AN ANALYSIS OF THE SUBSTANTIVE STRUCTURE OF ENGLISH/LANGUAGE ARTS AND READING, WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR CURRICULUM DESIGN IN A UNIFIED PROGRAM

The purpose of this study was to generate a list of models and propositions which would suggest elements for curriculum design for a unified program in English/language arts and reading.;Findings. (1) The basic strands of knowledge which affect the English language arts and reading are those which originate in the science of language study and the art of literature. (2) The basic subject strands comprising the English language arts curriculum are literature, composition, language study, and oral communication. (3) The basic elements in the structure of reading are comprehension, word recognition, evaluation, and appreciation. (4) Interactional relationships among the specific skills and content matters in both English language arts and reading occur at those points at which the skill enables the student to understand the subject matter. (5) The points in a structural design at which English language arts and reading share common elements are those such as vocabulary, syntax, semantics, morphology, graphology, phonology, and grammar at the sentence level.;Major Conclusions. (1) Although reading is considered chiefly a skill, there is a body of knowledge about the language which greatly enhances that skill. (2) The subject matter of English evolves from the skills of language arts. (3) The mass of knowledge which exists about the language must be organized in order to be useful. (4) Each of the language arts is a distinct skill which is interdependent with the other language arts components. (5) Each of the subject strands of English is distinct, but each is interrelated with the others.;A deductive analysis was made of the literature and research related to the substantive structure of knowledge, the English/language arts, and reading.