Theoretical approaches to teaching literature in the English classroom and its practical realisation

Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, grade: 1,0, Ernst Moritz Arndt University of Greifswald (Anglistik), course: Science Fiction in the English Classroom, language: English, abstract: The purpose of this paper will be to present the advantages of reading literary works and the methodical possibilities of teaching them in class. However, within the scope of this essay, special emphasis should be laid on reading English literature. Literary works which are not written in the pupils¿ mother tongue may hold a certain appeal to them. Moreover, they could make a considerable contribution to understanding, speaking and learning English as an EFL student. A more detailed argumentation why pupils could particularly benefit from reading literature in the English classroom and how this could be done from the didactic perspective of a teacher will be dealt with in the following. The short story ¿The Exit Door Leads In¿ by Philip K. Dick will therefore serve as an example of approaching literature in the EFL class. Since the story can be classified as a science fiction narrative, the SF aspect in English literature at school will also be a very important point to deal with.

However, before starting with the methodology of teaching English literature by means of Dick¿s ¿The Exit Door Leads In¿, some general questions have to be put and answered. At first, it must be clarified why it is of such a great importance to teach and read literature in the English classroom. And secondly, it has to be considered what the special features of reading and teaching SF literature in EFL classes are.