Sessions

Literature in Language Teaching as Community

In this forum, presenters will introduce ways in which literature and approaches to it can be used by students and educators to understand, contribute to, and participate in, various notions of community. Audience members will then be invited to discuss the effect and effectiveness of literature and teaching/learning methodologies in both defining, and existing in, a greater whole. Please join us in an exchange of ideas and a sharing of experiences.

LiLT Forum

In any classroom, including a language teaching setting, teaching literature is not just a means to increased vocabulary or grammatical constructs. Literary texts can be fairly linear with simple plots or richly ambiguous with a myriad of interpretations that require the reader to sift through the fine nuances of language. Some texts provoke the reader to ask, and more importantly attempt to answer, questions; perhaps questions the reader had never pondered. What criteria beyond language learning drives your choice of text? Perhaps there are cultural aspects that the text captures, or provocative story lines that challenge our beliefs. What deeper issues do you hope to raise with your students? In this LiLT forum, we would like to address this topic. Presenters will explain their criteria for text selection as well as other relevant issues. Integral to the forum's success is audience participation; questions and insights will be solicited and greatly appreciated. Non-members and LiLT members alike are encouraged to attend and enrich our friendly and inclusive forum.