Teaching Language through Literature

Hello friends,

Language and Literature are the two sides of the same coin in the teaching and learning process in any language. The language skills like listening, speaking, reading and writing can be improved through Literature. The language process like pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary is learnt automatically when Literature is introduced in a natural process otherwise language learning becomes tough for the new learners.

Literature proves to be a powerful resource in the classrooms when it gives the cultural enrichment, variety and personal involvement. Let us see why a language teacher is required to use literary texts in the language classroom and what type of literature language teachers are supposed to use in the class. We shall see the benefits as well.

This blog explores the idea of teaching English in the Indian context and the role literature plays or can play in the English language classroom. The blog delves briefly into the reasons for English language being privileged in the Indian education system. It then argues for the use of literature to teach language and expands the conventional definition of literature as print to include the use of audio books and songs and films. It does acknowledge the challenges the English language teacher must be aware of when using literature to teach English and posits solutions to be used when selecting such authentic material.

“The  words.  Why  did  they  have  to  exist?  

Without  them,  there  wouldn't  be  any of this.”  

― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

Language Learning and Literature 

“When I cannot see words curling like rings of smoke round me  I am in darkness—I am nothing.”   

― Virginia Woolf, The Waves

It is imperative to recognise that language learning, be it first or second language, occurs best in  input-rich  environments.  It  is  also  important  that  this  input  be  comprehensible  yet challenging  while  ensuring  the  learners’  interest  is retained  (Krashen, 1982).  It is  in  this context that we should review the affordance of the English language textbook for any level of learner.  It  is,  furthermore, necessary to  bridge  the  gap between “English  as  subject”  and "English as medium” in this increasingly English medium instruction based education system especially at the higher education level in India.   Literature, undoubtedly, provides rich input that is authentic/relevant material that engages the learners’.

Thus literature  has long been revered as  a source for both language learning (learning the rules of grammar use) and language acquisition (comprehending input and presenting ideas in a comprehensible manner). Stories, drama, poetry present to us varied uses of language and often  mimic  contemporary  use  thus  exposing  learners  to  prevailing  attitudes  and  beliefs through the  presentation  of thought.  However, it  is  equally important  to  be  aware  of  the challenges of learning a language through literature. 

The Challenges of Using Literature to Teach Language 

 “But  if  thought  corrupts  language,  language  can  also  corrupt  thought.”  

― George Orwell, 1984  

Despite  this  affordance,  the  challenges  in  the  classroom  when  using  literature  to  teach language cannot be discounted. As Krashen (1984) notes, while the input must be one level above the  learner’s,  it must also not be too  challenging. Not merely the language structures, but the content of the stories too need to resonate with the learners for literature to be an able tool  for  language  learning. The  selection  of  stories  (and poems  and drama)  needs to  be contextually  relevant  to  the  learners. Since  many  classic  stories  in  higher  standards  use English that is slightly out-of-date, we have instances of students using similar phrases that are no longer in use in the modern world. 

The use of translated texts to include diversity often results in students mimicking the unwieldy structures that translated texts sometimes have. If such materials are used to teach language use, it might be best to relevel and repurpose the text to be closer to actual language use than to retain the original phrasing that intended to give the audience a flavor of the ethos of the characters through the structure of the sentence. 

Languages are living creatures that grow, change shape, and perhaps even die. Some are revived as is being attempted with Sanskrit, Manipuri and several other languages in India. Some survive with minor changes as is the case with Mandarin. Some are changed almost beyond recognition such as English as one would realise if one studies the history of English as a language.

Austin & Sallabank assumes, 

“While languages have always gone extinct throughout human history, they have been disappearing at an accelerated rate in the 20th and 21st centuries due to the processes of globalization and neo-colonialism, where the economically powerful languages dominate other languages”.

References: