Personally, in high school, my history class and my language arts class were integrated together. I had taken Paideia from my Freshman year through my Junior year (I didn't take Paideia my Senior year because it was not offered.). Paideia is a seminar session that is integrated into a regular curriculum. It can be used in any subject (not just English).
If you want to learn more about Paideia, here is the link:
http://www.paideia.org/content.php/system/index.htm
In high school, I would learn about a certain historical event in history class, and then that event would be incorporated into my English class through literature. I believe that by having the same subject matter in two different classes, it is easier for students to retain information. When I become an English teacher, I plan on collaborating with the history teacher.