Curriculum Innovation in the Teaching of Literature and Culture on Modern Foreign Language Programmes

Past Event Summary

As languages departments grapple with the changing shape of language study in all sectors of education, curriculum innovation is both a natural development and a necessity. Colleagues report that they are adapting their courses to this changing market in a number of ways, such as re-packaging the 'traditional' language/literature course, using new technologies, working with a wider variety of 'texts', introducing theoretical concepts 'by the back door'.

This event aimed to bring colleagues together to exchange ideas and concerns in this area and will present case studies of current practice in the teaching of literature and culture which will provide exemplars of ways in which colleagues have (successfully) experimented with new ideas.

It covered theoretical frameworks for the models presented, the implications of institutional constraints and the range of 'texts' that might be incorporated. It also considered the implications of the provision of a literature and culture module in year one. This would deal with issues of content, language and the implications of using literature in translation.

Speakers included:

• Michael Kelly (University of Southampton/Subject Centre) Keynote
• Rhian Davies (University of Sheffield) 'Teaching Students How to Read: The Uses of IT in Studying the Novels of Benito Prez Galds'
• Elizabeth Boa (University of Nottingham) Theme: Teaching Narrative Theory
• Marie-Christine Press & Debra Kelly (University of Westminster) Theme: Managing a literature programme with limited teaching hours
• Domenico Fiormonte (University of Edinburgh) Digital Variants (using writers' drafts to study the writing process and to teach language)
• Katherine Fenton (University of Northumbria) Theme: Teaching literature using electronic resources

There was also a roundtable discussion chaired by Michael Kelly and including members of the Subject Centre's Adivsory Group for Literary and Cultural Studies