How do you approach teaching English in the modern classroom? What is expected of a would-be English teacher? This best-selling textbook combines theory and practice to present a broad introduction to the opportunities and challenges of teaching English in secondary school classrooms. Each chapter explains the background to debates about teaching the subject and provides tasks, practical teaching approaches and further reading to explore issues and ideas in relation to school experience. Already a major text for many university teacher education courses, this new edition has been thoroughly updated in the light of recent revisions to the National Curriculum for English, examination syllabuses and the Standards for Qualified Teacher Status. As well as containing critical explorations of the history and definitions of the subject and policies such as the Secondary National Strategy that are appropriate to Professional and Masters level PGCE study, other chapters present a broad range of effective, innovative approaches to teaching such crucial areas as: reading and writing, speaking and listening; drama; media studies and information and communications technology; grammar, poetry and language study; Shakespeare; post-16 English language and literature. Written particularly with the new and student teacher in mind, this book offers principles and practical examples of teaching and learning within a 21st Century context in which new notions of literacy compete with demands of national assessment. Taking these changing principles as a starting point, the text also addresses questions about the nature of initial teacher preparation and raises issues concerning standards-based teacher education, mentoring in schools and monitoring the development of a student teacher.