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Discuss the practice of English teaching, in terms of both language and literature, has undergone dramatic changes since the vernacular origins of Old English in Anglo-Saxon Britain.

The practice of English teaching, in terms of both language and literature, has undergone dramatic changes since the vernacular origins of Old English in Anglo-Saxon Britain. Considering the fact that primary Education, or elementary education as it was referred to in the nineteenth century, was not compulsory until 1880, it is particularly interesting to note the rapid evolution of English teaching between the end of the nineteenth century and the end of the twentieth century. The twentieth century itself was characterised by an extreme level of social and political upheaval which necessarily exerted an influence not only on the day-to-day use of the English language but also on the way in which it was taught in the primary-school classroom.
Until the end of the nineteenth century, education in general was reserved for a privileged few and the study of English was deemed a lesser academic pursuit than the study of the Latin and Greek classics. However, according to Mercer and Swann, the influence of the Industrial Revolution and the huge economic advancements it gave rise to placed an emphasis on the need for “more widespread literacy and high levels of literacy” (Mercer & Swann 1996:168) among the British population. Nevertheless, due to the hierarchical nature of Victorian society, language served as a means by which class boundaries could be rigidly defined and maintained. This is evident in the literary works of many nineteenth-century writers such as Dickens who often employed different registers to inform the reader of the social status of his characters. Indeed, the confusion and controversy that surrounded the teaching of English at the end of the nineteenth century regarding what should be taught to whom, and by what methods, directly concerned the changing socio-political fabric of British society. As education became available to more and more people and the establishment of English as a subject became more respected, it became increasingly evident that widespread reform was required.
Despite the fact that, by the latter part of the nineteenth century, the necessity of teaching English in primary schools was generally accepted, there were many disagreements regarding its purpose. While the prevailing fear in the higher echelons of society was that universal literacy would lead to discontent among the working classes and consequent rebellion, there were others who believed education “a means of social and economic advancement” and “a means of breaking down the old class barriers” (Mercer & Swann 1996:168). While the political debate raged on, those children who attended primary school were often the recipients of an unimaginative curriculum which, nevertheless, increased the level of basic literacy for a much greater proportion of the population. The teaching of reading was often conducted by reading around the classroom and learning pieces of prose by rote. For some pupils, learning to read meant little more than a memorisation task, while other pupils benefited from the highly structured exercise of repetition and correction. In contrast to the focus on personal