STUDIES
IN
EDUCATION
A JOURNAL OF EDUCATIONAL DISCUSSION AND
RESEARCH
ISSN 1117-8523
Volume 1 Number 1 1994
Contents
The Teaching of French Literature to the Anglophone Learner
BUKOYE AROWOLO
112
The Teaching of French Literature to the Anglophone Learner
BUKOYE AROWOLO
School of Languages,
Osun State College of Education,
Ilesa.
ABSTRACT: This paper criticizes the absence of researched methodology for the teaching
of literature of French expression m Nigeria.
Apparently teachers in this discipline have generally been avoiding this area.
The paper examines some of the approaches that have been proposed by experts outside and
some within the country. It goes on to examine the role of literature in the teaching of a
modern language and proposes a tested method which, it is believed would help teachers of
literature in French achieve their objective.
Teachers of literature in our modern foreign Languages departments hardly address the
problems of teaching and learning of foreign literature of which they are experts. To date,
very few works are available on the teaching of literature of French expression in the
Anglophone situation. Generally, teachers of literature in French, instead of researching
into problems of the pedagogy of the subject write papers as literary critics and
theoreticians; proliferating academic critique of literary texts without giving much thought
to the best approach of imparting the knowledge of their students. The impression created
is that the teachers of literature of foreign languages are afraid of designing and adopting a
systematic methodology for their discipline.
The problem is aggravated by the impression created by most literature teachers that
literature is independent of other components of language. Whereas as Coppolani (1980)
asserts (and we agree strongly with him);
"the teaching of a foreign language forms an entity, and to amputate one of its
components as the literary fact from it, can only do a disservice to it on the
linguistic and psychological level. For every literary text carries a linguistic
content, a literary content and a cultural content"
This shows, that the artificial partitioning of the components of language by teachers
into language, literature and civilisation, each as an autonomous entity, is a gross
misunderstanding of the purpose which each area is expected to serve.
To be able to adopt appropriate methods for the teaching of literature, the teacher
should first of all find out the purpose his teaching of this component of language is
expected to serve. In a foreign language situation with specific reference to French in
Anglophone higher ins,titutions-(Universities and Colleges of Education), the purposes the
teaching of literature is supposed to serve are the following as enunciated by Moody
(1969):
(a) for language development;
(b) for individual development;
(c) for socialisation;
(d) for civilisation;
He thus advocates that the teachers of literature should have in mind the twin function
of literature as language and literature as experience.
For the Anglophone teacher of Literature of French expression, (a) above (Language
development) should be the most important target and his approach (method) should be
determined by this goal. Other goals may be exploited as the learners become more and
more conversant with {he foreign language. It is important that the teacher of literature in
French adopts first of a, 11 this goal because of the status of French in Anglophone countries.
The teacher of literature should have in mind the fact that the students to whom he wants to
teach literature on entry, have been taught only the basic elements of language and in their
in their secondary schools and that their understanding is minimal to date.
In fact, this problem is more complex for teachers of literature in French Colleges of
Education in Nigeria where most of the students came in contact with the language only
the previous year as a result of the preliminary programmes run by these "college, due to
shortage of candidates. In this case, it would be a waste of time to start with any other goal
than to develop the students in the language for better performance.
Literature of a foreign language according to Lado (1364), should enable the learner
experience aesthetically something of the target language. It should also make the learner
to appreciate literature Jo enable him experience the target language. Essentially, the focus
of the literature lesson for beginners should be for language development.
Every literary text is tri-dimensional: phonetic, syntactic and pragmatic ace it is in the
analysis at these different levels that we arrive at a synthesis of its significances
According to Eynard (1989) a literature lesson in a foreign language class should
consider first of all the linguistic competence of the learners which is often limited. The
premature introduction of a metalanguage could attract several problems. The postulations
of Eynard could be approached from two angles; the first being on linguistics competence
requires the grading of the literary texts for use. But this basic pedagogical tenent in the
teaching of literature is hardly considered in most of our foreign language departments.
