Exam boards for English Literature should reduce the level of prescription in their specifications. Research shows* that there is an in-built distrust of the process of canonisation manifested in interviews with subject leaders. Examiners feel that teachers should be able to have more freedom to choose what they teach - as long as there is a variety of text types and forms - and that English Literature GCSE and A Level should be developing skills of analysis and critical enquiry rather than learning about literary heritage texts. So Let's make it happen by convincing exam boards to loosen the reigns.

Exam results and league tables have become the primary focus for English Departments in the UK and teachers no longer feel able to take risks on new texts. As a result, 90% of students in this country study Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men at GCSE; the primacy of this text is a perfect example of what hapens when exam boards limit the choices available to teachers. For information about the potentially damaging effects teaching canonical texts in English, please visit: http://reclaimingtheenglishcurriculum.blogspot.co.uk/ 

And if you're feeling brave enough, my full research report can be found at: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100742367/The-Primacy-of-Texts-the-Problem-With-Canonisation-in-the-Secondary-School-English-Film-and-Media-Studies-Curriculum#fullscreen

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