English Teachers and the Cox Models

The introductory section of the Cox Report describes five models of English teaching. Together, it seems, these constitute a broad map of current thinking:It is possible to identify within the English teaching profession a number of different views on the subject. We list them here, though we stress that they are not the only possible views, they are not sharply distinguishable, and they are certainly not mutually exclusive.1. A ‘personal growth’ view focuses on the child: it emphasises the relationship between language and learning in the individual child, and the role of literature in developing children’s imaginative and aesthetic lives.2. A ‘cross-curricular’ view focuses on the school: it emphasises that all teachers have a responsibility to help children with the language demands of different subjects on the school curriculum 3. An ‘adult needs’ view focuses on communication outside the school: it emphasises the responsibility of English teachers to prepare children for the language demands of adult life, including the workplace, in a fast-changing world 4. A ‘cultural heritage’ view emphasises the responsibility of schools to lead children to an appreciation of those works of literature that have been widely regarded as amongst the finest in the language.5. A ‘cultural analysis’ view emphasises the role of English in helping children towards a critical understanding of the world and cultural environment in which they live. Children should know abou t the processes by which meanings are conveyed, and about the ways in which print and other media carry values. (DES/WO, 1989)