The other warning on the introduction of metalanguage seems to stem from observation by
Nweze (1976). He concludes by advocating the structuralist appropriate the literary text.
According to Nweze, the structuralist approach would put the Anglophone students at the
same level with Francophone students in literature. Since it is an immanent study of the
text, this approach may not take into consideration any extra-textual element especially
the cultural.
While we think that the foreign student should not be saddled with the culture that
generates the literature especially as a beginner, the idea of eliminating culture f rom
literature is in itself absurd for it defeats the aim of the teacher who knows tin a language
expresses the culture of its speaker and literature itself is an integral part of the culture.
Instead of detaching literature from culture, it is the strong belief of this writer that the
choice of literary texts in a foreign language as French especially in West Africa's
Anglophone higher institutions could go a long way to solve this problem.
While trying to solve this problem at the level of "French French ", the teacher should
remember from the beginning that the language has become essentially "African"
language. By this we imply that most West African countries are Francophone officially.
This makes French the major language for the expression of the cultures peoples of the
countries. In fact the language is the main medium of literary express on at~ the people
concerned.
Since this situation abounds, the literature teacher could avoid teaching French literature
proper at the beginning. He could emphasise African literature of French expression. The
Anglophone learner of French would more easily understand the cultural laments in a
literary text written by fellow Africans (Francophone) in view of resemblances with those
of his. The beginners in literature written in the foreign language would therefore not need
to grapple with complicated and discouraging cultural elements. We are happy that since
the beginning of the Negritude movement in the 1930s, there has been a proliferation
Francophone African authors with African cultural background.
Some purist critics may insist that such literary texts written by Africans Mi African
cultural background are bound to be tainted with this background sufficiently to corrupt the
true French language hence exposing semi-beginners to the texts may make them to adopt
"African French" as against "French French". This argument valid as it look, is
untenable since we know that several African writers of French expression are reputed as
better French language writers than the native speakers of the language. Such authors are
L.S. Senghor who is a member of the elite Academies Francaise which keeps watch over
the evolution of the French language; Sembene Cusmane; Bernard Dadie, Camara Laye,
Ferdinard Oyono, Moago BetL, Manama Baand several others.
Besides, the arguments of such critics may be seen as elitist since only a few of the
students may eventually have any reason to be in France or deal with native French
speakers directly. On the other hand, we need French more to deal with our immediate
neighbours than the French people Therefore, as long as the French they write and speak
is intelligible we should be more interested in knowing more about them and the way they
speak the French language within their cultural milieu.
We wish to draw attention to a research we carried out in five Nigerian colleges of
education which shows that students at any level find French literature more difficult than
African Literature of French expression. The same study shows that the area of difficulty is
essentially cultural.
As £ matter of fact, Anglophone Africans are already writing literary and pre-literary
texts in Preach. Works of such authors are most useful for beginners for they carry the
Nigerian cultural background to ivhich the learners belong.. The texts are devoid of all
unnecessary cultural encumbrances while the language remains the same. This
development shows that even Anglophone Africans are domesticating the French language
to express their owa Nigerianress Some good examples are Francaise Balogun (1976),
Ogike (1976), Ajiboye (1985) and others. Better still works of renowned Nigerian writers
in English have been translated into French. These could also be used.
Therefore, to facilitate the teaching of literature in a foreign language situation; apart
from taking care of the linguistic problems, cultural problems should be tackled along the
line suggested above.
However, since the introduction to the original literature of the foreign language is vital,
the teacher should know how to move from the known, that is the African culture as
expressed in African literature of French expression to the unknown i.e. French literature.
This transition should be gradual and in any case should be done at a moment when the
learners are deemed to have acquired sufficient linguistic competence by systematic
language practice through literary texts of African background. The teacher should select
his texts from French literary texts and authors who could be said to have ^universal
cultural appeal.
He should avoid, at this stage, texts with high philosophical content as mostly are
available in French. Rather, the selection should be "terre-a-terre".. When we talk of
universal appeal, we have in mind texts whose cultural contents could be easily assimilated
into certain African cultural elements. For instance, the tales of La Fontaine are easily
applicable to most African folktale traditions. If there is any difference, it is essentially in
the animal characters) used to portray human .vices and virtues. A way of solving this
problem is the teacher himself researching into the local folktales to get the necessary local
equivalents to animal in the French tradition. Use could also be made of the comedies of
Moliere.
