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Should Students of Science / Technology be Taught Literature?
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Sat, 03/14/2009 - 11:17
Hello Chris and Others
My name is Albert P'Rayan. I teach Technical English and Communication Skills courses at KCG College of Technology, Chennai, India. Though I teach ESP courses I'm very much interested in Literature, Media and Cultural Studies.
I'm also the editor of English Language Teaching Contacts Scheme (ELTeCS) - India and Sri Lanka list. I have sent a number of Chris Lima's postings to ELTeCS-ISL list.
Shall we discuss the topic: Should Students of Science / Technology be Taught Literature?
My views on the topic can be found in www.raydeal-engchat.blogspot.com . The article is in two parts. Looking forward to reading your views. Best wishesAlbert
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 13:10
#2
Hi all!
I believe that reading literature is very useful to all leaners. It's via literature that the learner's imagination is forged. Albert Einstein's quote "Imagination is better than knowledge" can be true to some extent, but I prefer to say "in teaching, imagination should be as important as knowledge"
A science student with a sense of imagination would surely be a creative learner, able to associate the concrete with the abstract ...
Cheerio
Tarik Boussetta- Global Issues Forum moderator
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 13:55
#3
Just to play the devil's advocate a little here, can I turn the question round? Should teachers of literature be required to read texts about science and engineering? After all, these texts are dealing with the kinds of technology which are fundamental to our lives. Shouldn't every teacher of literature understand how the PC they write their poems on works?
Olwyn
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 17:47
#4
Hi Olwyn
I know you are a lover of ESP courses. MY answer to your question whether teachers of literature are required to read texts about science and engineering is a big YES. Why? In the era of science and technology the reading of science and technology texts helps teachers of literatre understand literature better and teach it effectively.
Interested in reading others' responses.
Albert
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 20:04
#5
Hi Albert,
You're right I am a fan of ESP/EAP but I am also a fan of literature. I would of course like to encourage my students to read literature or newspapers or anything outside the classroom but if I only see them for two hours each week, is literature the most important thing I should do with them in that short time or should I work on the kinds of texts they have to read and write to pass their exams and get their degree?
Olwyn
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 14:26
#6
Hello everyone!
I too feel it's absolutely fundamental to teach literature, even to geeks!
I work with students of Electronics and Computer Science and they find my literature lessons
extremely interesting, thought provoking and therefore stimulating.
Elizabeth :)
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 17:42
#7
Dear All,
You all agree to a great extent that science and engineering students should be taught literature. This prompts me to ask another question: Can we teach language through literature? If 'yes' can you share with the group how a literary piece can be used in the language class to teach certain language items?
Albert
Sat, 03/14/2009 - 20:40
#8
Dear Albert and All
Sorry to say, but I am not so optimistic like you on teaching literature at ESP course. I support Olwyn's idea that we CAN encourage students to read literature, but your question was: SHOULD students be taught literature. From my perspective this SHOULD should be based on students' needs and target situation, i.e. where students will use English in future. So, if students are future journalists, it's Ok, but if they are future engineers, doctors etc.:
Where and when at their workplace will they use literature? What for?
Of course, you can propose your students optional course in Literature if literature is among their wants, but I personally do not see it as a NEED for ESP students.
Besides, SHOULD is connected with the outcomes of the course, can you formulate the outcome of teaching literature: By the end of the course students should be able to read....(What text-types)? and should know....(What)?
Looking forward to your arguments.
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 20:16
#9
Hi raydeal,
your question "Can we teach language through literature? " is a good one. I can refer you to LMCS forum where this very question is being discussed.
Good day
Cheers-Mostafa- LMCS moderator
Sun, 03/15/2009 - 18:04
#10
Dear Zira
Many thanks for your comments. I don't say that literature SHOULD be taught to students of science, engineering and technology. I just want to find out whether literature promotes human values and learning the target language effectively.
A human is a bundle of emotions. Any good piece of literature is about some aspects of humanbeings and the reading of it helps the reader understand humanbiengs better.
I too want to say that students of science and technology should be encouraged to read literature because literature is part and parcel of every humanbeing.
We should carry out a detailed needs analysis and based on that we should design any ESP course.
Albert
Tue, 03/17/2009 - 19:05
#11
Hi All
Nice discussion indeed!! :)
I see Zira's point and I sympathise with her feelings but I believe we could look at this dilemma from a different and very practical point of view. ESP students like being practical and are usually concerned with more immediate use of the language, but the point is that only studying referencital language will not prepare them for the real life situations where they will need English.
