DAVE V.

MARIANO, LPT
 INTRODUCTION
Literature in the classroom provides
multiple experiences to the growth of
students. It provides different experiences that
are appropriate to the different stages of
students.

It is said that literature is the feelings and

thoughts in black and white. It at one point
helps to develop language skills as speaking,
writing, reading and at other point abilities
 What is Literature?
Literature comes from the Latin word “litera” which literally
means “acquaintance with letters”

Literature can also be defined as a product of particular

culture that concretizes man’s array of values, emotions,
actions and ideas.

It is therefore a creation of human experiences that tells

about people and their world.
 Importance of Literature
•Studying literature is like looking at the mirror of life where
man’s experiences, his innermost feelings and thoughts are
reflected.

•Through literature, we learn the culture of people across time

•and
Wespace
understand not only the past life of a nation but also its
present.

• Moreover, we become familiar not only with the culture of

neighboring countries but also with that of others living very
far from us.
Literary
Standards
1. UNIVERSALITY
Great literature is timeless and timely. Forever relevant, it appeals to one
and all, anytime, anywhere, because it deals with elemental feelings,
fundamental truths and universal conditions.

2. Artistry
This is the quality that appeals to our sense of beauty.

3. Intellectual Value
A literary works stimulates thought. It enriches our mental life by making
us realize fundamental truths about life and human nature.
4. Permanence
A great work of literature endures. It can be read again and again as each reading gives
fresh delight and new insights and opens a new world of meaning and experience. Its
appeal is lasting.
5. Style
This is the peculiar way in which writers sees life, forms his ideas and expresses them.

6. Spiritual Value
Literature elevates the spirit by bringing out moral values which makes a better
persons. The capacity to inspire is part of the spiritual value of literature.

7. Suggestiveness
This is associated with the emotional power of literature. Great literature moves us
deeply and stirs our feeling and imagination, giving and evoking visions above and
beyond the plane of ordinary life and experience.
Genres of Literature
Prose Vs. Poetry
PROSE
Prose is any writing or speech in its normal
continuous form, without the rhythmic or
visual line structure of poetry. It is divided
into two classifications:
PROSE FICTION
– Ficton came from the Latin word “fictio” or counter-fitting.
- refers to any narrative in prose or in verse that is wholly or in part
a production of the imagination.

- Not true but not lies.

- Describe what is not real, but not totally unreal.
- Designed to make us respond “as if”, but not to deceive us.
- Describe none-existing people but produce real emotions,
altered behavior and important reflections.
Some examples of Prose Fiction
1. Short Story
– a prose narrative w/c concentrates on a uniform or single
effect and are in which the totality of the effect is the main
objective.
2. Novel
– fictitious prose narrative or a tale of considerable length
in which characters and actins represents the real life
wherein the past and present times are portrayed in a
plot of none/less complexity.
 Elements of Fiction

A. PLOT - it is the skeletal framework of the story wherein the events

are arranged in a meaningful sequence.
*the plot should be exciting and should have good structure.
Parts of the Plot:

1. Exposition – refers to the layout of the materials of

the story or introduction.
2. Complication – rising action where the major conflict
of the story are presented.
3. Climax – the peak of the story or action where the
dilemma is faced by the main characters.
4. Resolution – falling action.
5. Denouement – ending/conclusion.
Elements of Fiction
B. SETTING – the time and place of action. It refers to the physical
locale, climatic conditions and historical period where the story is
taking place.
C. THEME- the generalization about human life or character that a
story explicitly or implicitly embodies a philosophical truth. It is the
central idea of the story and revolved around the significant human
experience.
*it is not the moral message
*it is not always made explicit at some point of the story
*must embody some state of man’s thinking
Elements of Fiction
D. CHARACTER – the set of people embodied within a human
experience. The two major characters are the protagonist and
antagonist.
Qualities of a good character:
- Plausible
- Motivation
- Vitality
- Sympathy
- Consistency
Elements of Fiction

E. POINT OF VIEW – the narrative voice of the story. It

is the vantage point from which the characters, actions
and events are seen.
• First Person POV – “I or We” limited to himself.
• Dramatic/ Objective POV – story revealed through the
dialogues between the characters and through their actions.
• Omniscient POV – the voice is outside the work which
allows the descriptions of the inner thoughts and emotions
of any and all he characters in the story.
Elements
.
of Fiction

F. CONFLICT – the dilemma faced by he main character of

the story.
Types of Conflicts:
• Person Vs. Self
• Person Vs. Person
• Person Vs. Society
• Person Vs. Nature
• Person Vs. Supernatural
• Person Vs. Machine or Technology
POETRY
Poetry is a disciplined, compact verbal utterance, in
some none/less musical mode, dealing with aspects of
internal or external reality on some meaningful way.
POETRY
Poetry relies more o the figures of speech, symbolism ad imagery. It
also relies more than pose on the sound and rhythm of speech and
how it explains why it often uses rhyme and meter.

