It can be difficult to teach a college literature course.The idea of teaching college literature class should sound exciting if you are prepared.To teach literature to college students you will need to incorporate strategies that work at the college level, find ways to maintain a positive class environment, develop a teaching strategy that is comfortable for you, and design a course that meets your department's requirements.
Step 1: Students should be encouraged to read with quizzes.
Getting your students to come to class prepared is one of the biggest challenges of teaching college literature.One way to get your students to read is to give them daily reading quizzes.If you want to test your students' knowledge of the reading, you can either assign writing prompts or create simple short answer quizzes.The quizzes should be given at the beginning of every class.Students may be asked to share their answers if you incorporate the quizzes into your class discussions.Make sure you give the correct amount of points for the questions.If the quizzes for the entire semester are only worth 5% of the overall grade, some students may not see them as worthy of their time and effort.Make the quizzes worth 20 to 30% of the grade.
Step 2: Students should come to class with questions.
It is possible to make students come to class with questions about the reading in order to motivate them to do the assigned readings.The class discussion can begin with students' questions.You could require your students to bring in a set of three discussion questions per class and invite them to ask questions at random.At the end of the class, you could give points to students who completed the questions.Before you start requiring your students to ask questions, make sure you explain how to write a good discussion question.Good discussion questions should be open-ended.A good question would be, "What is the significance of the lines from Shakespeare's Cymbeline?"Do these lines matter to anyone other than her?Why or why not?
Step 3: Provide opportunities for participation.
Make sure you include a participation opportunity in your lecture.Students should be able to ask questions about the material in these opportunities.Asking questions is one of the good strategies that you might use.While reading Mrs. Dalloway, you might ask your students, "What is the purpose of an internal dialogue?"Students could be encouraged to identify things that they have in common with Clarissa or another character while reading Mrs. Dalloway.Students were asked to paraphrase a concept that was just described.If you introduce a theoretical concept that sheds light on the text you are reading, you might want your students to break into pairs or small groups and try to put the concept into their own words.
Step 4: Theory should be incorporated.
College students should be exposed to literary theory.If your department has a specific course that introduces students to theory, you may be able to request that students incorporate theory into their papers or presentations.You may need to teach students how to use literary theory if you don't.You could require students to make discussion questions that incorporate a specific type of literary theory.You could assign different schools of literary theory to individual students or small groups and require them to develop an analysis of a text using that theory.
Step 5: Discuss the passages with your students.
If you want to teach literature at the college level, you need to devote plenty of class time to close reading.If you can, invite a student to pick one passage per class and focus on it for 15 to 20 minutes.One student may be invited to read a favorite paragraph aloud and the rest of the class may discuss it.You can ask other students to point to other areas of the text that connect with the first student's chosen paragraph as a way to deepen the conversation.
Step 6: In-class discussions can be turned into writing assignments.
Students may not be able to respond on the spot to some passages.You can always tell your students to write in these situations.If you notice that students are struggling to comment on a passage or that the discussion is limited to a few students, give them five to 10 minutes to write about it.Don't use your voice to fill the silence.When your students are silent, it is usually because they are struggling with a question or concept.Allow them some time to struggle and not give them answers.
Step 7: Group activities are included.
Some students will not be comfortable speaking in class.It is helpful to include small group activities in your classes so that students can contribute to class discussions.Cooperative learning in your classroom can benefit students by giving them the opportunity to learn from their peers.If you divide your students into groups, you can ask them a question about the day's reading.Students might be asked to focus on a particular passage or chapter and develop some ideas and questions to add to the class discussion.If you are reading Mrs. Dalloway, you might start the class by asking students, "How does Virginia Woolf transition from one character's point of view to another?"To support your answer, find an example from the text.
Step 8: Scaffolding can be used to teach difficult skills.
When you teach students to do something that is beyond their ability, you support them through the task.You can remove the support if the students develop mastery over the skill after practicing it a few times.It is possible to introduce close reading to your students by giving them the chance to do it during class time.You could ask your students to read a passage outside of class and write about it in a paper.
Step 9: There are model skills and strategies in the classroom.
Students will imitate the skills that you teach in class.You should model the skills that you want your students to learn.You can model good questions for your students with the questions you ask in class.You could show your students a paper that you wrote while you were a student.
Step 10: Ask questions
Asking questions can help students understand what they have read.It is important for your students to make connections between the readings and their own lives by asking questions.You should ask your students some thoughtful questions in class to help them find effective ways to enter the conversation.The focus should be on open answer questions.Make sure that you ask the questions "Why" and "How" if you do ask any single answer questions.If you just finished reading Mrs. Dalloway, you might want to ask your students some questions, like, "How does Woolf tell the story?" and "What does this format reveal about the way we narrate our own lives?"
Step 11: You can use visual aids.
