Approaches in Literature Teaching

Prepared by: Lesley Angelica G. Alcantara

Periphrastic Approach
-It deals with the surface meaning of the text. Rosli (Rosli 2007) mentions that it
allows teachers to use simpler words and sentence structures compared to
the more complicated ones in the texts and sometimes the teacher can
translate it into other languages.
-It helps-
*To re-tell the text to students to help them to understand.
*Use simple terms to explain what the story is about to students.
*Discuss what the author says in the text.
*Get students to tell the story telling of the text.
-under the language model

Related Literature
-This approach deals with the surface meaning of the text (Diana Hwang & Amin
Embi 2007). Rosli (1995) asserts that it allows teachers to use simpler words and
sentence structures compared to the more complicated ones in the
texts and sometimes the teacher can translate it into other languages. He
argued further that this approach is suitable for beginners of the target
language as it acts as a stepping stone in formulating original assumptions of
the author’s work.
- The paraphrastic approach contends with the overt meaning of a literary text;
therefore, teachers who employ it can use simple language or native language
to present better understanding to the text. This approach suits the beginners of
the target language, or has low language proficiency (Hwang & Embi, 2007:5).
The focal point for the paraphrastic approach is to make students read literary
texts for the sake of the moral values; thereby students will be able to replicate
what they have learnt depending on their reading (Rosli, 1995:45). As stated by
(Wang, 2003), the activities obtained from this approach could be ''the
incorporation of moral values at the end of the literature lesson, reflective sessions,
getting students to search for values whilst reading (cited in Hwang & Embi,
2007:5).

Advantages
-Students can easily grasp the meaning of words
-Students can understand and will connect
-Will be a great stepping stone for the learners
-good for beginners

Disadvantages
-It is more time consuming
-Vocabulary will be limited
-Learners will be relying solely in the meaning given by the teacher
-It is teacher-centered and does not contribute much interesting activities
towards students (Hwang & Embi, 2007).

Examples:
-Re-telling the story or poem using simpler language
-use of translation using the mother tongue

Information-Based Approach
-It demands a large input from the teacher and closely related to the term
literature with learning. It describes the study of literature as - “aesthetically
patterned artifact endowed with the knowledge potential philosophy, culture,
morality and humanities” (Ganakumaran 92). Carter and Long argues that it
involves critical concepts, literary conventions and metalanguage and the
students should be able to use such terms and concepts in talking and writing
about literature (Carter and Long 1991).
-under the cultural model

- literature as a source of information. Reading is prominent but its development

is seen in close connection with other communicative skills as writing, speaking
and listening. Teacher plays an important role in this approach. This approach
provides teacher-centered activities in the classroom.

Related Literature
-The Information-Based Approach (IBA) aims to expose learners the facts and
information about a target language, culture and even the writer of the literary
text (Carter & Long, 1992). This approach was teacher-centered. The approach
enabled students to know the information of the text. The approach helped
students to comprehend the text. The approach filled the gap between the text
and the learners. There were some classroom activities found which were
regarded as IBA. The activities were; introducing the topic discussed and sharing
information of the topic discussed. The purpose of this approach was to help the
learners to understand the text.

- Information-based approach gives knowledge and information to students

(Thunnithet, 2011). It is teacher-centred and demands a lot of teacher’s input in
giving students various contents of literary text like on historical, political, cultural
and social background. Knowledge of literature is delivered as a source of
information to students (Rashid, Vethamani, & Rahman, 2010). It includes
reading from the criticism or notes, explanations and lectures given by teacher
for examinations sake (Hwang & Embi, 2007).
Advantages
-Students acquire enough knowledge and information on the literary text
studied and expanded their understanding on the subject matter.
- it addresses higher level thinking skills than basal level instruction. Rather than
forcing children to give pat answers to basic questions about a story,
information-based instruction encourages students to think deeply and share
their thoughts about a story. Reading authentic literature can improve
vocabulary, reading comprehension, reading ability and language growth. In
addition, literature-based instruction is much more child-centered, with the
teacher as the facilitator or coach, rather than "the sage on the stage."
-The classroom remains orderly.
-Students are quiet.
-Teacher retains full control of the classroom and its activities.
-The teacher is an important source of information on how the learners are
doing.

Disadvantages
-Students’ difficulties acquiring decoding knowledge,
-Students’ difficulties acquiring fluency.
-have less structure than many other approaches. Teachers also may struggle
with effectively assessing progress.
-less widely used than other forms of instruction, teachers often spend hours
choosing literature selections, as well as developing activities and evaluations
that reflect the content.
-Students don’t learn to collaborate with other students.
-Student don’t use their communication skills.
-This type can be boring for students.
Examples:
-Lectures
-introducing the topic discussed
-sharing information
-reading of notes
-criticizing the book

Moral-Philosophical Approach
-This approach incorporates moral values in student. Its focus is to discover moral
values while reading a particular literary text. Rosli maintains –“it seeks to find the
worthiness of moral and philosophical consideration behind one’s reading”.
Ministry of Education (1993) outlined 17 moral values to be inculcated among
students. It tries to find out values that students learn from the text. It searches
moral values from a text and raises students’ awareness about it.

-under the personal growth model

Related Literature
- It enables students to develop their language, character and emotions by
connecting and responding the issues and themes to their lives (Hwang & Embi,
2007).
-Plato acknowledged literature’s power as a teacher by believing it capable of
corrupting morals and undermining religion.
-Aristotle considered literature capable of fostering virtue.
-Horace said literature should be “delightful and instructive.”
-Samuel Johnson said that the function of literature is to teach morality, and to
probe philosophical issues.
-Matthew Arnold: poetry’s most important offering is its moral/philosophical
teaching; it’s a source of moral and spiritual inspiration, possibly capable of
replacing philosophy and religion.

Advantages
-The philosophical approach in literature becomes much more than a novelty, it
becomes something human. It is something concerned with love and wisdom as
well as hatred and innocence.
-This philosophical approach just doesn't think of literature as an art; it recognizes
that literature can influence the lives of others in a significant way.
-Useful for works that present an obvious moral philosophy, such as music.

Disadvantages
-The philosophical approach is very likely to be condescending. The
interpretations are based upon judging the character of an author usually
without any past friendships with that author. Because of that, the art can be
lost in the ethical arguments provoked by the philosophical.
-The philosophical approach analyzes the morals and the idea of the work,
which some deem too difficult to interpret fairly. Opposers to the philosophical
approach believed that books should be based purely on its artistic content, not
your morals.
- Some critics would say that this approach is very judgmental. Most believe
when it comes to literature it should e judged based on the art of a work and
not its moral and philosophical content.
-Not objective—focuses on feelings, impressions
Examples:
Teaching the following:
1.Pope’s ‘ Essay on man’--- understood if one understands the meaning and role
of reason in the 18th century thought.
---can also be religiously oriented.
2. Hawthorne’s ‘Scarlet Letter’--- study of the effects of secret sin on a human
soul – sin unconfessed before man and god.
3. Robert Frost’s ‘stopping before woods over snowy evening’--- suggesting
that duty and responsibility take precedence over beauty and pleasure.
4. On Harry Potter Books --Various religious conservatives, especially American
Christian groups, have claimed that the books promote witchcraft and are
therefore unsuitable for children