Poetic License – the liberty given to poets t do whatever they

want to do with the language. It can violate the rules of grammar,
insert new words and follow unusual syntactical arrangements to
meet the requirement of their poem.
ELEMENTS OF POETRY

a. Theme – the soul of the poem. It the what the poet wants to
express through is words which may either be a thought, a feeling,
an observation, a story or an experience.

b. Symbolism – the expressions that are not directly stated in the

poem to express deep hidden meaning behind the words used by
the poet.

c. Meter – it is the basic structure of a poem which is determined by

ELEMENTS OF POETRY

d. Rhythm – this refers to the resonation of words along with the

sounds and the music produced when the poem is read aloud and not
he rhyming between two words of consecutive lines.

e. Rhyme

f. Simile

g. Metaphor
 LITERATURE
GENRES
Examples:
 Open form
Examples:
 Made of dialog and close  News
and set form  Reports
 Myths
direction  Fables  Journals
 Relies on  Articles
 Novels
 Designed to be imagery, figu  Essays
 Short Stories
performed rative  Biographies
language and
sounds
 DRAMA is a story written to be performed by actors.
Although a drama is meant to be performed, one can also
read the script, or written version, and imagine the action.

Poetry is language written with rhythm, Figurative

language, imagery, soun d devices and emotionally
charged language. It can be Concrete, Narrative or Lyric
Poem.
PROSE is the ordinary form of written language. It
imitates the spoken language. It could be Fiction or
Non-Fiction.
ELEMENTS OF
STORY

ELEMENTS OF STORY INCLUDE:

Setting
Characters
Plot
Point of view
Theme
Image Symbol
Theories
In
Teaching
There are many theories that discuss about
the teaching of literature. Teaching literature
or methodology of teaching literature is not a
new field of study but it has been shaped from
the past decades. In America, some theories
were introduced during the last 50 years.
Let us learn:
 1. TRANSMISSION THEORY
Transmission theories are strict when it comes to the role of teachers and
students. Teachers are always the center of attention and the source of knowledge
which their students are supposed to rely on. Students acquire facts and
knowledge about literature but its interpreting is eclipsed.

Transmission theories are rather limiting since student must completely rely on
the teacher’s knowledge about literature, which could be quite difficult since it does
not give them many opportunities to think for themselves and make up their own
mind about the given piece of literature. Thus, the role of students is very passive
and
dependent.

According to Beach - “One problem with this transmission model is that it

focuses on simply on a knowing that aspect of learning literature”.
Thus, transmission theories include facts only and despite the fact that knowledge
about the literature can also broaden a student’s mind.
 2. STUDENTS-CENTERED THEORY
Student-entered theories gives freedom to students to learn what and
how they want to learn it. Idea behind is that when students are choice
given, they are motivated to learn.

This theory believes in providing students choice with which they are
given the motivation. Texts should not be assigned to students but students
should have given the opportunities of choosing which guarantees a
certain amount of engagement.

The raising question is whether students should have all the

responsibility of learning. A potential failure would then be a student’s
fault and it is questionable whether should teachers allow it.
 3. SOCIO-CULTURAL THEORY
This theory based on the assumption that learning is primarily participation in
social activity. It claims that a participation in social groups make students learn to
acquire practices which are later internalized within the group.

Teachers should be able to create a social group among their students in order to
form a literary community and then students only need to learn to be a part of such
community.

A very key idea in socio-culture learning theory is that learning occurs within
certain developmental boundaries that called as students zone of proximal
development.
Zone of proximal development is a concept which could be shortly described as a
zone of sophistication within which students will be able to employ certain practices
without undue struggling on their part given the current level, by stretching to the
upper level of the zone, improve on the use of their practices.
 Elaine Showalter (2016) talks about three types of theories in her book
teaching literature.

