EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
Bishop’s University
School of Education
EDU 307 A01: LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE TEACHING
FALL SEMESTER 2013
Time: Mons & Weds, 11:30 - 1:00 pm
Professor:
Office:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Hours:
Location: J 102
Dr. Sunny Man Chu Lau
N 108
819-822-9600, ext. 2583
[email protected]
Mons & Weds, 1:30- 3:00 p.m. or by appointment
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will explore the use of literature as a basis for the teaching of ESL. Theories
regarding the connection between literature and language learning will be introduced, and
students will be involved in the construction of classroom learning situations based on poetry,
short stories and novels.
The aims of the course are to
 examine our attitudes to the use and study of literature in relation to language teaching
 explore different approaches and techniques in using literature in the ESL classrooms
 cultivate an interest and love for literature
REQUIRED COURSE MATERIAL
A. Textbooks (available at the bookstore):
Collie, J. & Slater, S. (1987). Literature in the language classroom: A resource book of ideas
and activities. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
B. Short Stories and novels:
 Thúy, Kim (2009). Ru [translated by Sheila Fischman, 2010]. Quebec, Canada: Vintage
Canada
 Porter, P. (2005). The crazy man. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Groundwood Books.
 Tillage, L. W. (1997). Leon's story. USA: A Sunburst Book.
 Hinton, S. E. (1997). The outsiders. New York: Puffin Books
 Spinelli, J. (2000). Star girl. New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf
 Paulsen, G. (1987). Hatchet. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
C. On-line resources are available on MOODLE – Log into EDU307A01.
D. Ministry Documents:
1. ESL Primary (three cycles) 2001
2. ESL Secondary (cycle 1)
3. ESL Secondary (cycle 2) Core Program and Enriched Program
4. Progression of Learning – ESL primary and secondary
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EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
Sept 4: Introduction
 What is literature? Why use literature in the ESL classroom?
Reading: Collie & Slater Ch. 1
Sept 9: Approaches to using literature with the language learner
 Three main approaches
 The role of metalanguage
Reading: Lazar Ch. 2
Sept 11 : Connections with the QEP
Reading:
1. QEP and Progression of Learning: ESL Primary and Secondary
2. Prather, K. (2001). Literature-based exploration: Efferent and aesthetic, pp. 5-38.
Retrieved June 09, 2011: http://www.eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED453545.pdf [Moodle]
Sept 16: Selecting materials and preparing students to read cross-culturally
Reading: Collie & Slater Ch. 2
Note: Bring a poem, short story or a novel of your choice to class
Sept 18, 23 & 25: Materials design and lesson planning: Poetry1
 Using poetry at lower levels
Reading:
1. Chan, R. E., Cheung, H. B., Donlon, T., Lau, M. C., & Mak, A. S. A. (2001). Poetry for
language teaching and learning. In A. Mok (Ed.), Task-based learning, language arts and
the media: A resource book for secondary English teachers (pp. 11- 17). Hong Kong:
INSTEP, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong. [Moodle]
****
Sept 30 & Oct 2, & 7: Materials design and lesson planning: Poetry 2
 Using poetry at higher levels
Reading:
1. Collie & Slater Ch. 10 (Sept 30)
2. Koch, K. (1997). Rose, where did you get that red? Retrieved June 1, 2011 from
http://www.poets.org/viewmedia.php/prmMID/17152 (Oct 2)
Oct 9: Gathering Texts 1: Poem
Oct 9, 16 , 21, 23 & 28: Materials design and lesson planning: Short Stories
 Bookmarking techniques & other reading strategies
 Reader Response Theory
 Response connections: Text-to-text, text-to-self, text-to-world
Short Stories: 1. ―The Teacher Tamer” in What do fish have to do with anything?
2. Leon's story
