Check out the ELA standards for all 50 states.
Diane Ravitch looks at the important role of content in curriculum. She argues that a curriculum focusing on skills alone is doomed to fail the students.
E.D. Hirsch tackles the conventional wisdom that students don't need to learn lots of specific content because "knowledge changes all the time" and "they can always look it up." Is that true? Or does specific domain knowledge plan an important role in learning? From the American Federation of Teacher's American Educator journal, Spring 2000.
Homebase for the Core Knowledge Curriculum. Lots of interesting resources and information.
Interesting article on how AP Literature courses are taught -- often very differently -- despite the fact that the assessment is national.
Daniel Willingham -- "Ask the Cognitive Scientist" -- explores the difficulty of creating tests based on subject-area standards. He then suggests that a more effective and accurate approach is to "make the expectations more comprehensive" -- i.e. base tests on an actual curriculum instead of standards.
Wes Fryer hits a homerun with the posting on ways that digital storytelling can enrich the English/RLA classroom. Lots of thoughts on wikis, blogs, podcasts, and image- and video-based tools.
Joanne Jacobs pointed out this article. Apparently "happiness lessons" being taught in the British school system aren't having any effect.
Irvington, NY, parents voice their concerns about the districts English/RLA curriculum, and ask for a seat at the table when it comes to revising the curriculum. The PTSA is involved. Good stuff.