The most recent publication of the New Zealand secondary English curriculum shows a shift toward the expectation to teach some of the same, traditional texts in all New Zealand schools. Teachers in Aotearoa, like their global counterparts, bear the challenge of balancing prescriptive curriculum requirements with the need to make active choices about their teaching. From that perspective, this literature review critically examines research that shows how secondary English teachers have navigated competing demands, exercising agency and facilitated learning experiences amid restrictive curricula. The review draws on 20 empirical studies, mainly from international contexts, and explores key themes including examples of teacher agency and pedagogical strategies in response to restrictive aspects of English curricula. We discuss potentialities for teachers in Aotearoa New Zealand to build toward their own expressions of agency and cultural responsiveness while working with(in) traditional curriculum mandates.
Bowring et al. (Thu,) studied this question.