One may argue that a person studying English for the Aviation industry will only need technical language and some language functions to operate in basic situations. Should we then understand that this person will never read a newspaper in English? Never engage in a conversation with any other speakers of the language in a social situation? Will never get in contact with figurative language, such jokes, sayings, idioms, methaphors, ironic remarks, puns, etc? This learner will encounter non-technical language all the time, in a wide range of situations.Everyday life is full to the brim of representational language and awareness of this sort of language can only be developed working with texts at non-referential level. Of course, these texts do not necessarily have to be literary texts, but certainly literature has a high appeal and a central role in helping learners to use language in a more natural and creative way.
The reverse does not apply. If I'm not working for the Aviation industry I do not need this sort of vocabulary because my encounters with this technical language are limited to picking up and getting off a plane. :)
Chris
Wed, 03/18/2009 - 18:59
#12
Dear All
It is clear from the discussion that we really understand LITERATURE and its place at ESP Course for Science and Technology students in different ways as Chris has rightly picked up. We also had had hot discussions on this issue while designing National ESP Curriculum and came to the conclusion written above.
Let me clarify for you what I personally think as a university teachers. Students coming to the university are not 'blank sheets of paper'. They have EFL learning experience in secondary school GE courses where they read much and mostly literature. Their level A2-B1 against CEF.
The first module is Socialising during which we develop language skills to be used by students in social and academic environment. The text-types and text genres used through this module are newspapers, newsletters, films, etc. The following modules are mostly devoted to developing reading for specific information where such text-types as textbooks, newspapers, magazines, specialism-related journals or Web-based sources etc. are widely used. Through this module we develop various reading strategies students will need in future. Why not to use them for reading literature?
For you to know our students live in non-English speaking environment if not some English and American TV channels the majority of which are translated in our native language. So, as the analysis of target situation demonstrates graduates will use English mostly for reading special literature and getting information from it for various purposes. Those who find their jobs in international companies will need speaking skills such as socialising, telephoning, meetings etc. For those who will travel maybe survival English will be enough. Unfortunately, the course is too short to predict all the situations, but target situation. (The whole ESP course is enough only to raise the students proficiency level by one, eg.B1 or B2 respectively).
It is interesting for me to know how much time will you spend on teaching literature at the ESP course if you were in my shoes and had 300 hours (in-classroom, self-study and individual work all included)? And what in literature can you teach within that time?
For me Literature is seen as different genres of books, poems, plays which without doubt help us to understand people from different English-speaking countries better, especially their culture, traditions, values and beliefs as well as language they use in different situations. That is why for our students who are interested in raising their cultural awareness, critical thinking and creativity we propose different clubs which they can attend after classes.
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 16:24
#13
Dear Zira
I have gone through your National ESP Curriculum document.
We may not have enough time to teach literature in the ESP class, but we should encourage students to read literary texts. Your idea of asking students interested in literature to become members of clubs will highly motivate them.
Albert
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 19:05
#14
Dear Albert
Thanks for understanding! Fully agree with you that we should encourage to read students much more than texts in their specialisms to develop their understanding of other people and believe me, we do this. The variety of clubs we are offering for free such as Discussion Club, Literary Club, English Drama Theatre and others are for those who feel the need in going further in their development and who really want to 'develop their sense' of English.
Sun, 03/22/2009 - 21:09
#15
Hi Zira, Albert and All
Indeed, time is a serious issue and curriculum designers usually allot very little time for literature and extensive reading. I think the best we can do with the few hours we have is to promote independent reading. Perhaps instroducing , facilitating and getting our students to understand the vital importance of reading different genres is the key. If we can get them hooked in class, they will proceed reading outside the classroom. And as Zira said, there are a range of opportunities online to do that.
By the way, do you know about the British Council e-Reading Group for English Language Teachers Worldwide??
Are you already a member??
Cheers - Chris
Tue, 03/24/2009 - 15:27
#16
Dear Chris
I too strongly feel that curriculum designers should give importance to literature and extensive reading. It is very important to promote independent reading. A good writer is a good reader. Those who want to develop their writing skills should develop their reading skills too.
Yes, I know about your e-Reading group. As the editor of ELTeCS-ISL list, I do post your messages on e-Reading on ELTeCS.
Albert
Hi raydeal,
Personally I think there could in no way be a reason for anyone not to appreciate/read liiterature. Reading is a human need par excellence. The Greek, and Roman philosopers or scientists or writers( you see I can not separate these three categories of people because they overlap: a philosopher is both a scientist and a writer and vice versa...)
Injecting the love of literature in tech and science students would but be an added value.
Cheers-Mostafa