Literature as Content For ESL/EFL

introduction

objectives

List the benefits of using literature as content. The importance of literature to extent learners awareness of their own communication. List the six aspects of language development in literature. Compare between efferent and esthetic reading. List the advantages of stylistics Use characterization and point of view in language development. Use literary texts in integrating the four language skills.

Benefits of using literature as content

1.

2.

3.

Show the importance of form in communication. Good resource for integrating the 4 skills. Raises cross-cultural awareness.

Defining Literary Texts

Language is used to convey a message by relating information. Literature convey an individual awareness of reality What makes literary texts unique is that the WHAT and HOW of the text are inseparable. This makes literature valuable for extending learners awareness that how they say something is important in two ways.
What are those two ways? (refer to p. 319) Example p. 319-320

Defining Literary Text

The particularity of literary text rests on the authors use of six aspects of text development.
What

are these six aspects? (refer to p. 320).

These

dimensions of literary texts that contribute to the what/ how of literary communication.

Examples of different literary works

Novels Stories Advertisements Newspapers headlines Jokes Pun

Literary Text And The Reader

Rosenblatt(1978) defines literary texts in terms of how readers interact with them.
Interaction can be: Efferent reading Aesthetic reading
Define

the two terms. Refer to p. 320

Stylistics and its advantages

Stylistics: literary text analysis. Advantages:

A

key to decode the text Basing the interpretation of systematic verbal Analysis reaffirms the centrality of the language as the aesthetic medium of literature. Easy for non-native speakers since they already have the systematic knowledge of the language.

other researchers say the focus on stylistics will prevent the reader from enjoying the text.

What do you think? Refer to p.321 to define practical stylistics.

Using Literary Texts to Develop Language

Pick a partner and choose one of the stories mentioned in p. 321-322 What things did you like about the story? What things did you not like about the story? If you wanted to give your students a story to read, what characteristics should it carry to achieve language development?

Characteristics of a chosen literary text Students will enjoy reading literature only if the text is accessible to them. The teacher should make sure that:

the theme of the text is engaging The linguistic and conceptual level are appropriate for the students.

Literary texts in language development

teachers can help students develop their language through literary texts by means of using:
Characterization
Point

of view

characterization

Readers assess characters in a story based on what the character says and does. How to assess:
Listing

the adjectives they believe best describe each character. return to the text to justify their interpretations Examine the language of the text.

Point of view

Three types of point of view:

Spatio-temporal

point of view

tenses & order of

events Ideological point of view

Psychological

critical literacy &reading literacy

point of view

Refer

to p. 323 and define the three types of point of

view.

Using literary texts to integrate skills

How to integrate the 4 skills?

Reading Listening Speaking Writing

refer to p. 326 refer to p. 326 refer to p. 327 refer to p. 328

Using literary texts to develop cultural awareness

Four dimensions of culture:

1.
2. 3.

4.

The aesthetic sense The sociological sense The semantic sense pragmatic sense

Refer to p. 328 to look up the meaning of these four dimensions

How to use a literary text to raise cultural awareness?

Choosing different texts from different cultures provides a medium for sharing and illuminating the differences and similarities of two cultures.