The English Department is considering the elimination of the freshman research paper, adjustments to the laning of English classes, and a new strategy for teaching grammar studies.

“We aren’t sure that the research paper is best filling students needs,” said English Instructional Supervisor Trinity Klein.

Critical Thinking I and American Classics teacher Sarah Bartlett said, “there is a reexamination of the research paper assignment at all grade levels.”

Usually, the English department studies the mechanics of a research paper, and students then complete two papers: one each for social studies and English.

Prior to this year, the English department taught the mechanics of a research paper, and assigned one first quarter, said World and U.S. History teacher Jaclyn Edwards.

“Then, second semester, the Social Studies department picks it up and assigns another one,” Edwards said. “All students are writing a paper in the form of historical fiction. They practice the skills of writing annotated bibliographies, outlines and rough drafts.”

This agreement began more than 10 years ago, said Social Studies Instructional Supervisor Eric Bloom.

“Site Council funded readers to help with the evaluation of the paper,” Bloom said.

Reasons for the possible discontinuation include poorly written papers, and students who do not understand the value of research, said Bloom.

“One problem is access to the computer labs for in-class research and lessons. Another is that not all ninth graders are ready for a full research paper,” Bartlett said.

Still, she cautions that no concrete decisions have been made.

Despite the fate of the research papers, the English department is likely to continue to teach the skills involved in a paper, Klein said.

“These skills are needed for other assignments,” Klein said. “Students need to know what is fair information and how to study without plagiarizing. They need to be able to tell what is their own idea versus what is someone else’s. It’s also hard when we enter the realm of “common knowledge.”

Klein says that the English department has begun an evaluation of the two lanes offered to students. Exploratory Thinking and Literature are regular college preparatory courses, and Critical Thinking and Classics make up the advanced/honors lane. In ninth grade, Klein said, the classes are not noticeably different. The problem, Klein said, is the difference in the classes as the students get older.

“It can be a problem when kids who don’t understand or aren’t prepared for the rigors of Critical Thinking or American Classics sign up for those classes and then don’t do well,” Bartlett said.

Additionally, Bartlett said, many students or parents are driven by thoughts of college, choosing the higher lane despite teacher’s recommendation and the student’s prior performance.

“A student in the lower lane who tries to lane up in junior or senior year will have a very, very hard time,” Klein said. “We’re just starting to poke and prod at this.”

“The higher lane is becoming the norm rather than the exception, and the lower lane is becoming very different. The disparity [between the two lanes] is evident both in terms of behavior and academics, and the disparity is marked.

The English department is also considering more standardization in the teaching of grammar.

“We are examining the need for scope and sequence in grammar,” Klein said. “What’s needed in what class at what level?”

“I do think grammar (and some punctuation) should be taught at each grade level,” Bartlett said. “I also think teachers need to have some discretion, but it would be beneficial to have some guidelines and agreement about what would be taught at each grade level.”

“There’s a pendulum of when [the teacher] learned grammar,” said Klein. There’s the ‘whole language’ approach, when you teach grammar in context, and then there’s just straight diagramming. Whole language says students need to know grammar depending on how they write, why they write, and to whom they are writing.”

“There will eventually be a baseline – all students can do/identify this. But what’s ‘this’? We’re just starting to find out.”

“The English department is made up of different people,” Klein said. “Diversity is what gives us our strength. Students benefit from teaching differences. There’s an absolute path to follow, and then it’s up to teachers on how to walk.”