As the student progresses, he could be exposed to more complex literary works in
African literature or French literature proper.
Whatever the chojce of texts, the teacher should always think of the purpose of his
teaching. He should under no circumstance have recourse to the use of another language
especially English of should know that the literature he is teaching belongs to the French
language and should treat it as such. Also, the teacher has the responsibility of
discouraging students, from reading translated versions of the texts being used.
This is an mi leasing institution in our institutions of higher learning. Instead they could
lie made to read tin- abridged simplified editions in French before they go on to the real text
so as lo gel the main plot. This understanding may guide the reading of the work.
A systematic translation is important because according to Spinelli and Williams (1981)
foreign language students frequently face a difficult translation from the grammar text to the
literary text. This is attributed to the fact that literature is being introduced to them for (he
first time and the figurative language is a barrier.
Also Vigner (1981) asserts that the reading of poetry (applicable to all literary genres)
requires a double competence i.e. language competence and discursive competence.
In view of this assertion Vigner (1981) prescribes that the teaching of poetry (Literature)
be based on two principles;
(i) providing students with the key to the different codes of the message.
(ii) show them how to proceed from the surface to the deeper meaning by analysing
successive levels of language.
Like Vigner, Santoni (1977) observes that the modern method of teaching the literature of
a foreign language as French concentrates on the linguistic code of literature. He asserts that
this linguistic approach apart from making literature more interesting, would also elicit
individual participation. To forestall difficulties he emphasises the need for preliminary
exercises dealing with lexical, syntactic, semantic and cultural difficulties anticipated by the
teacher in the text before learners come in contact with it. Such activities prior to contact with
the text should enable the teacher and the foreign language class have time for discussion as
it eliminates constant verification of understanding.
Like Santoni, Smith (1976) supports the idea of linguistic- approach. The approach which
is a combination of foreign language and literature, advocates the use of exercises which
would serve to review grammar and stimulate oral participation-This is intended to enhance
students' competence in language skills as well as promote accurate comprehensipn. This
approach in which exercises are done alongside the study of the text is likely to make the
lesson a drudgery for the students. Whereas literature is expected to be enjoyed and whatever
other goals are introduced should not hamper this laudable goal.
Benamon, (1970) proposes a three-phase plan of French Literature to the foreign student.
He identifies:
(1) semantic phase in which vocabulary is studied before contact with the text.
This phase stimulates the interest of both teacher and learner in the literary
text.
(2) Mimetic phase which is having a taste of the text and the interiorization of its
sweetness through miming (dramatization).
(3) esthetic phase when the text is described.
This approach by Benamon appears somehow simplistic and strait- jacketed.
There are several other approaches proposed by several other foreign pedagogues of
literature of the foreign language, especially French. The approaches are mostly along the
same line of postulation as those cited.
We do not intend to prescribe the approach, since we agree with Highest that any method
adopted by any teacher is valid as long as he achieves his objective(s) of teaching the foreign
literature.
But in keeping faith with what we have elicited above as the objective(s) of the teaching of
literature in French to Anglophone learners and our suggestions as to what the programme
should look like, we wish to propose what we see as fruitful operations. However, we would
like to warn that we are not saying anything new. But from OUT experience in the classroom,
the research we carried out and findings of other literary pedagogues, it is believed that the
suggestions would go a long way to assist colleagues in nuking the ii teaching more fulfilling.
(I)
Presentation of the Text
The teacher presents the literary work to the learners. He talks more of the text, its genre,
He situates it within the period or the literary current to which it belongs and talks of the
author to the extent that this information inay inform the understanding of the work. The
teacher should avoid boring details that may kill the interest of the learner. We need to repeal
that all the background information musi be brief andpertinent. In the case of the first year,
this phase may be more brief especially if the texts used are local (Nigerian).
