Teachers attack Mike Russell over mandatory Scottish school books

Larry Flanagan, general secretary of the EIS, said the union shares the
minister's desire that pupils study more Scottish plays, novels and poems.

"We are opposed, however, to his plans to introduce a compulsory Scottish text
question at Higher and National 5. Regrettably, neither the EIS nor English
teachers generally were consulted on this matter," he said.

"Past experience has shown that the use of specified texts in the manner
proposed tends to narrow the range of literature studied. The EIS would urge
Mr Russell to listen to teachers on this matter and to think again. "

This newspaper reported allegations yesterday from three senior teachers, who
did not wish to be named, that Mr Russell overruled the Qualification Design
Team (QDT responsible for drawing up the new English curriculum.

They said QDT members were not opposed to teaching Scottish literature, but
did not support making this mandatory. Despite Mr Russell's denials, they
yesterday stuck by their version of events.

"The point is that there is only so much time and space available in the
school curriculum, especially at Higher," one added.

"The danger is that the study of texts in the English canon will have to give
way to the study of Scottish texts on the prescribed lists."

Alan McKenzie, acting general secretary of the SSTA, said: "It would be useful
for Mr Russell to make a statement and come clean where it (the policy came
from.

"I was surprised by it because seminal Scottish works are studied as a matter
of course. This seems to be a manufactured policy which is totally
unnecessary. "

But the Scottish Government said the English QDT did not minute its meetings
and the policy was the product of a separate body, the Scottish Studies
Working Group, chaired by Mr Allan.

This was not a team of English specialists, but it chose to ignore the QDT's
recommendation that introducing mandatory Scottish literature was wrong.

A spokesman said: "There was absolutely no interference in the work of the
Design Team looking at Higher English, and claims of members being called to
an additional meeting are false.

Читать полностью или написать коммент.. Про установку спутниковых тарелок в Московской областиhttp://tarelka-tv.ru/