The Teaching of English in England through the ages: how has the Newbolt Report been interpreted at different times?

Abstract

Since its publication in 1921, The Teaching of English in England, otherwise known as the Newbolt Report, has informed both the shape of English as a school subject and the discourse about the teaching of English in England. The 1960s saw the report as promoting a cultural heritage rooted in outdated social values; the 1970s explored how it encouraged a version of personal growth through a love of literature.The 1980s returned to issues around social class, which were further developed in the 1990s. More recently there has been a limited reappraisal of the Newbolt Report, crediting it with introducing the modern discourse around English teaching. This paper argues that a deeper understanding of the Newbolt Report would allow teachers to become more engaged with the discourse about English teaching and re-connect this with their values.

Diversity and The Newbolt Report

“…Although Newbolt has been interpreted in different ways over the years (Perry 2019), there remains a good case for revisiting its vision of English teaching, which far exceeds the current NC. This chapter will begin with a discussion of the social and pedagogical context of Newbolt, before exploring how it views the place and purpose of English literature and English language as a means to '[link] together the mental life of all classes by experiences which have hitherto been the privilege of a limited section.'…”