THE Australian National Curriculum Board recently released a draft curriculum placing great emphasis on teaching the basic structures of the English language in schools, The Australian has reported.

The draft curriculum identified three key elements — learning about language, appreciation of literature, and the ability to use language.

Under the proposed curriculum, all students from the first year of school would be taught grammar for the first time since the 1970s, when English education shifted from a grammar-based curriculum to a more literary approach. The board’s chairman, Barry McGaw, said a renewed focus on teaching English as a language rather than a tool for cultural studies would help raise literacy standards in schools.

An informed appreciation of literature is the second element of the draft curriculum. The board recommended that children be exposed to literature as soon as they start school, and study the classics as they progress through high school. Literary texts, novels, poetry, drama and short stories would take on a broad range of multimedia formats, including both printed and digital.

The third element focuses on learning to use language, from speaking English to writing it or using it in multimodal texts.

The Australian Federal Opposition spokesman on education, Christopher Pyne, said he was pleased to see the board had recognized the need for students to have a solid foundation in grammar, spelling and punctuation, although the board’s English advisory group chief, Peter Freebody, feared that teachers may not have the skills at this stage to carry out the plans.

Consultation on the draft curriculum continues until the end of next February.