HOW DO WE USE THE LITERATURE BASED APPROACH IN THE CLASSROOM

The literature based approach is an approach used to embrace the integration of English language and English Literature with the latter being the foundation.

Utilising the approach in the classroom lends itself to the technique of students reading as readers. This technique requires students to be engaged in the writer’s craft- the style, mood, tone, imagery, punctuation and grammar. There are a number of procedures that we can follow to ensure that the right method of integration is employed.

1.       Students’ interest need to be stimulated. The content has to be presented in a package which will entice the students from the beginning until the end.

2.       Students need to see the relevance of the text. This in turn will assist in increasing the motivational level of students.

3.       In order to reveal the relevance of the text, students need to be able to identify with the texts and their issues. This therefore means that the text should be age appropriate and so, for our context, students need to be exposed to young adult literature since they can identify with the themes, issues and characters.

4.       In addition to selecting appropriate texts, students need to be exposed to a “wide range of literature” by the same and different authors and within and out of the same genre and epoch. The text should also be found on the different levels of comprehension. This provides avenues for students to compare and contrast novels with one supporting the comprehension of the other.” The scaffolding strategy which allows students to refer to previously read texts makes it possible for students to transfer “new understanding or methods of analysis” from text to the other. This also increases the probability of students being able to read and analyse adult literature.

5.       Students need to be given opportunities to respond to and interpret the text. They can do so orally in groups which will give them new insights as they listen to and debate each other’s points. Students should also be granted the opportunity to write their thought as” students construct meaning from what they have read through talking and writing.”

6.       Most importantly students need to be taught reading strategies and skills which will help them unleash the underlying meaning of the text. As students develop, they need to be taught the necessary skills which will aid them in deep aesthetic reading.

In addition to all of the aforementioned, teachers need to be aware of the students' developmental stages and act accordingly. Teachers ahve to realise that the satges are not linear and can happen at different rates in individuals. This therefore means that teachers have to teach and use texts that can meet the needs of individual learners.

( to be continued)