Literature in the Language Classroom
Literature in the Language Classroom Traditional Approaches
The teaching of literature has recently been resurrected as a vital component of English language teaching. Over the past few decades, there has been much discussion on the value of attempting to teach any kind of literature, whether it be the classics or any imaginative work written in English, as part of an English language syllabus. For instance, in the sixties and seventies, there was a distinct reaction against the use of any literary English before the pendulum swung again in support of literature teaching. The opposition towards literature may well have been due to the impact of the approaches that were practised in the decades prior to the sixties and seventies and prevailing ideas in language teaching and methodology.
The study of literature acquired eminence during the Romantic period when the Romantic poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge asserted that the "imaginative truths" expressed by literature were superior to those discovered by scientists, historians and other scholars:
....the Poet, singing a song in which all human beings join with him rejoices in the presence of truth as our visible friend and hourly companion. Poetry is the breath and finer spirit of all Knowledge; Poetry is the first and last of all knowledge - it is as immortal as the heart of man.
(Wordsworth: 1805)
Literature was seen as a body of knowledge which ought to be learnt for its own sake. The process of creativity and the entire body of literature were given an honoured and elevated status that sustained the elitist nature which the study of literature had already acquired.
In examining traditional approaches to literature, what is apparent is the prevailing views amongst the elite were continually emulated by educationists, possibly preventing a clearly-defined role for literature teaching in education. Most of these views remained as propaganda and failed to motivate a reasoned set of proposals as to
The teaching of literature has recently been resurrected as a vital component of English language teaching. Over the past few decades, there has been much discussion on the value of attempting to teach any kind of literature, whether it be the classics or any imaginative work written in English, as part of an English language syllabus. For instance, in the sixties and seventies, there was a distinct reaction against the use of any literary English before the pendulum swung again in support of literature teaching. The opposition towards literature may well have been due to the impact of the approaches that were practised in the decades prior to the sixties and seventies and prevailing ideas in language teaching and methodology.
The study of literature acquired eminence during the Romantic period when the Romantic poets such as Wordsworth and Coleridge asserted that the "imaginative truths" expressed by literature were superior to those discovered by scientists, historians and other scholars:
....the Poet, singing a song in which all human beings join with him rejoices in the presence of truth as our visible friend and hourly companion. Poetry is the breath and finer spirit of all Knowledge; Poetry is the first and last of all knowledge - it is as immortal as the heart of man.
(Wordsworth: 1805)
Literature was seen as a body of knowledge which ought to be learnt for its own sake. The process of creativity and the entire body of literature were given an honoured and elevated status that sustained the elitist nature which the study of literature had already acquired.
In examining traditional approaches to literature, what is apparent is the prevailing views amongst the elite were continually emulated by educationists, possibly preventing a clearly-defined role for literature teaching in education. Most of these views remained as propaganda and failed to motivate a reasoned set of proposals as to
References: Barnard, R. (1984) A Short History of English Literature. Oxford: Basil Blackwell. Brumfit, C.J Brumfit, C.J. (1985) Language and Literature Teaching. Oxford: Pergamon Press. Carter, A Collie, J. & Slater, S. (1987) Literature in the Language Classroom. Cambridge:OUP pp.3-11. Davis, C ELT Documents 130 (1989) Literature and the Learner: Methodological Approaches. British Council. Hill,J Jennings, A. (1989) "Midnight Shakes the Memory." in Holden & Hill (ed) Creativity in Language Teaching. Modern English Publications. Moody, H.L.B Quire, R & H.G. Widdowson, (1985) English in the World. Cambridge: OUP. Short, M Trilling, L. (1962) Beyond Culture. Oxford: OUP. Vincent, M Widdowson, P. (1982) Re-reading English London: Methuen. Widdowson, H.G Widdowson, H.G. (1983) Talking Shop in ELT Journal (January 1990). Wordsworth, W Edward Sapir (1884–1939). Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech. 1921. |