On problems concerning the teaching of literature On problems concerning the teaching of literature

• Main Author: Rosa W. Konder
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina 2008-04-01
• Series: Ilha do Desterro
• Subjects: English Language; English
• Online Access: http://www.periodicos.ufsc.br/index.php/desterro/article/view/9396
• ISSN: 0101-4846; 2175-8026

When asked by the editor of this periodical to contribute
 an article to this issue, on the place of English literature
 in the syllabus of the UFSC letters course, I felt reluctant
 to do it because I did.not belong to the area. Then I
 realised that what he wanted was exactly this: the views of an
 outsider. A non-specialist may sometimes see more clearly
 what deficiencies exist in a discipline in which he is not
 involved.
 Although I do not at all claim to know what is right and
 what is wrong in the teaching of English literature in our
 letters course, I will raise two sets of related questions to
 be discussed. In the first set the questions are concerned
 with the courses which are now being given. In the second,
 some theoretical and methodological issues will be discussed.
 It is assumed that when teachers get together to device
 programmes for a course they will first of all discuss the
 students' needs both in terms of what knowledge of the
 subject in question they must acquire so as to become
 competent professionals and also in terms of the policy to be
 followed for the goal considered adequate to their needs to
 be attained. In the specific case of the teaching of English
 literature, and taking for granted that learning literature
 is important for a number of reasons, these questions seem
 relevant. When asked by the editor of this periodical to contribute
 an article to this issue, on the place of English literature
 in the syllabus of the UFSC letters course, I felt reluctant
 to do it because I did.not belong to the area. Then I
 realised that what he wanted was exactly this: the views of an
 outsider. A non-specialist may sometimes see more clearly
 what deficiencies exist in a discipline in which he is not
 involved.
 Although I do not at all claim to know what is right and
 what is wrong in the teaching of English literature in our
 letters course, I will raise two sets of related questions to
 be discussed. In the first set the questions are concerned
 with the courses which are now being given. In the second,
 some theoretical and methodological issues will be discussed.
 It is assumed that when teachers get together to device
 programmes for a course they will first of all discuss the
 students' needs both in terms of what knowledge of the
 subject in question they must acquire so as to become
 competent professionals and also in terms of the policy to be
 followed for the goal considered adequate to their needs to
 be attained. In the specific case of the teaching of English
 literature, and taking for granted that learning literature
 is important for a number of reasons, these questions seem
 relevant.