National English Curriculum By Ms. Stratmann

Introduction  A national curriculum is a course of study that all students in the nation would follow.  For English, a national curriculum would require that students read the same books while they are in high school.  Some countries already use a national curriculum, but in the US, students graduate having studied all different texts and topics.

Important Vocabulary  Curriculum: A course of study in school  Literary Canon: a group of literary works that are considered important  Anthology: a collection of writings from different authors

The Affirmative Side  Schools in the United States are already reading many of the same books according to the table in source B.  There are existing anthologies that offer texts from around the world (source D).  Texts already part of the literary canon have been proven to be good and have stood the test of time (Source B).  We shouldn’t let our students graduate from high school without having read the books their college professors will expect them to have read. Source D

The Negative Side  The literary canon lacks a significant number of women writers and writers of color (Source A)  Studies have shown that children learn best when teachers use multicultural literature(Source E)  It’s best for teachers to choose what will work best for their students (Source C).

Conclusion  In conclusion, educators are divided on whether or not the US should have a national curriculum. Supporters say that authors like Shakespeare, Dickens, and Twain are important for students to read while they are in high school. Opponents believe that it’s important to incorporate works from authors that have been previously excluded from the literary canon and which are more culturally relevant to students.