|
Approach |
Examples |
Advantages |
Ways to Maximize Advantages |
Disadvantages |
Ways to Minimize Disadvantages |
|
Chronology |
In American Literature---
Puritan Literary Period: 1620-1720
Harlem Renaissance: 1919-1930s
Realism Period: 1855-1899 |
Broad background, especially for students who may not be
college-bound. Traditional.
Assumes every age in history/culture has its own
characteristic special features which are reflected in its
literature and arts. |
Tie in with history of period. Work with US history
teacher to combine lit of period with historical events for
same timeframe
Great works of art do indeed seem clearer and more
interesting in proportion to the reader’s possession of
certain broad kinds of information about the age in which
they were produced |
Lots of boring authors that are not relevant to today’s
students
Authors of color did not come into their own for much of
this time frame. May be harder to get students interested,
especially. depending on ethnic makeup, demographics of
class |
Hit the high spots and have the kids write a research
paper tying the socioeconomic events of the time to the
works appearing in a particular narrow time-window.
Example: literature of/about the 1930s Depression paired
with (Steinbeck, Grapes, and others
Provide opportunities for students to study genres or
themes within the chronological approach. |
|
Author |
In-depth study of Twain, Fitzgerald, or
Steinbeck (for 11th-grade), Shakespeare,
Dickens, Conrad (for Brit lit), for example |
Chance to compare/contrast author’s various works…to
analyze and understand author’s style and strategies.
For the students, this approach would build experts.
Provides students with enough information to actually
analyze and write about a writer’s work. |
If teacher is willing to incorporate literature circles
or author research projects, students can individually or,
in small groups, participate in a broad and deep study of an
author of their own choosing.
Use of this approach could easily be integrated into a
course focused on any of the other approaches to teaching
literature.
. |
Is high school the place for students to specialize?
Philosophically, don’t they need exposure to a variety of
authors?
May be difficult to teach unless students schedule
themselves into this class. Heavy knowledge of this author
needed by teacher in order to sustain interest and give true
in-depth coverage. |
Provide opportunities for students to study authors as a
mini-unit while using a general literature approach that is
genre- or thematic-based.
An in-depth author study would also easily fit within the
chronological approach. |
|
Theme
|
American literature: "literature of protest,"
"American Dream," "Self-Reliance,"
"Justice," "Success," and many more |
Provides a way to integrate character/values education
into public school, now mandated in numerous states.
Thematic units often contain 8-12 literary pieces,
allowing teachers a great deal of flexibility.
Most 6-12 textbook anthologies now offer teachers a
thematic plan to present the literature each year. |
Ask students to write their own beliefs on the theme
Students make judgments about the characters’ actions
in texts they read
Students will hopefully decide on a set of positive
character values that will help provide an ethical code they
can live by.
|
College-bound students may miss the chronological
literary period timeline exposure that helps prepare them
for college literature study.
For example, this approach can cause a student to
minimalize Kate Chopin’s feminist stand in her 1890s short
stories since the student might not realize the societal
pressures Chopin faced to write her stories.
|
Provide simple literary timelines for student reference.
Have students keep the timelines in their class notebooks
for easy reference.
Teachers need to expose students to a variety of genres
within the thematic approach.
|
|
Genre |
fantasy, legend, magical realism picaresque, young adult,
memoir, captivity narratives, short stories, allegories, and
many more |
All of art consists of genres (symphonies, still lifes,
musicals)
Works with middle school and high school classes |
Allows students to classify and compare/contrast
different types of literature.
Students can study genres across cultures for
similarities and dissimilarities |
College-bound students may miss the chronological
literary period timeline exposure that helps prepare them
for college literature study. |
Provide simple literary timelines for student reference.
Have students keep the timelines in their class notebooks
for easy reference
|