1. Subject-Centered Theory
Brazilian educator Paulo Freire called illiterate population in the third world countries
as “the banking mode of education” (Freire 53). This approach is primarily related to
the transfer of knowledge from teacher to students.

Its main focus is content and teacher is expected to carry the implication of course
content.
It prefers teachers to have a strong reading of work in class in contrasts to the
individualistic approach of critical pedagogy. Gerald Graff advocated the theory
“teaching the conflicts” (Graff 288, 262).

In his opinion, teacher of literature would deliberately include the disciplinary

and political conflicts in their classes. The idea behind it is that class should be open
ground for political and critical conflict.
 2. Teacher-Centered Theory
(Teaching as Performance)

It believes that performance is inescapable in teaching. This approach says

that teaching is seen as the form of performance. Thus, teacher’s duty is to
choose what type of performance he wants to choose for teaching. It stresses the
need of instructors speaking and acting abilities as well as intellectual ones.

Jyl Lynn Felman believes that performance teaching allows the classroom to
become a truly dynamic and dramatic space. It makes the class a living theatre
in which there will be intellectual eruptions.

Performance makes teaching effective and it is because of such performance

that the students attract towards teachers teaching. At the same time, it develops
student’s various skills of performance (Felman, 2001).
 2.1 Teacher-Centered Theory
(Teaching as a Spiritual Journey)
Parker J. Palmer discusses about this theory. It is direct opposite to the performance. He
believes that good teaching cannot be reduced to technique. Good teaching comes from
the identity and integrity of the teacher. It emphasizes the teacher is inner being
character and self-knowledge. It says that, the spirituality of education will destroy the
fear that destroys teaching and learning.
In it, teacher keeps logs of their reactions to their lives as teachers. It includes
moments when they feel most connected, engaged or affirmed or conversely
disconnected, disengaged or bore, situation that cause them anxiety or events that
surprise them. In the opinion of David Perkins - “to present literature impersonally and
objectively was cardinal point of classroom morality” (Perkins 112).
The above theory is important in the sense that it gives advantages to the student’s
personality and understanding. At the time, it determines teacher’s role in the classroom
as active participants.
 3. Eclectic Theory
Presently most widespread theories of teaching literature are
those having no theory at all. In this connection Gould Axetrod
points - “teachers should be pragmatic in what works in class”
(Axetrod 74).

It asks for all possible meanings of the texts and does what needed
at last in the classroom. It requires substantial preparation of
the topic with all possible interpretation of teachers as well as
from author’s point of view.

And finally, what responses we receive in the class matters in this

approach.
 Models
In
Teaching
Literature teaching has so many advantages that require
no justification. We generally find that many pieces of
literature we often read but we discuss little on how to
teach.

According to Carter and Long (1991), the three models

are main in teaching of literature- the language model,
the cultural model and the personal growth model. It can
be described as follows Let us learn:
 1. The Language Model
This is the most common model in teaching literature. This model helps students to
enhance their knowledge of the target language by working on familiar grammar, lexical
and discourse categories. Indirectly, it paves the way for a better understanding of a text
and the formulation of meaningful interpretations.

This will facilitate a sensible and aesthetic appreciation of a text. Such an approach
enables the students to access a text in a systematic and methodical way to study
examples of specific linguistic features, literal and figurative language and direct
and indirect speech.

This approach lends itself to the repertoire of activities such as the cloze procedure,
prediction exercises, jumbled sentences, summary writing, creative writing and role play
that are used by teachers to deconstruct literary texts in order to serve specific linguistic
goals. Thus, its main aim is to help students to find ways into a text in a methodical way.
It is possible when students improve their reading skill and it is possible for them to
treat literature as a language.
 2. The Cultural Model
This model helps the ESL students in relation to the target culture such as
literary history or genre. It requires that students would explore and
interpret the social, political, literary and historical context of a specific
text.

This model provides an opportunity for students to explore cultural

background which leads to a genuine understanding of literary works and
encourages students to understand different cultures and ideologies in
relation to their own. In other words, it aims through literature the
knowledge of history, tradition, society and politics of that period.

It seeks to understand, appreciate ideologies, mentalities, traditions,

feelings and artistic forms within the heritage of literature that specific
 3. The Personal Growth Model
This is also called as the enrichment model and it seeks to make the bridge between
cultural and language model. It focuses on the particular use of language in a text
while simultaneously placing it in a specific culture context. It involves
students personal, intellectual and emotional experiences.

