How To Get Started with LITERATURE IN ENGLISH for Form Three - Form Four Course
LITERATURE IN ENGLISH is one of the optional subjects taught in ‘O’ Level
Secondary Schools. But just as there is pronounced foundation built by subjects
like Book Keeping, Commerce, and others, so it is Literature in English. For
example, when students study Commerce in ‘O’ level, we expect them to get the
knowledge that will be helpful in their further or future studies or even
careers. Also Literature in English has a foundation to build. When students
study Literature in English, we expect them to them to build the competent
foundation in both Linguistics and Literature.
5 Ways on How to get started with LITERATURE
IN ENGLISH – with pictures
1. Clearing
the Doubts. Most students
think English Language and Literature in English are the same. But this is not
true. They just say so because in English language there is a part known Reading
Programme which includes reading and analyzing literary works. As for
Literature in English, there is no learning of Grammar, it is only Literature
although the students can improve their grammar as they read and analyse more
books.
The
following illustration can be useful when a teacher is trying to help the Form
Two students differentiate between the two subjects; English and Literature in
English. This will clear his/her doubts and misconceptions that these are the
same subjects.
2. Plan. Teachers who teach Literature has their teaching
plans that are different from those in English language. The illustration below
demonstrates how a teacher teaching Literature in English can plan to help him/her
to cover the contents of the subject. For the teachers who have the experience
of teaching Reading Programme or Literary works in Form Three and Form Four
will quickly have the clues on the contents and simplicity of the subject when
it is well planned. And to put it clear, teachers who teach Literary books in
Form Three and Form Four will find it that ‘the only difference between these
two subjects is in texts – of course, Literature in English has different
allocate texts, that is novels, short stories, plays and poems are different
from those in English language. Just keep close to this ‘Sharing Campaign’, in
other posts, we will discuss more about these texts. But remember, you decide
to get them by online or tell the respective school departments to buy some for
you!
Explanation
in brief:
(1)
Introduction/Theory
of literature. It deals with the short introduction on the subject itself. Here
a teacher can gives brief explanation on Why Literature (not Functions of
Literature), What is the Theory of Literature, and How Literature in English is
independent subject. NB: The terms Introduction to Literature and Theory of
Literature are sometimes used interchangeably to mean all the contents taught
before the analysis of books.
(2)
Definitions
of literature. Literature has a lot of definitions from various sources. The students
have to know some of them.
(3)
Nature
and history of literature. The brief history on the nature and origin of
literature. How literature came into being.
(4)
Language
and literature. How language and literature are considered two sides of the
same coin? And importance of language in literature.
(5)
Functions
of literature. Functions of literature in the society. These are common because
they are found in Introduction/Theory of literature in English language.
(6)
Types
of literature. These are types of literature which should be well explained to
the students.
(7)
Elements
of literature. These also are important because they prepare the students to
the full analysis of books.
(8)
Genres
of literature. These give students the clear picture of what is going to read
and analysed as they start reading and analyzing literary works.
(9)
Analysis
of literary works. This is the long and sometimes complex section of the
subject. It involves the intensive and extensive reading and analyzing of
literary works from various literary genres.
3. Well-elaborate
types of literature.
Students should know the types of literature among other element of literature.
When types of literature are well elaborated to the students it becomes easy
for them to get along with the subject well. When you look back at the
illustration in (2) above, you will see there a lot of aspects to cover, but
here I am walking you through wide view of the subject plans. So, it is important for a teacher to emphasize
more on this aspect as well because it is one of the core parts when teaching
Literature in English.
4. Elements
of literature. Two elements of literature, Form and Content,
should be well explained to the students among other element of literature. This
sets the students to the smooth entrance into the art of analyzing literary
works. With these two elements, there are separate and well covered aspects. In
literature we have elements of any literary work, and these are what serve the
purpose of analyzing the literary texts. All literary texts are read and analyzed
by using these criteria or elements.
5. Genres
of literature. These are
the genres the students are expected to deal with them throughout the course. In
these genres students get to see real kinds of books they have been talking
about.
Finally,
this illustration shows how genres of literature can be grouped. Here in this
illustration, examples of genres or texts have been taken randomly from
selected texts in English language, Literature in English, English Language 2.
IMPORTANCE OF STUDING LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
There
are various advantages of studying literature to both teachers and students:
To
the teachers:
(1)
It
supplements further knowledge on teaching literature in English language.
(2)
It
enriches teacher by discovering vocabulary items through books.
(3)
It
makes teacher knowledgeable of many aspects of life because literary books act
like mentors.
(4)
It
can improve teacher’s career like being a creative writer apart from his/her
teaching job.
(5)
It
gives him/her a lot of wisdom/knowledge.
To students:
(1)
It
helps students to increase their knowledge of reading and analyzing books apart
from the books in English language subject.
(2)
It
makes them creative because it thoroughly deals with literature and creative
writing. So the students can have even the courage to participate in various
writing competitions.
(3)
It
helps students to be busy by building the reading habit, the habit that is now
like a ‘national disease’.
(4)
It
helps the students become better students when they opt for English language in
their ‘A’ level studies as well as the universities.
(5)
This
is subject is also the very foundation where various national writers can come
from.
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NOTE: LITERATURE IN
ENGLISH is the subject that lacks a lot of resources right now. The above
explanation is based on my own researches, reading various books, and
experiences. The best thing is that, most of my findings on this subject have
been working very well with me and my students do well as well when it comes to
national exams. So, I personally recommend to teach this subject in our
Secondary Schools regarding its importance to both teachers and students.
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