Approaches to Teaching Literature

Rosli Talif (Chapter 4)

Appleby highlights 5 areas in which a methods course can make a unique contribution:
1.

The methods course must show students how language, literature and composition are inseparable and how teachers can bring all these together into a logical organized lesson. Everything is to be interrelated

2.

3.

Shows how to stimulate interest, how to communicate with students and draw their experiences.

4. Must be able to tell the teacher what was right and what was wrong with their past teaching and they able to reflect and improvise their teaching. 5. Develop good attitudes as well as enthusiasm for teaching.

Typical scenario in a classroom

TEACHER TELLS student memorizes and stores TEACHER MOULDS student conforms TEACHER STIMULATES student teaches himself

Most teachers are content if their students can produce what has been said in the classroom. Opportunities for students to contribute are seldom provided. Teacher should stimulate students desire to learn through personal experience and discovery.

Harding advocates different modes of presenting literature

The individual child with the individual book ( book collections, accessible and well-stocked libraries, pupilteacher conferences on books, book discussion on books etc)

Literature as group experience ( storytelling, folk songs and ballads, listening to what others have written, choral reading etc)
Presentation of literary material accompanied by discussion

Carter (1988) underlines three main approaches to literature teaching

Information-based approaches aims to teach knowledge about literature and treat literature as a source of facts and information about a target country or culture. Reading is largely for information, teachers tend to be teacher-centred. Students normally come from courses with good background of history study Personal response-based approaches more student-centred, focusing on eliciting individuals responses to the text. Motivate students to read by relating the themes and topics in the text to their own personal experience. It is question-discussion methodologies. Language-based approaches aim to be learner-centred, activity based, proceed with particular attention to the way language is used. Develop language competence and sensitivity. Results in productive use of the language.

APPROACHES AND METHOD: A Definition

Approach Method Technique,

Richards and Rodgers (1986) put forward the definition as:

Approach theories about the nature of language and

language learning that serve as the source of practices and principles of language teaching.

Design objectives of the method, types of learning tasks,

teaching activities, the roles of learners, teachers and instructional materials. designs. Types of teaching and learning activities and resources needed to carry out the activities.

Procedure actual classroom techniques, approaches and

1.

Practical criticism deviated from the actual text discussed. Students tend to generalize
their understanding of the text. Directions were diverted into looking at sources and influence of the work

2.

New criticism or formalistic approach focus should be getting to the one and accurate
meaning. Less attention to the author s intentions or how the text affects the reader.

3.

Reader response or transactional approach the need for students to express their own

responses. Reading is a transactional process between the reader and the text. Role of the reader is important. Not search of one meaning but the shaping process involve and meaning the reader attaches to the text.

4.

Schema approach interactional background between the reader s previous knowledge with
the text. Ppl attach different meaning to the same text due to age, experience differences. author chooses to express himself in a particular way and how it is achieved through language manipulation. consciousness that helps students to reflect upon and judge the present situation. content, form and assumption of the author's work.

5.

Literary stylistic approach relationship between language and artistic function. How the

6.

Literary history or new historicism approach Literature can help to create a historical Biographical approach the study of life and personality of the writer. Could influence the Psychological approach the study of the writer, as type or individual Socio-psychological approach to know when the text was written in order to understand the
current situation. Enhance students knowledge about people. Human values are universal and valid up to today.

7.

8. 9.

10.

Paraphrastic approach revolves around what the author has said. Beginners - as a stepping stone to formulate original assumptions of the author's work. Students may only get the external surface of the meaning by paraphrasing the sentences. Cognitive psychology approach students must have the capacity to transform the surface qualities of the selection into conceptual structures before others activities take place. Mythological and archetypal approaches Myths, motifs and images associated

11.

12.

13. Moral-philosophical approach Ethical and moral values

Language-based approaches
Students should be provided ample opportunities for them to use the language, participate in discussion, question and answer and practice the language. Lit should not be presented as language drills or pattern practices. Student
1.

Prediction predicting at crucial points in the text. Teacher to decide where to stop reading and
all the kinds of questions to ask that could provide interesting feedback from the students in relation to the development of the plot. Create students awareness into looking at details that could be used to predict as prediction should be accompanied by evidence and support.

2.

Summary impose a word limit to make the exercise more challenging. Comparing few summaries
from students. Students to be familiar with the processes of interpretation of a text. Form of feedback concerning on their understanding of the text.

3.

Forum or debate Proposing or opposing a particular stand which is related to the text.

Members to discuss relevant issues pertaining the text and select the spokesperson who will present the agreed points. It stimulates oral language practice by encouraging interaction and exchanging of ideas. Promotes tolerance as students will discover that there is no single interpretation of a piece of literary work.
4.

Re-translation translate from English to native language. After discussion, students to write his
version in English. The final result will be compared with the original passage in English. Such exercise can stimulate the students capacity to translate an English text into the native language. They can also illustrate their understanding of the passage.

5.

Opinionnaire Teacher prepares a series of statements which are related to the difficulties

students are likely to encounter in the text. Statements should relate to the inferences and generalizations suggested by the text in question. Opportunities must be given for students to defend their choices during discussion. Practice students to defend their stand in clear manner, express their own experiences and perceptions without inhibition .

Notes:

Opportunities must be given to students to defend their choices during the discussion.
Exercise must prepare students for more complex issues in literary works by defining these issues in clear and simply defined statements. These approaches demonstrate how to design activities which can promote the students study skills prior to understanding literary works. Teacher should be able to choose strategies to suit their needs and to design appropriate introductory activities. Language practice: cloze procedure, scenarios, inferring emotions, role-playing, stimulation, writing a story, producing scripts for television or radioetc Teachers must be flexible in selecting and implementing the approaches that would best serve the learning outcome. Not definitive, could still be adapted to suit individual classroom needs.

CONCLUSION:

The main concern of the CRP the use of literary texts at elementary levels for language purposes, especially in the development of reading interests and skills. Language-based approaches are more suitable to be applied to the CRP.