english and literature courses

english and literature courses

The Importance of English and Literature Courses

1. Introduction

Arguably, that should be the metaguide for making choices about the value of the curriculum at the college, school, and individual classroom levels. Just what is “being educated?” What skills form the basis of that education, and how is that education needed to move forward in a global society? From there, engineering and science researchers and teachers might ask what particular role do specific fields play, and how may we most efficiently and effectively deliver education to our students? I believe that there are many good arguments, buttressed by numerous studies that show beyond anecdote or intuition, that coursework in a wide variety of the arts, humanities, and social sciences foster deep skills that we will continue to need going forward in our culture. To my personal sensibilities as a scientist who also appreciates the humanities, creativity is among the most compelling reasons for maintaining a balance of coursework breadth while preparing arts, humanities, and social science undergirded graduates to engage the multitude of societal challenges, including teaching.

To be sure, the training of our future engineers and scientists should draw on sources of knowledge beyond technical expertise, and many scientists and engineers in training receive a humanities-oriented education. At the University of Virginia, our general education curriculum that shapes the experience of all undergraduate students is deeply based on studies in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, the School of the Humanities, and the School of the Arts, and is unusual for top-ranked public universities in this respect. Part of the goal there, as in many colleges and universities, is to help students become well-educated, broadly cultured, and literate citizens. In our workspaces, we interact with many people who have sharply different backgrounds and training, and interpreting others in those situations from more than a purely technical base helps. Beyond that, though, knowledge gained from learning about and reading literature, and about history, culture, and belief systems, gives us tools to interpret many things deeply and helps us understand and create anew, all within the framework of our own creative process.

2. Enhancing Language Skills

The aim of instruction in an L2 is not only to develop phonological and grammatical control, to augment vocabulary, and to improve listening and reading comprehension skills, but also to keep the conveyance of ideas a key mission in teaching, and enhance the interpersonal aspects of language and communicative strategies through oral and written communication. Conveying ideas through the use of appropriate language strategies and discursive conventions are vital to achieving communicative competence; good communication requires that learners are able to select the appropriate linguistic response, but also that they develop an understanding of the language as a tool for conveying ideas. In this perspective, the integration of academic study of L2 with studies of literature is a way through which L2 students can improve their communicative abilities. The language of literary discourse, in fact, offers learners the opportunity to become familiar with a variety of communicative strategies and levels of language usage, from highly formal to highly informal. These strategies can range from persuasive to descriptive, from narrative to argumentative; all of which can meet a wide range of expressive needs.

Literature courses are important for us and for our future. So, why is studying literature so important? The first answer is because literature is necessary to understand our language and important world changes which are historical and social, and also to think about value and meaning it can give to society. Another reason to study literature is because, by reading, writing and speaking about literature, we can improve our language and learn its nuances. Hence, one of the very important goals of teaching literature becomes to enhance students’ L2 proficiency through the language of literary discourse.

3. Exploring Literary Works

Art is just another way to express how authors feel. Humans have been doing it for centuries, between the lines and around the curves of words, to express their beauty in the form the universe was given to them: speech. They evoke without pronouncing, they recall without demonstrating an outcry in a few lines. They provoke a series of questions that are opposed to the answers and make us their part, characters, and soul members of the discourse. Literary works are the cradle of thought. Literature and grammar are the cleaning and archiving processes that make books the most reliable source where questions find unique and convincing answers.

Literary works are a reflection of what it means to be human, and literature is often called humanity’s greatest record. Today, these works can be used just as they have been throughout history: a way to escape, a place to hide, and a sanctuary. In every classroom, readers have the opportunity to pick up a book and forget about the world around them. They can sink into the setting, the plot, and the characters that they may or may not ever meet and explore somewhere in their mind that allows them to delve into the depths that Picasso talks about.

4. Developing Critical Thinking

Critical thinking and the ability to communicate well are the two most significant initial lessons that we learn from English courses. These topics are also consistent with the belief that China’s economic success is in part due to the Chinese educational emphasis on thinking skills. Of course, this comes at a cost, as their educational system places overwhelming emphasis on the ability to think critically and to avoid soft skills that are significant to socializing and entry into the workplace. The Chinese do this by overemphasizing exams and results. In response, some American teachers waste time doing too much critical thinking in primary and middle schools and do not spend enough time doing the opposite. This can be disempowering. In contrast, English courses typically spend a lot more time exploring and performing “soft skills” that 21st-century employers want. In writing groups, present-day teachers push students to present their ideas, to communicate their arguments.

Students pursuing a degree in English see the world differently. They are not limited by paradigms and they’re free thinkers. They are taught to think for themselves, to read between the lines, to compare the works of different authors. They are trained to understand that for any given topic, there are many perspectives. This often leads to them being less judgmental, soft-spoken, and much more interesting to be around. They are capable of seeing the big picture. In these courses, students are often engaged in observational activities, asking questions like “What does this mean?”, “Why might the author have included this?”, “What has changed as a result of X?”, “What would it mean if?” They are encouraged to focus on the whole of the text, not just on grammar or vocabulary. This type of thinking encourages students to be more analytical thinkers.

5. Cultivating Cultural Awareness

The twenty-first century English language teacher can benefit from fostering cultural awareness among his students by focusing on expanding the employment of literature. While the role of the teacher in most academic disciplines is essentially to interpret the subject, English teachers understand the essential bi-directionality of meaning; that is, we learn culture and values by understanding meaning, and through the value structure and understanding of our own culture. A better understanding of the culture of others leads them to discover new meanings. Education should respect the belief that built-in cultural platforms can produce different understandings of various phenomena and that each individual—whether they navigate through human rights issues, social structures, relationships—has a lot to offer, with comparative strengths to be understood. Shakespeare had come to understand. In some cases, students may develop their own versions of drama or dialogue to present – with careful consideration of ethical implications or current social or political issues. Providing a platform for learning through cultural exchanges with others can lead to respect for the values, talents, and perspectives of our peers.

The objective of teaching literature, therefore, is to sow the seeds of the society that protects human rights and then nurture the young trees that teach the young what it means to be fully human. It is for students to understand through life’s painful but critical and necessary curriculum. Through literature, we can know that the world is an issue, not a puzzle to be solved with factual knowledge, but an enigma we must grasp and transform. Literature and human rights issues are actually closely related because they challenge students to understand human experiences through moral imagination and empathy. Both lead us to an understanding of what it means to be human, why it is important, and how our shared humanity deserves respect and protection. Our efforts to ensure human rights depend on our ability to cultivate awareness, and literature is an essential link.