Knowledge and English A Philosophical Enquiry into Subject English and Creative Writing , by Oli Belas, London, Routledge, 2023, 146 pp., Hardback £120; £35.09 (ebook), ISBN 978-0367-48736-2

Abstract

ABSTRACTBelas’ book interrogates philosophical and educational questions of knowledge, evaluating their significance for subject English. It critically examines prevalent beliefs about knowledge, challenging the simplistic notion that devising a ‘knowledge-based’ or ‘knowledge-rich’ curriculum is straightforward or without deeper complexities. It confronts ubiquitous but debatable ideas about individual knowledge within education, such as the supposed distinction between ‘knowledge’ and ‘skill’. The concept of ‘powerful knowledge’ and its positive and negative influence on curriculum issues is investigated in detail. Specific questions about English subject knowledge are explored, such as how to balance close reading of texts with contextual approaches. Furthermore, Belas argues that a focus on writing is desirable for the evolution of subject English and education.KEYWORDS: Subject Englishcurriculumskillknowledgephilosophycreative writingsubject hierarchisationclose reading and context Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. AFOREST – Alliteration, Facts, Opinion, Rhetorical Question, Emotion, Statistics, Three – rule of three. TEEL – Topic sentence, Explanation, Evidence, Link. PEEL – Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. PEE – Point, Evidence, Evaluation.Additional informationNotes on contributorsPatrick CreamerPatrick Creamer is a doctoral student at UCL researching the philosophy of education, with a focus on using inferentialism to explore knowledge within subject English. He is a former teacher of GCSE and A level English in further education.