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EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
1. Collie & Slater Ch. 3: First Encounters (Oct 16)
2. Collie & Slater Ch. 9: Short Stories (Oct 21)
Oct 30 & Nov 4 , 6 & 11: Materials design and lesson planning: Novels
Novel—Ru
 How to implement literature discussion groups and prepare ourselves and students
for large-group discussions?
Reading:
1. Mark Furr. “Why and How to Use EFL Literature Circles” [Moodle]
http://beepdf.com/doc/17044/why_and_how_to_use_efl_literature_circles.html (Oct 30)
2. Collie & Slater Ch. 4 Maintaining the Momentum (Nov 4)
3. Collie & Slater Ch. 5: Exploits Highlights (Nov 6)
3. Collie & Slater Ch. 6: Endings (Nov 6)
4. Collie & Slater Ch. 7: A Novel (Nov 11)
 Nov 11: Assignment Due: Gathering Texts 2 : A short story or a novel
Nov 13: The outsiders (Student-led discussion)
Nov 18: Hatchet (Student-led discussion)
(Nov 19: Guest Speaker)
Nov 20: The crazy man (Student-led discussion)
Nov 27: Stargirl (Student-led discussion)
OVERVIEW OF EVALUATION PLAN
1. Gathering Texts (15%) [Competencies 1, 2, 3, 7, 11 & 12]
You will be asked to bring to class a literary text of your choice that you would like to
recommend to your fellow classmates. Be prepared to provide brief information (a 5-minute
presentation) on the poet/ author, the background and a synopsis of the literary work, the
reason for your choice and how you might use it in an ESL classroom.
You are only expected to hand in a 3-page summary on either the poem or the short
story/novel you have chosen.
1: poem: presentation due on October 9, write-up due on Oct 16 (if you choose to write
about the poem of your choice)
2: short story or novel: presentation due on Nov 11, write-up due on Nov 18 (if you
choose to write about the short story or novel of your choice)
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EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
2. Unit Plan and Facilitation: (40%) [Competencies 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11 & 12]
a. Unit Plan
For this assignment, you will choose a core text and explore how you might use it to meet
the learning targets pertaining to reading (e.g., literary response and interpretative
analysis), writing, listening and speaking (e.g., discussion and presentation skills).
b. Facilitation – Facilitate discussion in class using the unit plan the group has designed.
Due on the week after your presentation. A detailed rubric will be distributed later in
class.
3. Poetry portfolio: 10% [Competencies 1, 2 & 8]
In class, we will be reading and writing different kinds of poems. The portfolio will contain a
selection of the poems you have written during the course (including at least 5 different
types).
4. Reading responses (30%) [Competencies 1, 2, 3, 7, 11 & 12]
Students will hand in a 3-page reading response (single-line spacing) on the 3 novels that
they are NOT working on for their Unit Plan assignment. Students are encouraged to explore
different creative ways of doing their reading responses. Multimodal projects are allowed
(e.g., a photo collage that summarizes the main themes, a song that best illustrates the major
life events of the main character, a drawing that captures the main event/theme of the book
etc. ). All multimodal presentations have to be accompanied by a 2-page write-up explaining
the design. All reading responses should include a brief synopsis of the story, main themes,
the author’s craft, and your personal responses to the main ideas.
Deadlines for the reading responses are:
a. Hatchet: Nov 18
b. The crazy man: Nov 20
c. The outsider: Nov 13
d. Stargirl: Nov 27
Alternatively, students can also write an essay (6-8 pages) on global themes among the novels
(at least three of them). The essay will be due on Dec 4.
5. Attendance and professional contribution (5%) [Competencies 10, 11 & 12]
Students are expected to attend all classes and participation (whether in class or online) is
important. This includes:



