Teaching Literature in a Critical Literacy-Based Classroom

Prof. Mei-yun Ko & Prof. Tzu-fu Wang, National Formosa University & National Yunlin University of Science and Technology, Taiwan, ID LLCE2017-150;     Abstract: This paper explored how a critical literacy-based instruction was implemented in literature class to help students develop their critical consciousness. In this qualitative study 33 English-major students from the course Chinese Literature in English Translation participated. The critical literacy-based instruction in this class required students to read five works of English-translated Taiwanese fiction from a critical stance. Through a qualitative analysis of the data collected from class discussion, classroom observation and student post-reading reflective essays, this study investigated students’ awareness of their discourses when responding critically to the texts. Several salient discourses were found: parental expectation discourse, biological son discourse, adoption discourse, compulsory heterosexuality discourse, identity discourse, and generation gap discourse. The students’ attitudes to a critical literacy-based instruction were also discussed. 

Key Words: critical literacy, literature instruction, critical discourse analysis