Approaches to Teaching Literature

Information-Based Approach
Elicit information from students about the text.
Explain the content of the text to the class.
Ask questions to check students’ knowledge based on what
they have read.
Provide students with background information.
ACTIVITIES
Comprehension questions exercises
Lecture sessions
Read notes from workbooks/handouts with
students
Personal-Response Approach
Encourage students to relate the themes to
personal experiences
Elicit students' response to a text
Encourage students to express feelings towards the
issues of the text
ACTIVITIES
Journal writing
Brainstorming sessions
Writing about feelings/reactions towards an issue
Small group discussions
Language-Based Approach
Set language activities in literature lesson
Generate language practice using the text
ACTIVITIES
Language activities
Performance activities (drama, role play,
poetry recital)
Paraphrastic Approach
Re-tell the text to students to help them understand
Use simple terms to explain what the story is about
to students
Discuss what the author says in the text
Get students to tell the storyline of the text
ACTIVITIES
Translation of text using L1
Students re-tell story to the class
Summary of the story
Moral-Philosophical Approach
Incorporate moral values in lessons
Ask students the values they learn from the text
Get students to search moral values from a text
Raise students' awareness of values derived from
the text
ACTIVITIES
Reflective sessions
Discussions on moral dilemmas
Conduct self-evaluation
activities
Discuss values from the story
Stylistics Approach
Guide students to interpret a text by looking at the language
used by the author
Encourage students to discuss beyond the surface meaning of
the text
encourages Language awareness
ACTIVITIES
Identify linguistics features (eg. vocabulary,
tenses) in a text
Discuss different meanings of a text
Identify adjectives that describe a
character
Identify figurative languages
9 Approaches to Teaching Literature
According to Keith Bergstrom
1. Reading for Plot and Comprehension
2. Reading for Theme
3. Reading for Author’s Craft
4. Approaching Literary Theories
5. Using Bloom’s Taxonomy
6. Response Journaling
7. Reading for Vocabulary
8. Working with groups
8. Reading for Fun