(2) Linguistic Phase:
The teacher draws out the new vocabulary with unusual collocation; semantic elements
are also for study before the students start work on the text. This is important since, in our
anglophone situation, French is already the learner's fourth language and he needs everything
that could be done to enhance his understanding so that when he starts work on the test, he
does not feel discouraged by constant reference to the dictionary.
(3) The Text:
The literature class is not a reading class and should not be treated as such. Essentially the
learners having been given the necessary background are induced to study the plot on their
own. through questioning. The teacher prepares the various aspects of the texts, and makes
the students to do their own reading. The teacher's guiding questions or comments should be
capable of motivating individual learners to react in his own way to the events and attitudes
of characters without prejudices or Conceived ideas. However, some major aspects of the
action could be read in class to show the beauty of the work and make the. necessary links
The teacher's reading should be expert with the appropriate tone of voice, attitude of the
character, giving the right meaning to ihe words. The reading should be in a manner to further
arouse the interest of the learners in the text.
(4) Discussion Phase:
At the end of each unit, the learners exchange ideas or their individual readings. In this
operation, the teacher merely guides (as usual) the discussion. At the end of the guided
leading, the teacher leads the learners to talk on the totality of their experience on the literary
text. They discuss their impression of the action and the characters, and their reactions and
attitudes to events and characters.
(5) Actualization
Th« learners discuss what would be their individual reactions to the various aspects
discussed. Also they relate even to their cultural backgrounds and what is likely to happen
within their own milieu.
(6) Dramatization and Improvisation Phase
In this phase, the learners are encourages to improvise a drama sketch based on the plot
adapting it more to their cultural milieu. If a poem, they could be made to write poems using
the same themes as those of the writers.
(7) Aesthetic Phase
This gives the learners the possibility of appreciating the use of the language and its effect
on the success of the work. The underlying significations of various aspects of the texts are
studied by the learners under the guidance of the teacher.
Concluding Remarks
As said earlier these operations are suggested for the study of the literature of French in Ihe
Anglophone institutions and they remain such. The most important of our preoccupations is to
generate discussions on the purpose to be served by literature in the leaching of French, the
nature and the form of its curriculum, and the possible pedagogical approaches—all for a
better literature class in a foreign language environment. It is the belief of this writer that it is
time teachers of literature in French in our higher institutions
of learning took a closer look at their discipline and the results in relation to the
performance of their students to enable them give their best and derive better satisfaction
from their profession.
References
Arowolo, Bukoye (1985) "An Investigation into the difficulties encountered in the
teaching of Literature in French in Colleges of Education in three states of Nigeria"
An Unpublished M.Ed. Thesis presented to the University of Ibadan.
Coppolani, R. "Lecture-productrice ou lecture- comsommatrice: Le texte litteraire dans la
Class de francais langue etrangere". Le Francois dand le Monde No. 152 p. 50.
Eynard, L. (1969) "Pour une approche active d'un texte litteraire'Me Francais dans le
MondeNo.22Qp.62.
Lado, R. (1962) Language Teaching: A Scientific Approach. New York, Me Grawl-Hill.
Moody, H.L.B. (1969) "Literary Studies in Nigeria: The potentiality gap" .WAJE XVII, 3
p. 466.
Nwezeh, B.C. (1975) "Analyse structural et enseignment de la litterature francaise aux
anglophonesd 'Afrique''.Le Français au Nigeria.Vol. 12. No. 1 P. 23.
Santoni, V. (1972) "Methods of Teaching Literature. "Foreign Language Annals, No. 5,
p.420.
Smith, A. (1976) "Combining Structural Drills and Reading Comprehension Exercises to
Teach Literature". Foreign Language Annals, Vol. 9, No. 6, p. 525. Spinelli, E. and
Williams, S. (1981) "From Language to Literature: Teaching Figurative
Language in College Foreign Language Class ".Foreign Language Annals, No. 160,
p. 37.
Vigner, A. (1981) "Initiation a la lecture des textes poetique". Le Francais dans le
Monde. No. 21, P. 71.