Developing critical thinking through practical criticism and stylistics in the literature class

Judge, Iqbal (2018) Developing critical thinking through practical criticism and stylistics in the literature class. Language and Language Teaching, 7 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 2277-307X

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Abstract

Teaching English through literature at the undergraduate level in India is assumed to have two major goals: 1) to develop students' proficiency in the language and 2) to help them appreciate the "beauty of literature". In recent time, the goal of developing higher order thinking skills (HOTS) or critical thinking (CT) has also been added. However, these lofty aims remain nebulous concepts, unrealized in practice.The usual "explain and extol" method of line-by-line explanations of the prescribed poems and stories, interspersed with a "discussion"of "examination-type" questions and rhapsodies over the "beauty" of some poetic lines does not adequately address any of the three avowed goals. Targeted and sustained practice in the areas of grammar and vocabulary is still required to develop language proficiency. Exclamations about evocative writing in fact reinforce the notion of subjectivity, rather than a reasoned, objective analysis that would reveal the writer's craft. Further, the questions commonly asked by teachers mainly address the skills of comprehension, recall and understanding of the students. Their higher order thinking skillsapplication, analysis, evaluation-are hardly touched upon.

Item Type:	Articles in APF Magazines
Authors:	Judge, Iqbal
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	critical thinking,stylistics,skills, literature
Subjects:	Language
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > University Publications > Language and Language Teaching
Full Text Status:	Public
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/1896
Publisher URL:

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