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ERIC Number: ED032515
Record Type: RIE
Publication Date: 1969-Mar
Pages: 12
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
The Enjoyment of Literature.
Gelpi, Elsa
The enjoyment of literature, as well as that of any other human endeavor, requires readiness. The literature teacher has two responsibilities--to discover the student's previous literary experiences, and to be thoroughly familiar with the problems involved in the development of literary appreciation in a second language. Assuming that the reader of a second language has acquired the basic skills of reading in his native language and that he can read in English with some fluency, it is extremely important that his attitude towards reading literature be positive. To achieve this, he must have been introduced to the literary world at a comfortable, uncomplicated level, where the theme was not too unfamiliar and the vocabulary load not an obstacle to comprehension and enjoyment. The reader must also develop skill in perceiving implied meanings, generalizing, grasping and relating important ideas, anticipating events and predicting outcomes, and recognizing sound patterns and rhythm which evoke sensory images. It is suggested that teachers avoid exhausting every line, crowding materials, lecturing instead of teaching, and spending too much time on historical or social background. Teachers should look out for misinterpretations due to cultural differences, and not assume skills or emotional maturity. Selection and presentation of various literary forms are discussed. (AMM)
Publication Type: N/A
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: N/A
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Note: Paper given at the Third Annual TESOL Convention, Chicago, Illinois, March 5-8, 1969