Making “The Study of Literature” more
valuable and learnable
for non-English-major students
Nguyen Thu Huong
Foreign Trade University
Main contents

The situation: Co-operative program and
The Study of Literature.

The challenges: faced by students and the
instructor.

How changes have been implemented.
The situation

2008 - 2009: Co-operative education program
between FTU and Colorado State University.

‘Import’ the whole curriculum from CSU –
“American Accredited Curriculum Undergraduate
Program” - The Study of Literature is a subject.

 Conflict btw Ss’ expectations and the course.
The Study of Literature

ECC140 introduces the study of literature as
a mode of discourse for defining, exploring,
and expressing human experience.

Focuses on learning the skills of reading
and writing about literature.

Covers fictions, poetry, and drama.
(Course Introduction)
The challenges

The original syllabus is too ‘rich,’ containing
much of literary ‘classics’ >< Ss’ knowledge
of the system and use of English is so limited.

No sequence: Ss’ formal training of
Vietnamese literature >< literature in English.

No formal training for the instructor.
(Widdowson, 1975)
Literature as a Discipline or Subject?


Literature as a subject Purpose: The
development of the capacity for individual
response to language use (Widdowson, 1975)
Other purposes can include:
– Valuable authentic material.
– Cultural enrichment.
– Language enrichment.
– Personal involvement.
(Collie & Slater, 1987)
Stylistic Approach



Resorts to discourse analysis  Can develop
a sharper awareness of English in Ss.
Criteria for selection are pedagogic and have
to do with whether the works can be used to
develop sensitivity to language in the most
effective way.
(Widdowson, 1975)
However, it was criticized as having treated the
Literature subject as a ‘clinical analysis’
(Gowner, 1986)
Other Approaches






Using a variety of student-centered activities.
Supplementing the printed page.
Tapping students’ knowledge and experience.
Helping students explore their own responses
to literature.
Using the target language.
Integrating language and literature.
(Collie & Slater, 1987)
Classroom Procedure





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Pre-reading activities
The first reading
Encouraging individual responses
Sharing and developing responses
Assessment and evaluation
Possible final readings or presentations
(Protherough, 1983)
‘Studentizing’ the Literature Syllabus
Non-major
students
Pedagogic
Implications for
Teaching
Literature
Their
previous
experiences
Literature
Course’s
aims
Their
expectations
Their
English
proficiency
The ‘Studentized’ Menu
Smaller scope

Fictions, not poetry or drama.
Less
 Improve interpretation skills –
ambitious but to know why a literary work (a
more practical story, a movie) is interesting.
and relevant
 Improve language sensitivity
aims
through stylistic approach.
 Improve Ss’ communicative
competence.
Teaching
content
Material
selection
Provide instruction on formal
elements of fictions (Plot, Character,
Setting, Narrator, Symbol, Style, and
Theme) because Ss can only respond
to literature as a result of guidance
(Widdownson, 1975).
Integrate different sources of
materials to enhance the atmosphere:
 Short stories.
 Meaningful Pixar short cartoons.
 Part of a novel (1-2 pages) and
movie (Gone with The Wind, Pride &
Prejudice, etc.).
Teaching
approach
Student-centered activities.
 Stylistic approach of discourse
analysis by providing students with a
variety of exposure to different
genres.
 Avoid metalanguage of criticism.
 Connect with students’ previous
experiences and knowledge of
Vietnamese literature.
 Increase students’ reflection
between what they read and their life
experiences.

Extra
curriculum
activities
Organize field trip to American
Centre in US embassy for movie
show and arrange a discussion
after the show with a native
representative.
Assessment
scheme

Portfolios
 Group projects
 Group presentations
 NO mid-term or final exam
References
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Bock, S. (1993) Developing materials for the study of
literature. English Teaching Forum (31) 3. Retrieved from
http://exchanges.state.gov/englishteaching/forum/archives/
1993/docs/93-31-3-b.pdf.
Collie, J & Slater, S. (1987) Literature in The Language
Classroom. Cambridge University Press.
Gower, R. (1986) Can stylistic analysis help the EFL
learner to read literature? English Language Teaching
Journal, 40, 2, pp. 125-30.
Protherough, R. (1983) Developing Reponses to Fictions.
Open University Press.
Short, M.H. (1988) Reading, Analyzing and Teaching
Literature. Essex: Longman.
Widdowson, H.G. (1975) Stylistics and The Teaching of
Literature. Longman.
Thank you very much