Abstract
This article argues that despite the well-established role of literature in fostering literacy, both learners and teachers of Literature-in-English in Nigerian universities pay little attention to literacy acquisition in literature classroom discourse. The problem is attributed partly to learners’ attitude to books and partly to teachers’ attitude to literacy skills acquisition. Teachers reduce reading and writing — two signifiers of literacy — to tasks performed for the purpose of examination. The paper proposes that if teachers adopt holistic, learner-centred and process-centred techniques of teaching reading, writing, listening and speaking, and make use of graphic organizers such as story maps and discussion webs, it will help in enhancing the literacy of university students.
Keywords: literacy, literature classroom, Nigeria, university, reading culture, graphic organizers, writing skills, learner-centred teaching
1. Introduction
Research studies have shown that literacy flourishes in an atmosphere that is immersed with prints. Literature in general and creative literature in particular enhances language learning and promotes literacy skills. Where the atmosphere is immersed in fiction, fact, textbooks and newsreel, literacy instruction will be easy. N. Atwell (1987:p.23) and C.E. Onukaogu & I.N. Ohia (1997:p.47) among other scholars opined that language is a whole and is better taught as a whole. They explained further that communicative skills that make up language are also a whole and are better taught as that. These skills: reading, writing, listening and speaking — thrive where literature is.
Literature, therefore, provides the avenue for extensive, sustained and interesting reading, writing, listening and speaking. As a resource used to develop literacy skill, literature occupies a central place in the reading curriculum. For emerging and developing readers, literature provides them an opportunity to exercise their skills, strategies and interests. For independent readers, literature provides pleasure, which should be the reason to learn to read.
2. Obstacles to the Emergence of a Reading Culture
Unfortunately, an average student in the Nigerian University does not want to read selected literary texts even when he realizes that to a large extent, his knowledge and understanding of the text will determine his success in the examination for the course. Many students privilege the reading of the teacher’s note over the reading of the text itself. Chukwuemeka Ike (1998:p.2) attributed failure to read to people’s attitudes to books. He put the case succinctly:
Nigeria does not have a reading culture. We are reminded that our ancestors had an oral tradition. A change from the oral culture to the book culture would require a process of sustained conditioning to open up the consciousness to appreciate the indispensability of books to our overall well being and turn us into book lovers.
Besides, literature classroom discourse is devoid of a robust literacy programme, which includes reading, writing, listening, negotiating and constructing meaning from literary texts. The University syllabus on literature emphasizes more on exposing students to the academic mainstream through a knowledge of literary terminology and techniques, trends and forces shaping creative writing (rarely teaching creative writing itself) and concepts underlying literary theory.
3. Developing a Learner-Friendly Literacy Environment
One of the ways by which a teacher can attract and sustain students’ interest in reading is to read aloud interesting portions of selected literature texts. There are tremendous benefits in read alouds. They create the opportunity for learners to listen to stories, build a rich background “of literary knowledge and language structure and introduce … new titles, genres, authors and illustrators” (Nancy Johnson & Cindy Giorgi, 2003b:704).
There is need to engage students in activities which will develop their literacy skills. They should not only be allowed to discuss during tutorial classes, they should also be encouraged to write in response to literature texts. Most of the writing exercises given to students are geared only towards assessment: grading and awarding of marks. There is need to give students specific time to read, allow them sometimes, to choose their reading materials and allow them respond to literature.
Besides in order to promote high order thinking that is critical, resourceful, reflective and creative, teachers should allow students discover (rather than give) information from literary texts. Before reading is done, teachers should let students make predictions by looking at picture clues and illustration in the text, if there is any.
4. Using Graphic Organizers to Enhance Literacy Acquisition
Making literature come alive through the use of graphic organizers like a story map will enhance literacy acquisition. A story map serves as an effective technique in reading and writing. It can be used to help students predict characters, setting and plot in stories before they read. When reading is going on, story map provides an avenue for organizing information in the story while after reading, it provides idea for story writing.
Yenika et al. opined further that a teacher can create a discussion web. Using this graphic is a “useful exercise which can consolidate and reinforce new knowledge about a literature text, prepare learners for a writing activity and strengthen their critical thinking skills” (11). To do this, the teacher writes a statement or question which generates a debate on the board. Such statement or question could be such that arises from one of the selected texts. Ask learners to list reasons (their opinions) why they agree and disagree with the statement. This way, they will be able to look at the two sides of the same coin.
Readers’ theatre which is a learner-centred perspective to teaching, allows the teacher to consolidate his teaching. When a concept or idea is taught and students are made to dramatize it, then they can improvise, add ideas to the story, examine character types in the story and be creative with language and concepts that they learn from texts.
5. Conclusion
In summary, despite literacy scholars’ contention that literature plays a crucial role in literacy acquisition, we have argued that both learners and teachers of Literature-in-English in Nigerian Universities pay little attention to literacy acquisition in literature classroom discourse. We opined that the problem is due partly to learners’ attitude to books and also partly to teachers’ attitude to literacy skills acquisition. Teachers reduce reading and writing — two signifiers of literacy — to tasks performed for the purpose of examination. We explained that although most of our University students are not spontaneous and independent readers, yet, if teachers adopt holistic, learner-centred and process-centred techniques of teaching reading, writing, listening and speaking, it will help in enhancing the literacy of our University students.
Works Cited
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