English teachers and the changing HSC

Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan

When English teachers in New South Wales were faced with major changes in the Higher School Certificate (HSC) curriculum, some found it hard to adapt, or even to recognise that they weren’t adapting. Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan talked to them to find out why.

O’Sullivan, who is a lecturer in the School of Education at Macquarie University as well as Chief Examiner of HSC English, looked at teachers’ responses to the introduction in 2000 in NSW of a mandatory new HSC syllabus for her PhD.

She found that contradictions and ironies were inherent in every aspect of the teachers’ responses. The new syllabus profoundly disturbed their view of their subject, in which many had invested substantial emotional capital. This was reflected in the way they continued to teach English.

“Teachers felt they hadn’t been consulted, even though there were clear consultation processes for the new syllabus. They didn’t feel they owned it,” O’Sullivan says.

Talking to the teachers

O’Sullivan conducted a State-wide survey of more than 230 teachers, before choosing 15 to interview in more depth. These teachers came from a variety of secondary schools, both government and non-government, metropolitan and country, and ranged in age and experience, including those new to the profession as well as eight Head Teachers of English.

Her data also included a unit of work prepared by each teacher for the 2001 HSC Standard English course.

She found a climate of confusion and uncertainty, in which people who were not particularly well-versed in the syllabus changes were trying to teach others about them.

Even though some thought they were implementing the new syllabus, some teachers were merely adopting the appearance of change.

English and the sense of self

“Since English teachers have extremely strong professional identities defined by values related to their subject, the close alignment of these with their sense of self tends to make them resistant to change at any deep level,” says O’Sullivan.

Their passion for their subject worked against change, she says. “In their confusion, ironically, their professional identities got stronger.”

Lessons for the future

When major curriculum change is made, there needs to be better consultation and more transparency on processes, O’Sullivan found.

For change management to be truly successful, much more attention needs to be paid to what and how those affected feel and think. How does their relationship with their subject interact with their sense of self?

“You need to clearly explain the theoretical background: why there’s been change, and how it needs to be put into practice,” she says.

O’Sullivan was awarded a Vice-Chancellor’s commendation for her work on her thesis, Silent Voices: A Study of English Teachers’ Responses to Curriculum Change.

It’s only with clarity and empathy as starting points that new paradigms and practices are likely to become firmly established, she says.

For further information, contact Dr Kerry-Ann O’Sullivan at kerryann.osullivan@mq.edu.au The Australian Centre for Educational Studies website is at http://www.aces.mq.edu.au