Students who are more visual learners can benefit from using images, films, and other visual aids.Regardless of what form of teaching you prefer, you should consider incorporating some kind of visual aid into your classes.This can be either high-tech, such as a PowerPoint, or low tech, like notes and doodles on the whiteboard.Creating a PowerPoint that pairs difficult concepts with images may help some students understand a book that a spoken lecture wouldn't.Films can be useful.A film can be used to compliment a scene in a book or as a point of comparison after the class has finished reading the book.
Step 12: Encourage your students.
You will have to encourage your students to contribute to the discussion in order to maintain a positive environment in your literature class.After a student finishes a comment or question, this can be a simple thank you.You can give more personal responses.You could say something like, "I wondered the same thing when I first read Mrs. Dalloway."You could say, "I really enjoyed our discussion today."If something is unclear, don't criticize your students' interpretations or shut them down.If you want the student to clarify something, you can ask, "That is an interesting thought."It seems like you are wrestling with a difficult concept.Do you want to open up the topic to the rest of the class?If you think a question is good, others might think it's not good.Try to avoid this type of praise.Don't say anything that will encourage students.Non-verbal encouragement can include smiling, nodding your head, or giving a thumbs up.
Step 13: Work with someone who knows what they're doing.
As you begin to teach, some departments may assign you a mentor.If your department doesn't assign you a mentor, you might want to look for one of your own.You should choose someone who can help you develop your teaching skills.If you are a medievalist, you might want to ask a colleague in your department if he or she would be willing to mentor you.A good mentor doesn't need to have the same scholarly interests.You could choose someone who you think would be a good mentor because of their personality and experience.
Step 14: You can develop your knowledge.
Attend conferences and read articles about teaching literature to improve your knowledge.Look at presentations and read articles about the texts you are teaching.If you are teaching Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, you can read journal articles about the best ways to teach it.If you attend an author specific conference such as a Virginia Woolf conference, you might be able to attend a presentation about teaching Woolf in general or a specific text.
Step 15: It's a good idea to reflect on your favorite professors.
To get some ideas for teaching strategies, think back to the professors that taught your favorite college literature courses.What teaching methods did your professors use in class?What do you think about the teaching methods?How did these methods help you with difficult texts?If you decide to use these methods in your class, what would you change about them?
Step 16: Make a list of your strengths.
You may have a good idea of what you do well in the classroom based on your previous teaching experience.You might be good at making and giving PowerPoint presentations, facilitating class discussions, or developing interesting group activities.A list of your strengths in the classroom as well as any other personal strengths that you think might lead you towards some effective teaching strategies is a must.
Step 17: Ask your colleagues for suggestions.
Learning about teaching strategies and getting lesson plan ideas can be learned from your more experienced colleagues.Whether you are a graduate assistant who is just starting to teach or a tenure track professor, you can learn something new from a more experienced member of your department.Try to set up a meeting with someone who teaches literature.Suggestions on what works, feedback on your current ideas, and general advice are what you should ask for.To see how other teachers encourage discussion, consider asking to observe other literature classes.
Step 18: Write your teaching philosophy down.
Your goals and values are communicated in a teaching philosophy.If you don't need to write out your teaching philosophy, it is a good idea to do so.Your ideas about teaching and learning a description of the strategies you use to teach an explanation of why you teach the way that you do are included in most teaching philosophies.
Step 19: Check the requirements of the department.
It is important to check with your English department to see if they have any guidelines for the course you are teaching.You may be required to teach specific texts, give certain assignments, or incorporate specific concepts.Ask your department chair or another supervisor if you can see other professors' syllabus.Determine how you can meet the department's requirements with the help of the syllabus.
Step 20: Pick a theme.
If you teach a special course for your department, you may already have a theme.Adding a theme for even more focus is possible.If the course does not have a theme, you may find it easier to identify readings and craft assignments.African American literature author courses, such as Shakespeare, Chaucer, or Dickens Family Food Gender Myth Rural or Urban literature symbolism are some of the common literature course themes.
Step 21: Make a list of books.
List potential texts that you could teach for that course once you have identified your theme.You may not be able to teach all of the books on this list.You can narrow down your list later on.Ask your colleagues for suggestions.Someone who has taught for a long time might be able to suggest texts that work well for the course you are teaching.If you want to teach a course that focuses on women writers, you could include works by Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath, and others.
Step 22: A reading schedule is needed.
You will need to develop a reading schedule once you have decided on the works that you will include in your course.Determine what order you want your students to read the texts.You can come up with a schedule for how much you will read each week.As you develop your reading schedule, consider the length of the texts.You will need to break the readings into manageable sections for books.You may be able to read the entire piece for one class.
Step 23: You can choose assignments.
Students are required to write at least one paper in most literature classes.Presentations, discussion leading activities, or quizzes and exams can also be included.If any assignments are required by your department, make sure to check the course requirements.