‘I’m going to tell you what this poem means’: a study of literary critico-theoretical concepts in the practice of secondary English student teachers during their PGCE programme

Barber, Joe Paul (2024) ‘I’m going to tell you what this poem means’: a study of literary critico-theoretical concepts in the practice of secondary English student teachers during their PGCE programme. Doctoral thesis (EdD), Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

‘I’m going to tell you what this poem means’: A study of literary critico-theoretical concepts in the practice of secondary English student teachers during their PGCE programme. JOE PAUL BARBER Doctor of Education 2024 ‘I’m going to tell you what this poem means’: A study of literary critico-theoretical concepts in the practice of secondary English student teachers during their PGCE programme. JOE PAUL BARBER A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of Manchester Metropolitan University for the degree of Doctor of Education Faculty of Health and Education Manchester Metropolitan University 2024 This is a statement of declaration that that the work submitted is my own and also, that the work submitted has not previously been submitted and/or examined for any other award. Contents List of Figures and Tables 6 List of terms and abbreviations 7 Acknowledgements 8 Abstract 10 Chapter One: Introduction 12 A summary of this thesis 12 1.1. Personal context of the research 13 1.2. Professional context of the research 16 1.3. Thesis structure 18 Chapter Two: Literature Review 20 Introduction 20 2.1. ‘A Geography of the page’ 21 2.1.1. The coordinates of critico-theoretical concepts in the English literature lesson. 21 2.1.2. Reader-Response Theory: handing the reader her own compass 29 2.1.3. Reader-response for critical literacy in textual spaces 35 Summary 40 2.2. Mapping the decline of English teacher expertise 43 2.2.1. The (d)evolution of subject English 43 2.2.2. Subject English and the politics of pedagogy 46 2.2.3. Making English teachers: training or education? 49 2.2.4. English teachers: autonoms or automatons? 54 Summary 57 Summary of Literature Reviews 59 Chapter Three: Methodology and Methods 60 3.1. Research questions 60 3.2. Research design and methods 60 3.3. Participants 65 3.4. Methodology 67 3.4. Research settings 70 3.5. Access 72 3.7. Ethics 73 3.8. Research timeline 75 3.9. Undertaking the research and analysing the data 75 3.10. Analysis: Reflexive Thematic Analysis as method 80 Summary of methodology and methods 86 Chapter Four: Analysis and Discussion 87 4.1. Theme one: Literary critical journeys from GCSE to undergraduate 87 Introduction 87 4.1.1. Developing empathy and emotion through reading 88 4.1.2. Influences of English teachers and their pedagogy at GCSE and A-level 94 Discussion 100 4.2. Theme two: Uncertain conceptualisations and relationships with literary theory 103 Introduction 103 4.2.1. Difficulties recalling and conceptualising utilising literary theory 103 4.2.2. Experiences of being taught literary theory during and after A-level 106 4.2.3. Literary theory as a lens for reading the self and the world 110 4.2.4. Structuralist and textual critico-theoretical concepts at work in literature teaching 116 Discussion 121 4.3. Theme three: Conceptualisations of teaching literature and teaching reading 128 Introduction 128 4.3.1. Correctness, context and ‘teacher-reader response’ 128 4.3.2. Not being a teacher of reading and the status of ‘pupil-reader-response’ 137 4.3.3. Perceived tensions which inhibit teaching literary analysis 142 Discussion 150 4.4. Theme four: The development of practice and looking beyond the PGCE 155 Introduction 155 4.4.1. The influence of experienced placement teachers and subject mentors 155 4.4.2. The influence of generic approaches to Pedagogy 161 4.4.3. Practice beyond the PGCE 168 Discussion 170 4.5. Summary of discussions 174 Chapter Five: Focus Group Analysis and Discussion 176 Introduction 176 5.1. Emerging conceptualisations of literary theory and pedagogical conformity 177 5.2. The influence of professional compliance, personal responsibility, and ‘going rogue’ on pedagogy 181 5.3. Pressures of time, accountability and assimilation 186 5.4. Requests for more university time on the PGCE 190 Discussion 191 Chapter Six: Conclusion 195 6.1. Conclusions: addressing the research questions. 195 6.1.1. Research question 1: 195 What concepts from literary theory do PGCE English student teachers bring to their teacher education course? 195 6.1.2. Research question 2: 197 Is it possible to detect concepts from literary theory in student teachers’ PGCE progress? 197 6.1.3. Research question 3: 200 What does the use (or not) of concepts from literary theory in PGCE performance, progress and assessment tell us about English literature pedagogy and teacher specialism and autonomy in secondary schools? 200 6.2. Contribution to knowledge 201 6.3. Implications for practice / praxis 202 6.4. Future research 204 6.5. Limitations of the study 205 6.6. My research journey 206 6.7. Ethics 208 References 210 Appendices 221   List of Figures and Tables Figure 1 - M. H. Abrams’ Coordinates of Art Criticism (1953) 14 Table 1 - Table of Participants 59-60   List of terms and abbreviations Subject English English as a curriculum or academic subject used to distinguish it from ‘English’ as a nationality or a language Pupil-reader A more precise identifier of ‘the reader’ in literature lessons and which signifies the pupil as a maker of meaning Teacher-reader A more precise identifier of ‘the reader’ in literature lessons and which signifies the teacher as the maker of meaning Analysis Used to refer to reading for interpretation and possibly to develop critical responses Exam English (Bleiman, 2018) The notion that in the secondary school, subject English is taught for the principal purposes of achieving optimal examination outcomes Real English (Bleiman, (2018) The notion that in the secondary school, subject English is taught according to its potential for learning of a broad range of