Students are encouraged to express their feelings and opinions and to make
connections between their own personal and cultural experiences and those
expressed in the text. Another aspect of this model is that it helps students to develop
knowledge of ideas and language content and formal schemata through different
themes and topics.

This function of theories relates to the theories of reading expressed by Goodman

which emphasizes “the interaction of students with teachers” (Goodman 15).
Cadorath and Harris point out- “text itself has no meaning; it only provides direction
for reader to construct meaning from the reader’s own experience”
 It is held that teachers main aim is to achieve student’s closeness to reading.
Helping students to read literature effectively means making students to
grow and mature and improving their relationship with literary texts as well
as people around them. For this, teacher has to select texts to which students
can respond and to which they can use their ideas and imagination creatively.

Thus, from the above discussion, it is clear that these three models of
teaching literature differ in terms of their focus on texts. In the language model,
texts are used as a focus for grammatical and structural analysis, in the cultural
model, texts are used as a cultural artifact and in personal- growth model, texts
are considered as a stimulus for personal growth activities.

Each model has different strengths and weaknesses. But all of models
contribute to the growth and development of teaching literature.
 Methods,
Approaches
and Techniques
in
 APPROACHES
An approach is a way of teaching content. Approach is broader term than method.
Approach has no limitations such as steps of presentation and time, like method, while
using approach in teaching, the importance is given to comprehension of content and
development of skills.

Different approaches to the study of literature have been put forward up to now. A
general understanding of these approaches is of great importance for teachers and
leaners so as to understand the best way of benefit from literature in their classroom
with their own language learning and teaching purposes.

Historically, there are two major approaches to the teaching of literatures. These
approaches are viewed equally as traditions in the teaching of literature over the years.
They are the conservatives and the progressives. Also, each one of them has
characteristics.
 CONSERVATIVE VS. PROGRESSIVE

- Not believing in the didactic functions -Tend to use literature didactically to help
of literature they are simply engrossed individuals adjust to the society
in the literary works itself.
- Express concern for individual difference
- Prefer intensive reading to extensive;
in other words, quality in place of - Believe in students – teacher collaborative
quantity not considering the planning.
background of the students in selecting
texts for them. - Describe what the teachers and students
- They ignore the principle of individual
will do during the course of interaction.
difference and also make the students
Subject matter gives way for integrated
passive in the selection of texts
approach.
 1. The Traditional Approach
It is conceived that because of the special features of academic content of literature
and also because of the traditional methods of teaching literature, the role of the
teacher in literature course is basically that of instructor and transmitter.
Regarding this view, the teaching of literature in our universities has become
mainly lecture-based with teacher- centered approach.

As a consequence, the student becomes a parrot-like capable of simply repeating and

“vomiting” what has been presented in class. Mililani (2003:2) states that: “Thus,
the course (of literature) becomes a simple transposition of the teacher’s impressions
and feelings to the learner towards a literary work, and not an intellectual exercise
for the latter who should seek and discover meaning by himself with the means and
strategies provided by the teacher.”
Generally speaking, this approach does not consider too much the learner.
Learners, thus read large amount of literary works, but whether their capabilities
of assimilating, appreciating and analyzing is actually questionable.
 2. The Language Approach
Studying the language of the literary text will help to integrate the language and
literature syllabi more closely. Detailed analysis of the literary text will help students
to make meaningful interpretations or informed evaluations of it.

At the same time, students will increase their general awareness and understanding
of English. students are encouraged to draw on their knowledge of familiar
grammatical, lexical or discourse categories to make aesthetic judgments of the texts.

This approach is favored because it is believed that students are helped to develop a
response to literature through examining the linguistic evidence in the text. Students
are provided with analytic tools with which to reach their own
interpretations.
. Also, it may not pay sufficient attention to the text’s historical or political
background which often provides students with valuable cultural knowledge to
interpret what they read.
 3. Literature as Context
This is most traditional approach, frequently used in tertiary education. Literature
itself is the content of the course. It concentrates on the areas such as history
and characteristics of literary movements, social, political and historical background
to a text; literary genres and rhetorical devices etc.

Students acquire English by focusing on course content, particularly through reading

set texts and literary criticism relating to them.

The mother tongue of the students may be used to discuss the texts or students may
be asked to translate texts from one language into other.

