Literature Teaching and College English Learning

張學敏

Abstract：There have been many fruitful studies in nearly all aspects related to English teaching and learning. But approaches to English teaching have ignored literature teaching especially among non-English majors. The paper tries to apply literature teaching into college English learning and present the arrangement of such practice.

Key words：English learning，literature teaching

I.Literature review

The goal of learning a foreign language is the ability to use it，understanding its meaning and connotation in terms of the target language and culture，and the ability to understand the speech and writing of natives of the target culture in terms of their meanings as well as their great ideas and achievements. The ever-increasing importance and influence of English as an international language in the world has greatly promoted the global development of the English teaching and learning. Therefore，they can be mainly classified in four parts. Firstly，many strategies have been developed in language teaching and learning，including listening，speaking，reading，writing，vocabulary，grammar and so on. Secondly，the participants，especially students are considered as the research subjects so as to explore the influence of personal motivation and persistence on the English learning as well as the development of learners autonomy. The conception of student-centered has been widely accepted. Thirdly，many advanced technologies have played an important role in English teaching and learning. Multimedia and Internet resources have been used as effective means to improve English learning. Finally，many kinds of English textbooks are encouraged to improve effectively the English learning，at the same time，the various forms of English tests are used to evaluate the results by adopting different strategies.

However，approaches to English teaching have ignored literature teaching especially among non-English majors. The importance of literature teaching has nearly been neglected in recent discussions of English learning. But in recent years，with the research of the relationship between culture and language teaching deepening，researchers come to realize and study the necessity of introducing culture into language teaching，the intercultural awareness and intercultural communication competence. Poetry is considered an efficient pedagogical approach in CET class. Most of them are just theoretical studies. Therefore，our research is to put literary teaching into practice and obtain its possibility and effectiveness in English teaching of non-English major college students.

A questionnaire survey，conducted among the non-English major college students at the end of term in 2010，showed about 75% of students are interested in reading literary works and nearly all the students admit the helpful influence on English learning. For students，literature can not only provide a key to motivating their reading in English but it is also an ideal vehicle for illustrating language use and for introducing culture assumptions. Why not literature in college English teaching class? Povey，in summarizing the aims of using literature in Foreign Language Teaching，argues that “literature will increase all language skills because literature will extend linguistic knowledge by giving evidence of extensive and subtle vocabulary usage，and complex and exact syntax”. Moreover，with the help of advanced multimedia and internet，literature study will contribute greatly to the achievement of improving English learning.

II. Methodology

The purposes of this study were：（a）to explore some constructive approaches as well as some suggestions on improving literature teaching；（b）to determine if the approaches identified can be classified within existing learning approaches；（c）to determine whether the approach can bring about successful results of English teaching and learning.

The study was the part of phase-investigation. The rest consisted of conducting literature teaching approach in the class，then，analyzing experimental tests on listening，speaking，reading，writing，vocabulary，grammar and so on. The general approach used in this study was to collect data from non-English major students on their use of learning strategies for language learning activities both in and out of the classroom，which will focuses on six specific language activities. Five of the activities were derived from an analysis of tests on listening，speaking，reading，writing，and making an oral presentation or report. The other activity involved communication outside the classroom.

The subjects were 300 non-English major students enrolled in the university in 2011 with the scores between 90-120 in the English Entrance Examination，and four teachers providing instruction in these classes. The teachers and students were located in three universities in Tianjin.

The students should be classified into 10 classes，half of which will be the tested classes and the rest will be the contrast classes. The teachers will adopt the literature teaching approach in the tested classed while the students in the contrast classes will be taught English in general ways.

III. Research Planning

The research will last over a span of roughly four terms from the first year to second year of college English learning. Prior to our research on non-English major college students，detailed preparation must bell well done，including introduction of the background of society，writers/playwrights/poets and their literary works. Related videos and film clips must be ready，which can make students promote active viewing and effective involvement of college students before coming into the written materials. Participation of tested classes should be secured following guidelines.

1st term：Give brief introduction of some related writers. Tested students are allowed to see some films so as to get some general ideas and plots about the literary works they are going to read. Teachers try to organize the discussion by explaining the text and asking some questions. At the end of the term，there may be a test on the knowledge and language regards to the works. A questionnaire survey should be conducted to find the student suitability of the approach and try to make adjustment for the experiment for next term.

2nd term：More simplified works are added. Group discussion should be arranged after each work. It is the students turn to arrange their discussion. Teacher will help them do some presentation by giving some homework and relevant themes and writing techniques. Again，there may be a test on the understanding of the works. Another questionnaire should be conducted.

3rd term：More works are arranged for the students to read. Besides，the role-play will be the participation of tested students. A drama or play may be chosen. Many interviews of random-selected students are necessary to justify the research.

4th term：We believe in the progress of students. Original works should be introduced to students. We are likely to develop the habit of reading literary works among student when they want to improve their English learning.

Bibliography：

[1]Hu，Chao，Intercultural Awareness and Intercultural Communication Competence：A Survey of a Chinese Campus，Foreign Languages in China No.3，2005

[2]Povey，J. Literature in TESL Programs：the language and the culture，Allen and Campbell，1972

[3] Yu，Lihua. The Necessity of Culture Introduction in English Teaching for Non-English Majors，CELEA Journal Vol.27，2004

[4] Zhu，Hangchang. Using English Films in College English Class，CELEA Journal Vol.27 No. 4，2004