On the Humane Aspects of English as a Discipline

1983 NCTE Annual Business Meeting in Denver, Colorado

Background This resolution grew out of NCTE members' concern that a trend toward "mastery learning" and specification of measurable "levels of competency" as goals of English programs could lead to narrow concepts of English as a discipline.  Be it therefore Resolution Resolved, that the National Council of Teachers of English discourage a narrow pedagogy which focuses on specific language skills, and remind its many constituencies that, while language proficiency is essential, we must continue to emphasize the importance of the full, humane discipline of English, including the aesthetic, affective, and cultural aspects of written and oral expression as well as literature and the theatre.