Dilemmas in theory and practice : a case study of English teachers and school-based curriculum development and assessment

The theory of school-based curriculum development and assessment is that assessment would be an on-going process which derived naturally from the curriculum of the classroom. But in practice, this is not the case. Theory and practice are not only widely different; they are mutually antagonistic. Practice not only contradicts theory; the implementation of theory has resulted in a practice which is the opposite to that suggested by the theory. This paper examines the system of school-based curriculum development and assessment in Queensland in the subject English.