Smith and Hillocks (1988) wrote “Sensible Sequencing: Developing Knowledge about Literature Text by Text” to explore the necessity of teaching background information for better comprehension. They quoted E.D. Hirsch's work that maintains that the reader's own knowledge is essential part of the text. Smith and Hillocks supports Hirsch assertion but go a step further by adding that there is more to literature comprehension and that includes understanding important concepts, familiarity with genre and using interpretative strategies.
Why is Literature Important?
Literature instruction is a huge part of Language arts. There are different purposes for teaching literature. These are:
First is the academic or philological tradition. Second is to preserve traditions, customs or "upbringing". Third is teaching literature enables the students to read more and express their views openly. This is especially true in class discussions where students can express their interpretations of the texts based on their experiences. Fourth, literature also gives the students the chance to understand constructs or words, metaphors, images and plots. This exercise, of course, is instrumental in developing the student's imagination. Lastly, literature has the power to instruct and provides insight in one's experiences in life especially social order. This is often true in literary works where there are hidden messages implied their texts and the students learn to discover the meaning of what the author tries to portray.
Literature Circles
Literature circles or groups that allow book discussion are an important part of learning literature. Literature circles enable the students to own their learning and control it. The purpose of these groups is to allow students to experience reading the way adults do. First they read a book then they group together and discuss what they read.
Literature circles fit a high school curriculum best. It is important for the students to know what to ask during discussions, how to move forward when they have a standstill in a discussion and others.
Choosing the books to read is important in literature circles because this would allow the students to read different genres of books. A variety of books should be available to students when engage in this activity.
Each student should choose a role. These roles are only necessary to help the students get started. Once they get the hang of it, these roles can be abandoned later on. The workshop then becomes spontaneous.
Discussion & Spontaneity
Discussions can take place in a number of forms such as lectures, group readings and others. Engaging in discussion enables the students to have deeper awareness and attain learning and motivation so they can make their own views and express them.
Discussion takes a lot more than asking questions and letting the students answer. Discussion takes a great deal of emotional content as well intellectual engagement. The teacher acts as the host, moderator, judge and a number of other roles. There is uncertainty in how things go because discussion is the art of supervising spontaneity.
Discussion and spontaneity must go hand in hand then.
Spontaneity can be encouraged if students are allowed to speak their minds without fear f judgment or ridicule. Also, if opposing views are expressed, students must learn to respect others with different views on the matter. They must be made to understand that there is no one way of looking at an issue or solving a problem. There is value in diversity of opinions.
Mary M. Kitagawa's article “Its About Time to Talk” suggests that “Literature study conducted by students with restrained adult support is a powerful experience of introspection as well as social discourse”. The teacher primarily remains silent and allows the students' discussion to flow. The teacher merely supports the students' views of the discussions.
Miller (1991) in her work “Planning for Spontaneity: Supporting the Language of Thinking” talks about the teaching experience of Laura Jackson. Laura's goal was to make “her students to become avid readers who would make sense of all sorts of texts in their world”. Jackson allowed the students to write their responses to readings. This “set the stage for spontaneous collaboration”.
Tapping into their experiences enable the students to develop spontaneous, critical understanding. Miller states “Talking signaled that student response and making connections was central to active reading”.
Asking Questions
Teachers tend to ask questions in the "knowledge" category 80% to 90% of the time. Using higher order level of questions such as those that require much more "brain power" and a more extensive and elaborate answer are important tools to learning and could develop critical thinking among students.
Renner (1994) in his book “The Art of Teaching Adults: How to Become an Exceptional Instructor and Facilitator mentions a claim made by Scott Parry (1991) that “questions are [a teacher's] most valuable tools-for making points, for assessing understanding, for arousing interest, and for testing understanding”. In this book, Renner also discusses Donald Fairbairn's “seven deadly sins” which are questions that every teacher should refrain from asking because these do not challenge the students to think. These questions include simple "yes-no", multiple, ambiguous, chorus response, leading, ambush, and teacher-pleasing. The main goal of asking questions should be to develop critical thinking. Teachers should teach students to think for themselves not just accept whatever is told to them. Real learning occurs when students are engaged in the thinking process in order to arrive at valid conclusions.
