Teaching English Language through Literature - Teacher Resources

Teaching Language and Literature

Teacher Resources: The Teaching of Language through Literature

* An Introduction: Teaching English Through Literature: Marut Hismanoglu 

* Using literature in the language classroom: The issues 

* Approaches to using literature with the language learner 

* Selecting and evaluating materials 

* Reading literature cross-culturally 

* Novels and Short stories: Materials design and lesson planning 

* Poetry: Materials design and lesson planning 

* Plays: Materials design and lesson planning 

* Reflecting on the literature lesson 

* Literature and Self­-Access Centre 

Above topics are taken from:

Literature and Language Teaching: A guide for teachers and trainers 

- by Gillian Lazar (1993, CUP)

Handouts - by Dr. Atanu Bhattacharya

Teaching Literature

Why teach literature for language classroom?

Theoretical Background: Historical Overview of Lit. Teaching in India:

1. The Origins
2. Literature teaching after Independence and the Present
3. What do we do to teach language through poetry?
4. What do we do to teach language through novels?
5. Teaching Literature: Using films or videos as support materials
1. Why use videos or films?
2. Role of the teacher
3. Role of the learner 

Check your progress:

Click here to appear in online test

Worksheet: Dr. Faustus: A Play by Christopher Marlowe

(Draft of the post)

Doctor Faustus: Christopher Marlowe

Quiz on the Play: Dr. Faustus

Thinking activity :

1) The play directed by Matthew Dunster for Globe theatre ends with this scene (see the image of Lucifer). What does it signify?

Last Scene: Lucifer with wide wings

2) Is God present in the play? If yes, where and how? If No, why?

3) What reading and interpretation can be given to this image (see the image of Daedalus and Icarus) with reference to central theme of the play Dr. Faustus?

Father Daedalus and Son Icarus

4) How do you interpret this painting?

5) Read this article by Bhagat Singh. In light of the arguments made by Bhagat Singh in this article, can you re-write last monologue of Doctor Faustus?

6) Summarise articles discussed in the class:

• Marlowe and God: Tragic Theology of Dr. Faustus
• Myth, Psychology and Marlowe's Doctor Faustus

You can take help of below given reading resources.

1) View presentation on contribution of Christopher Marlowe to English Drama:

Christopher Marlowe's Contribution to English Drama from Dilip Barad

Themes in Christopher Marlowe's Doctor Faustus from Dilip Barad

Teaching Literature through Technology: Play / Drama

As the use of technology in classroom is increasing day by day, it becomes important to make some serious observations on its usage and impact on the learners. I wish to write a trilogy of blog posts on poetry and fiction, as well. This is the first one one Play / Drama. 

Gujarat University, Ahmedabad

 I make extensive use of technology in my literature classes. The statement is not made in self-eulogy or from a sense of pride. I know, all teachers these days are using technology in their classrooms. So, it is neither new nor unique. Mine is just a humble attempt to see how far it works in the literature classrooms. And if I get some success with it, I am happy to share it with other teachers. This presentation was made for/in the Refresher Course in English Literature, organised by Academic Staff College, Gujarat University.
These were the points discussed with the help of various videos and select scenes from the stage performance of the plays:

Happy-Sad: Twin Masks

• Literature is made up of words. Colours, visuals, musical notes etc have no space in the aesthetic delight which literature gives through words to the readers.
• The use of visual mars the free play of imagination which words are capable of.
• There should be no medium between the words and the reader - if the literature is to be relished.
• But when it comes to plays, it becomes necessary to understand that plays are not meant to be read as poems or fictions are.
• Plays are to be performed and visuals of the performance is to be relished. Words on the page are not enough to give the beauty of play - the aesthetic delight lies in viewing the performance, rather than in reading it. Though, reading a play is also equally satisfying.
• To prove this point an interesting example is given in the presentation: refer to the slide on which Tom Stoppard and performance of 'The Tempest' is discussed.
• Well, some interesting scenes from 'Doctor Faustus' by Christopher Marlowe, 'Hamlet' by Shakespeare, 'Waiting for Godot' by Samuel Beckett, "The Birthday Party' by Harold Pinter were presented with important points. 

  

  All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players

• It was proved that the nuances of plays lies in the acting, dialogue delivery, pauses, silences, stage spectacle and several other stage devices. Reading a play, never gives the satisfaction which viewing a performance gives.
• However, in the classroom, while teaching the plays as texts, we cannot take students to the theatre to view the plays. Henceforth, we have bring in the video recordings of the play performances.
• Hey, there is a rub! There is a problem. The problem is inherent in video recordings of the performance which happens through 'camera'.
• This limitation is discussed in the slide on 'Camera as Technopoly'.
• Your queries, observations, suggestion are welcome in the comments below this blogpost.

Teaching Ideas: Teaching English Literature with the help of technology from Dilip Barad

Teaching Literature Through Technology: Play / Drama from Dilip Barad

Teaching Literatuer through Web 2.0 Tools: Does it Really Help? from Dilip Barad

Dilip Barad: In deliberation with participants of RC, ASC, Guj. Uni

Questions on session by Dilip Barad on ‘Teaching Drama through Technology’.

1.      The word ‘theatre’ has Greek theatron < theasthai at the root of its meaning. What does it mean?

a.       To read

b.      To watch

c.       To peform

d.      To act

2.      Which of the following gives appropriate difference between ‘Play’ and ‘Drama’?

a.       Play is a literary composition consisting of dialogues between various characters, epilogue, monologue, prologue and an end. Drama is the set up of the play, which includes the theater, the hall, the accessories, the green room, costumes, music and the like.

b.      They are synonymous without any difference as such.

c.       Play is ‘performance text’ and Drama is ‘play text’

d.      Drama is a literary composition consisting of dialogues between various characters, epilogue, monologue, prologue and an end. Play is the set up of the play, which includes the theater, the hall, the accessories, the green room, costumes, music and the like.

3.      With reference to which play, Tom Stoppard explained the difference between the performance text and play text to prove the point that visual/spectacle of the play is more important than textual reading?

a.       The Tempest

b.      Othello

c.       Hamlet

d.      Ariel

4.      In movie adaptation of which of the following play director has replaced curtains with mirror?

a.       The Birthday Party

b.      Waiting for Godot

c.       Doctor Faustus

d.      Hamlet

5.      In which of the following play, the menacing effect of silence and pause is generated with the help of tearing sound of newspaper and no dialogue or background score?

a.       Hamlet

b.      The Tempest

c.       The Birthday Party

d.      Doctor Faustus

6.      In which of the following play’s stage performance the fight between Good Angel and Bad Angel is presented quite dramatically?

a.       Doctor Faustus

b.      Waiting for Godot

c.       The Birthday Party
d.    Hamlet