LiLT Forum at JALT 2018

Diverse Uses of Literature

in the Second Language Classroom

Literature in the language classroom encourages the exchange of ideas, opens up new cultural and imaginative worlds, and exposes learners to diverse voices and creative uses of language. The presenters in this LiLT SIG forum share their diverse ideas on effective approaches to utilizing literature. The forum’s goal is to generate an exchange of practical ideas that exploit the myriad points of view of literary texts and of readers, and enables language learners to flourish.

  • Day: Saturday, November 24th
  • Time: 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM (90 minutes)
  • Room: 909

The Presenters

 

Richard Hodson, Seinan Gakuin University

Teaching Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go: insights from learners

With its deceptively simple language and subtly skewed vision of the pressures of young adult life, Never Let Me Go is an especially relatable text for university English learners. This presentation will describe a course focusing on Ishiguro’s novel, in which chapter-by-chapter student presentations analyzing its plot, language, and themes formed the main supplementary materials. Insights from learners’ written responses to the novel will be shared to illustrate and evaluate the outcomes of the course.

 

Vicky Ann Richings, Kwansei Gakuin University

Enhancing students’ awareness of Japanese speech styles with literature

The Japanese honorific system (keigo) is incorporated in many aspects of Japanese grammar and Japanese speakers use it instinctively in daily interaction. The choice of speech style, both formal or informal, in Japanese also indicates the social relationship between speakers and is maintained throughout an interaction. This presentation will illustrate a practical attempt on how to integrate literature in the Japanese class, as a way to enhance students’ awareness of the use of the Japanese honorific language and various speech situations.

 

Dat Bao, The C-Group and Monash University (JALT 2018 Featured Speaker, LiLT Forum Special Guest)

Dat Bao has worked with Leeds Metropolitan University in the UK, Cornell University in the US, the National University of Singapore, the Assumption University of Thailand, and presently Monash University. His expertise includes curriculum design, intercultural communication, materials development, classroom reticence, literacy development, creative pedagogy, and visual pedagogy in language education. During the forum, he will share some ideas from his recently published book, Poetry for Education: Classroom Ideas that Inspire Creative Thinking  and discussing ways for improving literature teaching in general.