Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Literary Terminology


Question: Do teachers and students share a common understanding of literary terminology?

Answer/Quote: “ ‘Response is enhanced by articulation’ (Purves, 1969), and articulation is enhanced by the ability to name whole concepts through terminology. ‘Communication between student and student and between student and teacher improves if all can use words like plot, character, tone, and metaphor with a shared understanding of what these term mean and what they refer to (Purves, 1969). Of course, arriving at a consensual understanding of these terms is a response process in itself, and , as such, it requires effort and discourse, not pedantries.” P. 257.

Comment: In other words, don’t assume that students understand basic terminology of literature. And don’t just dictate the meanings. Discuss them. RayS.

Title: “The Effects of Reality Perception and Fantasy on Response to Literature: Two Case Studies.” AR Petrosky. Research in the Teaching of English (Winter 1976), 239-258.

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