Completion of all the assigned readings
Active participation in class activities
Thoughtful and constructive responses to peers in both class and online discussions
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EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
COMPETENCIES
As a component of a teacher training programme, this course is designed to help students attain
and demonstrate the competencies specified by the Ministry of Education for those entering the
teaching profession. [See Teacher Training: Orientations and Professional Competencies (2001)]
Specifically, mastery of the content of this course and participation in the learning activities will
enable students to develop conceptual frameworks and intellectual skills necessary for the
following competencies:
Table 1. MELS Teacher Professional Competencies (Ministère de l’Éducation, 2001, p. 123 – 145)
Levels of Mastery
Competencies

FOUNDATIONS
1. To act as a professional inheritor, critic
and interpreter of knowledge or culture
when teaching students.



2. To communicate clearly in the
language of instruction, both orally and in
writing, using correct grammar, in various
contexts related to teaching.
TEACHING ACT
3. To develop teaching/learning situations
that are appropriate to the students
concerned and the subject content with a
view to developing the competencies
targeted in the program of study.

4. To pilot teaching/learning situations
that are appropriate to the students
concerned and the subject content with a
view to developing the competencies
targeted in the program of study.

5. To evaluate student progress in learning
the subject content and mastering the
related competencies.
SOCIAL AND EDUCATIONAL
CONTEXT
7. To adapt his or her teaching to the
needs and characteristics of students with
disabilities, maladjustments or handicaps.
8. To integrate information and
communications technologies (ICT) in the
preparation and delivery of
teaching/learning activities and for
instructional management and
professional development purposes.
Assignments and
class activities







Understand the subject-specific and program specific knowledge
to be taught, so as to promote the creation of meaningful links by
the students;
Exhibit a critical understanding of his or her cultural development
and be aware of its potential and limitations;
Exhibit a critical understanding of the knowledge to be taught so
as to promote the creation of meaningful links by the students;
Establish links with the students’ culture in the proposed learning
activities
Class discussion:
Reading literature
cross-culturally
Assignments: 1-4
Master the rules of oral and written expression so as to be
understood by most of the linguistic community;
Express himself or herself with the ease, precision, efficiency and
accuracy expected by society of a teaching professional
Assignments: 1-4
Develop appropriate and varied teaching/learning situations
involving a reasonable level of complexity that enable students to
progress in the development of their competencies
Build these activities into a long-term plan
Assignments: 1, 2 &
3
Guide students, through appropriate interventions, in carrying out
the learning tasks
Lead students to work together in cooperation
Detect teaching/learning problems that arise and use the
appropriate resources to remedy them
Assignment 2
Detect the strengths and weaknesses of the students in a learning
situation
Identify some of the adjustments required in his or her teaching on
his or her own
Assignments 1 & 2
Assignments: 1 & 2

Cooperate in the development and implementation of
individualized education plans designed for students under his or
her responsibility;

Demonstrate critical judgment regarding the real benefits and
limitations of ICT as teaching and learning resources;
Demonstrate a general understanding of the possibilities offered by
ICT (and the internet in particular) for teaching and learning, and
know how to integrate ICT in a functional manner into teaching
learning activities when appropriate;
Effectively transmit the ability to use ICT to his or her students in
order to support collective construction of learning in a wellstructured critical manner;


Assignments: 2
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EDU307 A01 Literature and Language Teaching
10. To cooperate with members of the
teaching team in carrying out tasks
involving the development and evaluation
of the competencies targeted in the
programs of study, taking into account the
students concerned.
PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY (11 – 12)
11 .To engage in professional
development individually and with others.
Assignments 2 & 5


Contribute to the work of the teaching team in an effective manner;
Provide constructive criticisms and make innovative suggestions
with respect to the team’s work;

Identify, understand and use available resources related to
teaching;
Engage in rigorous reflexive analysis on specific aspects of his or
her teaching;
Undertake research projects related to specific aspects of his or her
teaching;
Demonstrate sufficient responsibility in dealing with students that
one can recommend with no reservation that a class can be
entrusted to his or her care;
Answer to others for his or her actions by providing well-founded
reasons.



12. To demonstrate ethical and
responsible professional behavior in the
performance of his or her duties.

Assignments 1, 2, &
5
Assignments 1, 2, &
5
PROFESSIONALISM AND ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
Professionalism: Participants in this course should be familiar with the School of Education’s
Policy on Ethics (http://www.ubishops.ca/administration/integrit.htm). As developing teachers,
students are expected to demonstrate professional conduct. Examples of such conduct include
respecting the rights of others, working co-operatively on group tasks, being punctual, meeting
deadlines, and taking care in the presentation of one’s work.
Academic integrity: The work you submit must be your own. Any material taken from other
sources for the completion of assignments must be documented accordingly, using APA style.
Bishop's University has a strict policy on plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty. Students
are advised to read closely the definition of plagiarism in the Academic Calendar for 2013-14:
http://www.ubishops.ca/fileadmin/bishops_documents/academic_calendar/BU-AcCal-20132014-updated4.pdf
POLICY REGARDING LATE ASSIGNMENTS
Only in very exceptional cases will students be given an opportunity to make up for missing a
class presentation.
Assignments must be submitted on time. Late assignments will be penalized at the rate of 5% a
day. Late submissions due to medical reasons must be supported by a doctor’s note. All work
must be typewritten unless otherwise indicated. According to the policy of the School of
Education, no extra work to increase grades may be submitted.
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