Tom - I agree, in general, with what NCATE wants teachers to know about language, but it seems to me that this would require at least two, and probably three, courses in language. I know of schools that have NO course requirements in language, and in general, it seems to me quite a feat to have even a single course. After all, every English language requirement takes away from the literature courses that the English Department would rather teach. In addition to these language requirements, I'm assuming that NCATE is going to want some teaching-of-writing requirements. Again, how is this going to happen? If we require, say, three language courses and two composition courses, that would either cut into the "normal" English major considerably, or the courses would have to be added on top of the 30- or 36-hour regular English major, perhaps as education courses. Is NCATE thinking that secondary teaching should become a five-year degree program? Bill McCleary William J. McCleary Editor: Composition Chronicle Associate Prof. of English Viceroy Publications Coordinator of Secondary English 3247 Bronson Hill Road SUNY at Cortland Livonia, NY 14487 607-753-2076 716-346-6859 [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]