Hi everyone, I will be reviewing
“Teaching Literature”
This
website offers a fairly comprehensive list of activities we can use in the
classroom, and also contains useful web links to resources found elsewhere
(however, some of these links might be dead!).
My review of the three best ideas (not in any
order):
1) Keeping a Literature journal
It
would be beneficial for both teacher and students to keep a journal chronicling
their thoughts regarding their shared experience in the classroom, and also
outside of it, when they are engaged in the solitary process of reading and
critiquing. The journal provides a concrete space for reflection, and
developing one’s analytical skills, and also as a platform for sharing ideas.
2) Using drama to foster interpretation
Role-play
activities enhance one’s sense of self, in relation to self and others when one
is placed in the frame of mind of another (character). Pupils learn empathy and
exercise creativity when they have to imagine themselves out of their lives and
into someone else’s mind. Using drama to re-interpret a prose or poetry piece
opens up myriad possibilities of interpretations, which is what we ultimately
want our pupils to understand.
3) Encouraging student-led discussions in the classroom
The
teacher acts as a facilitator to spur greater discussion among students by
setting them questions which are open-ended, giving them pair or group work
activities, and using a “think-aloud” technique when analyzing prose or poetry.
This encourages students to speak up more, proffering their own opinions and at
the same time, clarifying their thoughts.
(159
words)
Hope you guys find this helpful!
I think the idea of having a journal and not just a regular note-taking book is rather interesting. I guess when I study texts, I usually copy notes down in a rather mechanical and boring fashion (just for the sake of taking down notes). But if students were encouraged to write down what they learn in a form of a journal, perhaps it will engage them even more to see the process of analysis as something much more personalized (meaning-making).
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with the use of drama to teach literature! So far in my lessons at NIE, it seems to be that there are not many other more innovative ways to teach lit, given some inexplicable nature of the subject. Nevertheless, the use of drama, no matter how small the scale, constitutes experiential learning for the student and their experiences (and hopefully takeaways from the lesson) is something they will be far less likely to forget in a hurry. To complement the teaching goal of getting students to appreciate multiplicities of interpretation, if time permits, the teacher could show her class one scene from a play they are studying (e.g. R&J) that is performed by different troupes.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Andrea that having a journal is interesting, as it personalizes meaning-making. I also think that it is a very effective method of teaching literature. By encouraging students to voice their thoughts in the journal and sharing it with the class through writing, it allows even the shy students to participate freely, as there would be less fear in writing in a book and letting others read it, as compared to speaking in front of an entire class. In addition, keeping a journal that both teacher and students write in facilitates teacher-student bonding, and would allow a better rapport to be built between teacher and students, thus enabling lessons to be carried out more smoothly. Also, the journal enables students to take ownership of their learning, and boosts their confidence as they feel that their opinions are valued alongside their teacher's. Thus I think that the idea of keeping a literature journal in the classroom is a very effective teaching tool, not just to teach literature, but also, in shaping confident students and building rapport with them.
ReplyDeleteInteresting website, Jia Min. The authors are all well-known American Literature educators and we definitely read Appleman and Smith. I like it that the website has everything from lesson planning to instructional strategies to the discussion of issues such as whether to use classics or contemporary texts and how to use them.
ReplyDeleteOn journal writing: I have found it a useful tool but it only works if you are attentive with reading what students have to say and answering them. So in planning for journal writing as part of your work, do decide when you can actually read them and give moderate work. One way I have found that it works is to have students hand it up more during term 1 for building rapport and then slowing down as HW and marking piles up. In Sheridan Blau's book "The Literature Workshop", he suggests getting students to review their own journal entries, something that could work for older/ JC students.