7. Literature for Language Development

 

7: Literature for Language Development

This unit focuses on the integration of literature into the English Language Teaching (ELT) framework to foster linguistic mastery, cultural awareness, and critical thinking among secondary level students.

7.1. Introduction and History of English Literature

Literature is defined as a piece of creative and artistic writing that tends to be more subjective and expressive than ordinary prose. It reflects human civilization, socio-cultural aspects, and the powerful expression of human feelings.

The history of English literature is broadly categorized into several key periods:

• Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066): An age of anonymous writers focusing on heroes, battles, and religion. The most significant work is the heroic epic Beowulf.
• Middle English Period (1066–15th Century): Marked by the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, the first great English poet, known for The Canterbury Tales.
• Elizabethan Literature (1558–1603): Named for Queen Elizabeth I, this era produced giants like William Shakespeare, Edmund Spenser, and Christopher Marlowe.
• The Renaissance (14th–16th Century): A revival of art and reason over religion, where subject matters became human-centered.
• Romanticism (Late 18th–19th Century): A literary revolution focused on nature and emotion, led by William Wordsworth, S.T. Coleridge, and John Keats.
• Victorian Age: A bridge between Romanticism and Modernism, characterized by the development of the novel and writers like Charles Dickens.
• Modern Literature (Early 20th Century): Focused on new forms and concepts, with figures like T.S. Eliot and W.B. Yeats.
• Post-Modern Age (Post-WWII to Present): Embraces the idea that nothing is absolute; characterized by science fiction and Samuel Beckett's works.

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7.2. Genres of English Literature

The secondary curriculum provisions several literary genres categorized by their mode of expression and structure:

• Poetry: Artistic writing using aesthetic and rhythmic qualities, often organized in stanzas. Types include sonnets (14 lines), ballads (plot-driven songs), elegies (laments for the dead), and odes (lyrical praise).
• Fiction (Prose): Created from imagination, including novels and short stories like fables (animals with a moral), parables (human-centered didactic stories), and anecdotes (amusing real-life accounts).
• Drama: A performance-based art acted out through dialogue. Major forms include comedy (light-hearted, happy endings) and tragedy (darker themes of pain and death).
• Essay: A short composition on a particular theme, usually speculative or interpretative. Types include narrative, descriptive, expository, and persuasive.

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7.3. Figures of Speech

Figures of speech are devices that provide meaning beyond the literal definition to add beauty and depth to language. Common examples include:

• Simile: Comparison using "like" or "as".
• Metaphor: Direct comparison without using "like" or "as".
• Hyperbole: Excessive exaggeration for effect (e.g., "I've told you a million times").
• Personification: Giving human qualities to non-living things (e.g., "The wind whispered").
• Onomatopoeia: Words that imitate sounds (e.g., buzz, splash).
• Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words.
• Oxymoron: Combining contradictory terms (e.g., "jumbo shrimp").

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7.4. Reasons for Teaching Literature

Integrating literature into the EFL classroom serves several pedagogical purposes:

• Vocabulary and Grammar Enrichment: Exposure to authentic, "deviated," and rich language helps students internalize word grammar and diverse sentence structures.
• Development of Critical Thinking: Literary texts encourage "reading between the lines," fostering interpretative skills and the ability to analyze complex themes.
• Cultural Awareness: It familiarizes students with the target language culture, social practices, and historical contexts.
• Motivation and Pleasure: Literature acts as a motivational tool that makes learning fun and encourages lifelong reading habits.
• Integrated Skill Development: Literature provides a rich content base for practicing listening, speaking, reading, and writing in a cohesive manner.

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7.5. Techniques and Strategies for Teaching Literature

Effective teaching of literature is divided into three instructional stages:

1. Pre-reading Activities (Stimulating Interest)

• Providing historical/cultural background of the author and text.
• Predicting themes from the title or accompanying pictures.
• Pre-teaching difficult vocabulary or idioms in context.

2. While-reading Activities (Active Engagement)

• Poetry: Reciting with proper pronunciation and rhythm, and exploring multiple interpretations.
• Story/Fiction: Arranging jumbled sentences, identifying character traits, or predicting the next plot twist.
• Drama: Role-playing, acting out dialogues with gestures, and identifying language functions used by characters.
• Essay: Identifying major arguments and supporting details within paragraphs.

3. Post-reading Activities (Consolidation)

• Writing summaries, reviews, or similar creative texts.
• Think-Pair-Share or group debates on controversial values expressed in the text.
• Literary appreciation tasks, such as identifying figures of speech or stylistic features.