As a senior member of the National Association for the Teaching of English, I support the work of English teachers, so I was disappointed to read Trevor Fisher’s article (TES, May 4) in which he refers to previously published comments, accusing me of a “disgraceful accusation” against English teachers. Had he troubled to read the full article from which my comments were drawn, he would know they formed part of an argument about the constraining effects of Sats on the potential for curriculum reform.
The perhaps provocative questions I posed sought to urge English teachers to participate fully and forcefully in the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority’s recent consultation on the new key stage 3 English curriculum in a bid to secure relevant reform.
The article concluded with a firm statement of my belief that, given the right context, English teachers are ready, willing and able to reconstruct the curriculum to ensure it is both more creative and more culturally responsive.
It seems that to a large extent we are in fact “singing from the same hymn sheet”.
Simon Gibbons, Secondary committee, National Association for the Teaching of English, Cottenham, Cambs