skills, knowledge, information and experience Literary theory Theoretical approaches to analytical reading and literary scholarship which interrogate where meaning is situated and how meaning us made Textual theory A term which refers to how reading occurs according to the close reading practice of the reader, attending to the text’s structural, linguistic and stylistic elements Practical criticism A method pioneered by I. A. Richards (1929) and which requires the reader to prioritise the text before their eyes, attending to its structural, linguistic and stylistic elements, devoid of contextual or authorial information Reader-response theory A branch of literary theory which prioritises the relationship between the text and the reader TESOL Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages PGCE Post Graduate Certificate in Education Placement A PGCE students’ first school-based practicum Placement B PGCE students’ second school-based practicum UVT University Visiting Tutor QAA Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education PAD Progression and Achievement Document SPA Subject Pedagogy Assignment HEI Higher education institute ITE Initial Teacher Education ITT Initial Teacher Training SBT School based training SCITT School Centred Initial Teacher Training DfE Department for Education CCF Core Content Framework for Initial teacher Training GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education A-Level Advanced Level qualifications in England   Acknowledgements I would firstly like to show my appreciation to Manchester Metropolitan University for supporting my doctoral studies on its Doctor of Education (EdD) programme. I am forever grateful to my principal supervisor, Professor Gabrielle Ivinson for sharing invaluable insights and expertise in her guidance and feedback on writing this thesis and to Dr Joanna Dennis for grounding me with helpful reminders of the job in hand. Thank you to Dr Helen Underhill, Michelle Noble, Dr Eileen Cunningham, Dr Geoff Bunn and Dr Stephen Hicks for seeing what I often could not and setting me back on the right track. To Louise Quinn and Karen Duffy, for fine friendship, roaring laughter and always delectable cake. Acknowledgement and gratitude must go to the student teachers who have passed through the PGCE English course over the years and in particular, to those student teachers and their subject mentors who so generously and selflessly agreed to take part in this study. Given the ‘story’ of this thesis, it would be remiss of me not to thank those English teachers and lecturers who unknowingly made a difference: Christine Lomax, Chris Salt, Trish Garnett, Annique Seddon, Geoffrey Wainwright and Laurence Coupe. I’d like to give utmost and heartfelt thanks to my mum, Muriel Judge, for always being my biggest champion and whose support and love enabled me to pick up the pieces of a failed education and try again. Even though she will never read this thesis, she is immensely proud. Last of all, to Peter, for unerring daily patience, support and wisdom. For always believing in me. For everything. The magnitude of my respect, gratitude and love for you is inestimable.   This thesis is dedicated to the memory of my very dear pal, Angela Ward, who would have eased me over each and every bump in the road with sympathy, compassion and humour. Her pride would have exceeded even mine and she’d have shared it with anyone willing to listen. X   Abstract This thesis investigates PGCE Secondary English student teachers’ knowledge of literary theory and its relationship to their English literature teaching and the value afforded their pupils’ reader-responses. The research developed from my time as an English teacher and my current role as a PGCE English course leader. The research question, ‘what substantive knowledge do student English teachers have of literary theory and how does this change throughout the PGCE?’ arose from two literature reviews. The first of these examines literary theory in 11-19 English teaching and explores practical criticism and reader-response as coordinating facets of GCSE and A-level assessment. The second explores whether English teacher knowledge and expertise, particularly where literary theory is concerned, influences current 11-19 English teaching and the future of English literature pedagogy in the school classroom. The study was undertaken using an interpretivist paradigm. Participants include six secondary English student teachers and four subject mentors attached to four of the student teachers during their second and final school practicum. Data was gathered from interviews with student teachers and school-based mentors before and during school placements, field notes taken during lesson observations of the student teachers and a focus group at the end of the PGCE course. Findings of the study suggest teachers’ lack of understanding of structuralist literary theory which underpins GCSE and A-level approaches to literary reading. Student teachers reported the need to develop their practice according to whole-school approaches to pedagogy. In the focus group, they shared candid insights not shared during earlier interviews. Findings suggest they valued experiences while studying A-level literature related to the development of empathy and matters of identity and representation. The research challenged my initial speculation that student teachers had a secure knowledge of literary theory from their undergraduate studies and that this came to be side-lined during their time on school placement. This was found not to be so, and knowledge of theory bore little relationship to the type found in GCSE and A-level assessment criteria. Finally, the study also suggests that English teachers pre- and in-service, do not have a clear view of themselves as teachers of reading which is a component of keys stages three and four, and do not prioritise reading skills of reader-response and critical literacy due to pressures to cover syllabus content and to prioritise terminal assessments, particularly at GCSE.