Stemming the strategy flood tide in PGCE English

Abstract

The development of both reflective critical practice and innovative or creative approaches in English teaching have been key elements of the PGCE English training courses which have evolved over the last fifty years. However the deluge of documentation and initiatives continually pouring out from government agencies means that the professional attempts of providers in Initial Teacher Education to create distinctive courses are increasingly in danger of being undermined by official expectations. This article will explore the challenges inherent in the process of rewriting the contents of a PGCE Secondary English course. It will consider how trainees can be prepared for the realities of the strategy-dominated English classroom in the 21st century and empowered to establish independent critical overviews of both their chosen subject and their roles as educators which will, in turn, enable them to engage in progressive pedagogies in their classrooms and contribute to future curriculum development.

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Notes on contributors

Sue Dymoke

Sue Dymoke lectures in the School of Education at the University of Leicester