American literature for language teachers

obligatory courses

The course intends to enable students make informed decisions as to the appropriate selection and adjustment of American literary texts so that they fit the needs of English language teaching in pre-school and primary school. What is more, knowledge of the periodization of American literature helps situate a given work in its cultural context. The blended form of teaching (in class and online) is to effectively utilize time, technological advancements, and teaching methods.

Blended learning

The course is an overview of American literary epochs and forms along with their adaptations to English language teaching in pre-school and primary school. Analyzed forms are myths, fairy stories, poems, short stories, critical commentaries, movie and theatrical adaptations.

The course is an overview of American literary epochs and forms along with their adaptations to English language teaching in pre-school and primary school. Analyzed forms are myths, fairy stories, poems, short stories, critical commentaries, movie and theatrical adaptations.

The overall objective of the course is to acquaint the participants with various ways of selecting and choosing appropriate literary texts and having them applied to the ELT classroom in pre-school and primary school.

The main textbook offering a concise presentation of American literary epochs and texts is an updated e-book Diniejko, A. Introduction to the Study of Literature and Film in English, 2022.

Thematic scope:

1. Native American myths and legends

2. American folk tales and fairy tales

3. American short stories

4. American poems

5. American animal characters

6. American comic books and their heroes

7. American theatrical plays and movie adaptations for children

Baym, N., et al. (eds.), The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Vols. I and II. Norton, New York, 1994.

Dealnoy, W., et al. (eds.) Learning with Literature in the EFL Classroom, Peter Lang, Franfurt am Main, 2015.

Diniejko, A. Introduction to the Study of Literature and Film in English, 2022.

Greenberg, M.H. (ed.), Great Stories of the American West II, Berkeley Books, New York, 1997.

Hart, J.D. (ed.), The Oxford Companion to American Literature, OUP, Oxford, 1995.

Lauter, P. (ed.), The Heath Anthology of American Literature, 2 vols., 3rd ed., Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston & New York, 1998.

Lewicki, Z. (ed), A Handbook of American Literature for Students of English, US Embassy Cultural Section, Warsaw, 1990.

Litz, A. W. (ed.), Major American Short Stories, OUP, New York & Oxford, 1994.

Marlow Elizabeth McCallum, How to Teach Literature: A Practical Teaching Guide, WestBow Press, a Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan, 2017.

Summer, T. (ed.) Culture and Literature in EFL Education: RElating Theory to Practice, Peter Lang, BErlin, 2019.

Knowledge - the graduate knows and understands:

K_W01 to an advanced degree selected facts, theories, institutions, processes, and phenomena related to the study areas:, literary studies, American literature relevant to the field of studies - teaching foreign languages, which have practical application in teaching foreign languages in kindergartens and at the first and second educational stages

K_W02 essential terminology related to: literary studies, and American literature relevant to teaching foreign languages

K_W19 the core curriculum regarding the content of teaching English, in kindergarten and at the first and second educational stages and associated typical learning difficulties

Skills -the graduate is able to:

K_U01 search, analyse, evaluate, select and use information, using a variety of sources and methods, in Polish and English

K_U13 prepare written work in both Polish and English, relevant to their course of studies, at an appropriate academic level, on specific issues, using basic theoretical approaches and a variety of sources

K_U14 prepare, and deliver in public, oral presentations in Polish and English, for specific purposes, using basic theoretical approaches, as well as a variety of sources

Social competences - the graduate is prepared to:

K_K01 pursue lifelong learning

K_K03 take responsibility for the promotion and preservation of the cultural heritage of the region, country and Europe and plurilingualism and multiculturalism related to various ethnic groups living in the US

K_K08 participate in cultural life through the use of a variety of media

Reading the assigned texts is obligatory. Active participation in class, based on attentive reading, discussion (20% of the grade);

preparation to and oral presentation of a lesson plan (30% of the final grade)

At the end of the semester, students sit a test which is a combination of open and multiple choice questions (50% of the final grade).

Presentation grading scheme: 30% (high quality content and editing, originally designed materials) – 5,0; good quality – 4,0; good content but a few of mistakes – 3,0; poor quality and numerous mistakes – 2,0

reading all materials and performing all tasks on the Moodle platform is obligatory - verification during in-class meetings.

Attendance is obligatory, allowed are two absences.

Verification methods may change before the course commencement due to the fact that its participants may potentially utilize AI tools i.e. ChatGPT to complete their assignments. The changes will be announced during the first in-class meeting in the winter semester 2024/25.

Test grading scheme:

100%- 93% - 5,0

92% - 84% - 4,5

83% - 75% - 4,0

74% - 66% - 3,5

65% - 60% - 3,0

<60% - 2