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Exam board 'drops' Mockingbird and Steinbeck after Gove reforms Exam board 'drops' Mockingbird and Steinbeck after Gove reforms
(about 1 hour later)
To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men are among the US literary classics dropped by a GCSE exam board after the education secretary called for more British works to be studied. To Kill a Mockingbird and Of Mice and Men are among the US literary classics to be dropped by a GCSE exam board after the education secretary called for more British works to be studied.
Neither book is on OCR's draft GCSE English Literature syllabus in England.Neither book is on OCR's draft GCSE English Literature syllabus in England.
Michael Gove's overhaul has also seen Arthur Miller's The Crucible left out.Michael Gove's overhaul has also seen Arthur Miller's The Crucible left out.
The Department for Education says it wants pupils to appreciate the "power of the English literary heritage" and more pre-20th Century works. The Department for Education said its document about new content for the subject published in December "doesn't ban any authors, books or genres".
'Particular dislike'
The new GCSE course content will include at least one play by William Shakespeare, a selection of work by the Romantic poets, a 19th Century novel, a selection of poetry since 1850 and a 20th Century novel or drama.The new GCSE course content will include at least one play by William Shakespeare, a selection of work by the Romantic poets, a 19th Century novel, a selection of poetry since 1850 and a 20th Century novel or drama.
OCR said the decision to drop the well-known works by the US authors was because of the DfE's desire for the exam to be more "more focused on tradition" and there were fewer opportunities to include them in the new syllabus. OCR said the decision to drop the works by the US authors was because of the DfE's desire for the exam to be more "more focused on tradition" and there were fewer opportunities to include them in the new syllabus.
Announcing his reforms last year, Mr Gove also said the new exam questions would be more rigorous and designed to ensure that pupils have read the whole book. Announcing his reforms last year, Mr Gove also said the new exam questions would be more rigorous and designed to ensure that pupils had read the whole book.
Range of abilities
Mr Gove, who studied English at Oxford University, has in the past highlighted his concern that pupils were reading Of Mice and Men in particular.Mr Gove, who studied English at Oxford University, has in the past highlighted his concern that pupils were reading Of Mice and Men in particular.
Paul Dodd, OCR's head of GCSE and A-Level reform, said Mr Gove "had a particular dislike for Of Mice and Men and was disappointed that more than 90% of candidates were studying it".Paul Dodd, OCR's head of GCSE and A-Level reform, said Mr Gove "had a particular dislike for Of Mice and Men and was disappointed that more than 90% of candidates were studying it".
Steinbeck's six-chapter novella written in 1937 about displaced ranch workers during the Great Depression and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird have become a mainstay of GCSE exams.Steinbeck's six-chapter novella written in 1937 about displaced ranch workers during the Great Depression and Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird have become a mainstay of GCSE exams.
Some academics have pointed out the reason schools opt to study the works is because they are accessible to students across a range of abilities.Some academics have pointed out the reason schools opt to study the works is because they are accessible to students across a range of abilities.
But OCR and the other exam boards have had to follow new DfE guidelines when drawing up their syllabuses for teaching from 2015.But OCR and the other exam boards have had to follow new DfE guidelines when drawing up their syllabuses for teaching from 2015.
OCR's draft syllabus is about to be presented to exams regulator Ofqual for accreditation.OCR's draft syllabus is about to be presented to exams regulator Ofqual for accreditation.
About three-quarters of the books on it are from the "canon of English literature" and most are pre-20th Century.About three-quarters of the books on it are from the "canon of English literature" and most are pre-20th Century.
Pupils will still be able to study modern work by British authors.Pupils will still be able to study modern work by British authors.
Anita and Me, Meera Syal's 1996 story of a British Punjabi girl in the Midlands, and Dennis Kelly's 2007 play about bullying, DNA, are understood to be among the most recent works included in the draft syllabus.Anita and Me, Meera Syal's 1996 story of a British Punjabi girl in the Midlands, and Dennis Kelly's 2007 play about bullying, DNA, are understood to be among the most recent works included in the draft syllabus.
Dizzee Rascal
A Department of Education spokesperson said: "In the past, English Literature GCSEs were not rigorous enough and their content was often far too narrow.
"We published the new subject content for English Literature in December.
"It doesn't ban any authors, books or genres.
"It does ensure pupils will learn about a wide range of literature, including at least one Shakespeare play, a 19th century novel written anywhere and post-1914 fiction or drama written in the British Isles.
"That is only the minimum pupils will be expected to learn."
It was "now up to exam boards to design new GCSEs", the spokesperson added.
The announcement from OCR comes after it said earlier this month that sixth-formers taking a new English A-level course it was designing with the English and Media Centre could be asked to study comedian Russell Brand's evidence to a committee of MPs and BBC interviews with musician Dizzee Rascal.The announcement from OCR comes after it said earlier this month that sixth-formers taking a new English A-level course it was designing with the English and Media Centre could be asked to study comedian Russell Brand's evidence to a committee of MPs and BBC interviews with musician Dizzee Rascal.
The organisation said the aim of the course was for students to "develop the skills to analyse any text, whether spoken or written, literary or non-literary, in the most appropriate way".The organisation said the aim of the course was for students to "develop the skills to analyse any text, whether spoken or written, literary or non-literary, in the most appropriate way".
More traditional texts would include Shakespeare, works by George Orwell and 19th Century American poet Emily Dickinson.More traditional texts would include Shakespeare, works by George Orwell and 19th Century American poet Emily Dickinson.