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Between the lines: When culture, language and poetry meet in the classroom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2009

Charlotte Melin
Charlotte Melin*
Affiliation:
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, USAmelin005@umn.edu
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Abstract

Teaching poetry in second language (L2) classrooms raises theoretical and practical questions about how best to treat literature when target language and culture is also being negotiated. Current pedagogy derives from disparate sources, including the experientially-driven practices of individual teachers, the quantitative and qualitative research methodologies of Second Language Acquisition, and the aesthetic, historical, and philosophical traditions of literature and cultural studies. This paper surveys the knowledge base that shapes literature pedagogy, examines the conceptual implications of two common approaches (close reading and genre-based treatments), and argues for new teaching objectives.

Type
Plenary Speeches
Information
Language Teaching , Volume 43 , Issue 3 , July 2010 , pp. 349 - 365
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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