Top pict: Me at Stratford public library
2nd from top: Shakespeare's uncle's house
3rd from top: Say Lee, Azlin(can't remember her name but she's from Spore)and me in front of Shakespeare's birthplace
Bottom: Stratford-upon-Avon railway station (M.A coursemates in Birmingham)

Salam and hi,
Some serious stuff this time round- Approaches to teaching literature. Below are some notes I used as part of a presentation in the Southern Regional Seminar on English language Teaching organised by UTM way back in 2002. It should give you some idea as to which approach is the most appropriate in a second language situation. There is always this great debate about whether you are teaching literature or language when dealing with literary texts. I say one cannot exclude the other. Here goes..

1. Information-based approaches

 teach knowledge about literature/lit as content or source of facts e.g.s dates, authors, literary terms
 knowledge for its own sake, does not encourage responsive reading &
fuller interpretation of text
 generally teacher-centred ss well-armed with knowledge of history
 aim towards literary competence

2. Personal response-based approaches

 literature for personal growth
 thematic approach
 more ss-centred
 focus on individual response, personal experience
 draw on ss knowledge of self & the world

3. Language-based approaches

 literature as a resource for language teaching
 aim towards integration of language & literature: linguistic forms & literary meaning
 more concerned with the processes of reading
 aim towards linguistic competence; awareness of how language works in specific texts
 how language is used; subtle & creative uses of language
 learner-centred; teacher becomes ‘enabler’
 activity-based to open up literary texts & release its meaning
 standard ELT procedures used e.g. cloze, creative writing, re-writing, role-play etc.

PURPOSE ONE:
 the study of literature

PURPOSE TWO:
 the use of literature as a resource for language-teaching
 literature with a big “L”
 as an academic subject e.g. LEP
 involves a baggage if critical concepts, literary conventions
 aims for literary competence
 involves analysis of text, methods of reading e.g.s feminist
 ss need to be linguistically competent
 ss already understand literary conventions
 promotes the use of lit. for language learning
 to mainly develop linguistic ability
 texts are “dissected” to serve purpose
 ss eventually become familiar with texts
 literature with a small “l” e.g. CRP

Which approach is most suited for the language situation we have? Well, we can use them all but for different target groups. For instance,the Literature elective in the SPM takes after the info-based and personal response based approaches but the literature component in the mainstream syllabus is more towards the language-based approaches. It is important to know why you are teaching Literature to get the maximum benefits for the students.

rs/eltsouthernregionalseminar-utm2002