› ›
Welcome to Writers Talkback. If you are a new user, your account will have to be approved manually to prevent spam. Please bear with us in the meantime

Difficulties teaching English literature (article)

JennyJenny
edited February 2009 in - Reading
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/7894563.stm

Comments

  • TessadragonTessadragon
    That's what happens when the government forbids teachers from educating the kids about anything to do with religion in case it infringes on their various religions.
  • CarolCarol
    Have to say I can see his reasoning.
  • StirlingStirling
    Is that what University is about? Widening your reading experience.

    I suspect that the problem is that students expect to be spoon fed this stuff.
  • DwightDwight
    When I was at school, pre-university (1950-1965), the curriculum was what nowadays would be called traditional, or old-school, so our diet was geared towards an understanding of our heritage, including literature. Not only that, but we had no computers. TVs were only just coming in in the early 60s for most people; so it was far more common to pick up a book. I knew every book in the house, including a set of children's encylcopaedias. Then, of course, we were brought up on the Bible, and so many literary references draw on the Old and New Testaments. I can see exactly where Andrew Motion is coming from and how so much of the richness will be lost on today's students (apologies, Stirling).
  • BillBill
    Newspaper articles like this seem to have a pavlovian effect on some readers. There is no case or cause here to jump on any band wagon. It has nothing to do with government policy, old style versus new style teaching, or the existence of tv etc.

    Schools don’t teach the classics. Probably not all private schools teach classics. When this literature was written and the paintings painted knowledge of the bible was widespread in every strata of the populace and classical mythology was standard for the privileged educated few and they knew that their references would be understood.

    Students today have to catch up and bone up on these things themselves. Perhaps they should be warned beforehand but it is puzzling that anyone who embarks on a ’literature’ course which includes Milton, Shakespeare, and/or 19th C poetry isn’t aware of this. Any one who reads works of this ilk and doesn’t/hasn’t looked up the references isn’t sufficiently interested to be taking such a course.

    They can look up these things on Google without getting off their butts, for heavens sake [heaven’s sake???] !
    Or better still, READ!
  • VericaVerica
    I am always very shocked at the paucity of general knowledge shown by young graduates, who come on TV quizes like Eggheads, particularly where literature or classical music are concerned.
  • StirlingStirling
    My sentiments exactly Bill!

    Going into a degree aged 18 you can't expect to be that well read in theology and mythology - that's why you're given reading lists.

    A University like Stirling has a massive international population (about 25%) and a lot of them do English Lit courses. Really if they don't have a Christian background; then why would they have read the Bible. I'm sure if I read The Satanic Verses the references to The Qu'ran would go over my head.
Sign In or Register to comment.