that Literature is an ‘elitist’ subject.
Karren Philp
Professional Development
English Teachers Association WA
08 Feb 2007 by ETA
Bethany Hiatt’s need to sensationalise the statistics that show a decline in the number of students studying E005 English Literature required her to omit much of what I said when interviewed for the front page article in The West Australian on 8 February.
I made the same point as Dave Wood about the shift of students to the English course when it was made a list 1 subject in 2004.
I also explained that the decline was partly a consequence of a small TEE cohort in schools with strong vocational programs. The ‘cohort effect’ means that students are better challenged in larger classes, and potential Literature students have a better chance of reaching a higher TER in a class of 20 English students, than in a small class of Literature students. In such circumstances, schools are responsible in reducing their TES program to ensure effective class sizes. Often this meant not offering Literature.
Finally, I suggested that students who hail from higher middle class backgrounds come to Literature with more cultural capital, (richer reading backgrounds, more educated parents, and generally more literary ‘experience’) and are therefore more suited to preparing the analytical essay responses that are primarily used as the assessment tool for English Literature. I believe the current examination structure disadvantages students from lower socio economic backgrounds, which is a pity, as the Literature course itself is as relevant and worthwhile for such students as it is for students in bigger middle class schools. It is this last point that Bethany construed as me saying that Literature is an ‘elitist’ subject.
Karren Philp
Professional Development
English Teachers Association WA
08 Feb 2007 by ETA
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