DEVELOPING WRITING STRATEGIES FOR LITERATURE AS AN O" LEVEL SUBJECT"

Abstract

A general investigation of the "O" Level Examiners’ Reports for Literature for the years 1990 to 1992 reveals that many students at the upper secondary level are still weak in literary reading and responding. The Reports seem to indicate that literature students have literal-comprehension skills while they lack skills which indicate aesthetic reading and response vital to a study of literature. This study looks into the problem using the Examiner's Reports as a basis and available research in writing and literature in an attempt to identify the skills crucial for the writing of effective literary responses. A writing model has been constructed, based essentially on giving students the opportunity to read and respond aesthetically. Another important facet to the writing programme is the use of Journals to monitor and develop literary awareness and critical literacy which would ensure that students become aware of their own cognitive development The investigation into the Cambridge Examiners' Reports suggested that the ways in which literature is taught for the examinations may, in fact, work against the very goals for which literature study was introduced into schools in the first place and that is to help students become better readers and writers As such, the examination system and the testing techniques used to elicit critical and aesthetic responses from students are reviewed in Chapter 1. Clearly it will indicate that the type of testing employed in Chapter 1 is inadequate for the elicitation of appropriate or even desirable responses from literature students that the theory and research of aesthetic reading and responses was reviewed in Chapter 2. In this chapter, it becomes evident that teaching aesthetic reading and response would help students become critical and aesthetic readers and writers far better than teaching students techniques purely for the examinations. As such, it is on this basis that in Chapter Three, I introduce a writing programme which would develop in literature students aesthetic and critical responses to texts of all kinds even the required reading for the examinations. The writing model focuses on the process of reading and responding rather than its written product which to my mind. encourages positive results arising out of teaching 'literature for life " Finally, in Chapter Four, the suggestions which have been made in Chapter Three are addressed and teachers and administrators of any literature curriculum are offered alternatives to viewing the subject It seems clear enough that if literature students were taught to read and respond aesthetically they would become more critical readers and as such their performance in the examinations might improve. With that in mind, the role of reading and writing is examined in an attempt to find answers about the writing process in literature education. As for the writing programme, it is meant purely as a feasible alternative to the effective teaching of literature and the writing instruction within it.