Texts are selected for their importance as part of a literary canon or tradition. The
most important advantage of adopting this approach in the class is that genuinely
educational approach in that understanding of texts is enhanced by situating students
within their literary and historical contexts. Students are exposed to a wide range of
authentic materials.
 4. Literature as Personal Enrichment
It believes that literature is a useful tool for encouraging students to draw on their
own personal experiences feelings and opinions. It helps students to become more
actively involved both intellectually and emotionally in learning English and hence
aids acquisition. Material is chosen on the basis whether it is appropriate to student’s
interests and will stimulate a high level of involvement.

Material is often organized thematically and may be placed alongside non-literary

materials which deal with a similar theme. One advantage of this approach is that it
involves learner as whole person and so is potentially highly motivating.

Some problems are there in this approach as it demands a personal response from
students without providing sufficient guidance in coping with the linguistic intricacies
of the text. Alternatively, some groups of students may dislike having to discuss
personal feelings or reactions.
 5. Periphrastic Approach
It deals with the surface meaning of the text. Rosli (Rosli 2007) mentions
that it allows teachers to use simpler words and sentence structures
compared to the more complicated ones in the texts and sometimes the
teacher can translate it into other languages. He argued further that this
approach is suitable for beginners of the target language as it act as a
stepping stone in the formulating original assumptions of the authors
work.

It helps to:
• Re-tell the text to students to help them to understand.
• Use simple terms to explain what the story is about to students.
• Discuss what the author says in the text.
• Get students to tell the story telling of the text
 6. Information-Based Approach
It demands a large input from the teacher and closely related to the term
literature with learning. It describes the study of literature as - “aesthetically
patterned artifact endowed with the knowledge potential philosophy, culture,
morality and humanities” (Ganakumaran 92).

Carter and Long argues that it involves critical concepts, literary conventions
and metalanguage and the students should be able to use such terms and
concepts in talking and writing about literature (Carter and Long 1991). Is
sees literature as a source of information.

Reading is prominent but its development is seen in close connection with

other communicative skills as writing, speaking and listening. Teacher plays an
important role in this approach. This approach provides teacher-centered
activities in the classroom.
 7. Moral-Philosophical Approach
This approach incorporates moral values in student. Its focus is
to discover moral values while reading a particular literary text.
Rosli maintains –“it seeks to find the worthiness of moral and
philosophical consideration behind one’s reading” (Rosli 22).

Ministry of Education (1993) outlined 17 moral values to be

inculcated among students. It tries to find out values that
students learn from the text. It searches moral values from a text
and raises students awareness about it.
 8. The Reader Response Approach
The reader response approach has a growing influence on ESL literature classes.
Carlisle says- “it encourages EFL learners to study literature for literature sake rather
than for the mere language skills attainment” (Carlisle 30). It focuses on reader’s
response to the text.

In it, teacher is looking for a transactional relationship between the reader’s

personal experiences, opinions and feelings and the text. In it, reading is seemed as a
dialogue with the text and with the other or itself. Plural interpretations are
encouraged and the text can be approached from a variety of perspectives.

It provides a student-centered and process orientated classroom. The purposes

of literary education are similar. In it, literature is considered as an authentic
medium for introducing students to the specific language and culture.

The potential of literary reading across the language is to compare traditions and
gain insights into various cultural forms and developments.
 9. Communicative Language Teaching
Approach
Richards and Rogers consider the communicative language teaching
approach as “one of the modern methods of language teaching” (Richards
and Rogers 156-157). Its goal is to develop communicative competence.

As a result, it uses activities that engage learners in authentic

communication. It maintains interaction as a means of an ultimate goal of
learning a language. There are many principles in the communicative
approach that support the class procedures to develop the communicative
competence.

It includes attitude of communicative language teacher towards errors.

Fluency is more important in it. In short, its focus is on language learning
activities.
 10. Three-Phase Approach in Teaching
This approach is explained by Saricoban (2002), maintaining that
Literature
teacher should follow the three-phase approach in teaching inside the
classroom: pre-reading, while reading and post reading.

The aims of pre-reading are stimulating oral communications, reading

for pleasure, to enrich thinking and focusing on waking the imagination.

The aims of while reading phase are clarifying text content which beings
with general understanding of the text and then moves to smaller units
such as paragraph, sentences and words.

The aims of post reading phase are relating the text to the learners own
knowledge, interests or views.