Page 86 - Getting of the fence

Chapter 4
language curriculum. The idea that literature can serve as the actual content of foreign language classes has also resulted in an increasing number of papers that promote the idea of integrated language and literature curricula, such as Hoecherl- Alden (2006) and Barette, Paesani and Vinall (2010). However, Paesani and Allen’s (2012) review of the merging of language and literary-cultural content suggests that the language-content divide still exists (see also Paran, 2008).
Our research into integrated foreign language curricula has resulted in the formulation of a model of a Comprehensive Approach to foreign language literature teaching and learning (see Chapter 3). This comprehensive model consists of four approaches, each operationalized in several different elements (see Figure 4.1).
Figure 4.1. Comprehensive Approach to foreign language literature teaching and learning
The Text and Context approaches are both linked to the ‘study of literature’ (Maley, 1989). The Text approach is concerned with elements such as literary terminology and setting, whereas the Context approach focuses on, for example, the historical or cultural contexts of literary texts. The Reader and Language approaches on the other hand, are linked to using literature as a resource (Maley, 1989). The Reader approach emphasises the connection between the reader and the text and the Language approach focuses on using literary texts to advance students’ language skills, such as reading and speaking, but also knowledge of grammar and vocabulary. The place where the four approaches overlap would describe a classroom where the teacher deals with all these areas, bringing together a focus
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