Introduction to Literature

Course content

The class will introduce students to critical terms for the study and analysis of different forms and contexts of literary texts, and acquaint students with the didactic potential of literature in the context of an EFL classroom. The focus will primarily be on popular children’s literature and Young Adult Fiction, and the question of how these texts can support language learning, the development of vocabulary, intercultural competence, critical literacy, and media literacy.
The class will introduce students to critical terms for the study and analysis of different forms and contexts of literary texts, and acquaint students with the didactic potential of literature in the context of an EFL classroom. The focus will primarily be on popular children’s literature and Young Adult Fiction, and the question of how these texts can support language learning, the development of vocabulary, intercultural competence, critical literacy, and media literacy.
During the course of the semester we will discuss various literary genres (e.g. short story, novel, poetry) from different time periods from the nineteenth century to today. We will consider the texts in their respective historical contexts, and develop approaches for maintaining their relevance in the 21st-century classroom, creating tasks and lesson plans centered on our findings.