The role of composition and literature in the secondary education classroom : revisiting the pedagogy

Abstract

Currently, high school ELA teachers are expected to use literature and composition together during instruction and planning. This expectation is completely different from first-year college English courses, as literature and composition are often taken at different times. As it stands now a pedagogy that encompasses the use of composition and literature together does not exist for secondary teachers. There are discussions of best practices in order to teach genres or methods of writing or reading by noted authors, and educators and researchers Peter Elbow, Gary Tate, Wendy Bishop, and Erika Lindemann have debated the role of literature in composition classrooms, but there are a lack of pedagogies and explanations for teaching the two subjects together successfully. This thesis offers such a pedagogy with sample assignments. In addition, the Common Core standards, National Council of Teachers of English standards, and Conference on College Composition and Communication position statements are analyzed to emphasize the strengths and weaknesses of this pedagogy in relation to the inclusion of both subjects. Suggestions for future research includes further exploration of the connection between literature and composition and of other pedagogical approaches towards the inclusion of both subjects.