Records of the London Association for the Teaching of English (LATE)

The collection comprises information pertaining to the formation and activities of the London Association for the Teaching of English (LATE), specifically Annual General Meetings, annual quarterly meetings, conferences (where educational matters were discussed), Study Groups' reports as well as transcripts, scripts and papers relating to the work of students. There are some newspaper clippings. Some of the collection contains correspondence with other agencies, as well as the correspondence between members of the Association. In particular this collection contains a large amount of Nancy Martin's correspondence, who was a lecturer in English at the IOE, and who co-founded LATE.

The London Association for the Teaching of English was formed in March 1947 by a number of teachers of English and others interested in the subject. The purpose was to provide a society in the London area for all interested in the teaching of English. Its objective was to provide a live forum for the exchange of ideas, for the practical study of problems connected with English teaching and for the dissemination of the results of group and individual work. Teachers from all types of schools and training colleges were invited. The inaugural meeting was held on June 3rd 1947 at the London Institute of Education. In September 1963 the National Association for the Teaching of English was formed and LATE became a corporate member. By the 1960s membership included teachers of English of all levels, in primary and secondary schools, day and training colleges and universities.

In 196[3] the Association's aims were:

(i) To undertake education research by means of group investigations, or by any other method, according to the nature of the problem

(ii) To campaign in educational field for such reforms as are considered necessary in the interests of education in and through English

(iii) To provide an opportunity for the communication of experiences and conclusions drawn from them

(iv) To give members an opportunity of hearing authoritative speakers on topics of importance and interest to teachers of English

(v) To furnish all members with full reports of meetings, conferences and study groups

(vi) To publish such results of our work as merit wider dissemination

(vii) To participate in the work of the National Association

LATE's work involved the creation of study and discussion groups which met and reported to the Association, and created books for schools; holding of two weekend conferences and several day conferences a year which often formed the starting point for a group study; holding of evening meetings twice a term with either speakers from the Association or an address by a 'distinguished speaker'. They were particuarly interested in composition, comprehension and poetry, and campaigned in the area of examinations. Reports of conferences were published and sold.

At writing (May 2010) LATE was still active. Their website is http://www.late.org.uk

This collection has been organised in the following series. They are:

LAE/1 - The joining of LATE with other Associations

LAE/2 - Annual General meetings

LAE/3 - Reports of LATE Meetings

LAE/4 - Conferences - LATE

LAE/5 - LATE - Study Groups

LAE/6 - Publications - LATE

LAE/7 - Collaborations - LATE and other Associations

LAE/8 - LATE Analysis Document

LAE/9 - LATE Conferences on Specific Themes

LAE/10 - Teachers' assessments of students transcripts and papers

LAE/11 - Annual Affairs

LAE/12 - Examination Campaign

LAE/13 - Reports

LAE/14 - Articles about LATE

Open

The majority of the collection is open. Some files are closed under the Data Protection Act (1998). For further details please contact the archives.

A reader wishing to publish any quotation of information, including pictorial, derived from any archive material must apply in writing for prior permission from the Archivist or other appropriate person(s) as indicated by the Archivist. A limited number of photocopies may be supplied at the discretion of the Archivist.

Duplicate papers were removed.

The collection was transferred from the Department of Learning, Curriculum and Communication at the Institute of Education in November 2009. Further accruals were later deposited by a student who had completed a PhD on LATE. The amount of Nancy Martin's correspondence present suggest that these may once have been her papers.

The archives also hold the records of the London History Teachers Association (ref: LHT)