This book introduces a framework for thinking differently about texts in ELT, encouraging practitioners to move away from simplified literature (or graded readers), and raises important questions about what counts as a complex or generative text, and to whom, and for what purposes… Bland’s edited volume is … an important body of work that reframes the goals for, and methodologies of, English language teaching.
Teachers College Record
[This book] provides comprehensive, in-depth and state-of-the-art insights to literature learning in ELT contexts ... [It] is a worthy contribution to theory as well as methodology and offers many innovative teaching methods, which teachers and lecturers may well want to try out in class.
Children's Literature in English Language Education
Delivers a methodical, finely structured, and elaborate argument not only for how and why the use of literature in language education is challenging but also how and why the challenge could and should be met ... Through a combination of theory and practical suggestions at the end of each chapter, the volume supports its argument with great success ... An inspiring read.
ELT Journal
An essential and timely contribution both to ELT and children’s literature studies. This edited collection brings together essays revealing the broad range of theoretical and methodological work in both fields in an accessible and engaging manner. It is a ‘must have’ for scholars and educators in the area of language teaching.
Justyna Deszcz-Tryhubczak, Institute of English Studies, University of Wroclaw, Poland
A highly stimulating collection, full of insightful theoretical perspectives that are closely linked to practical teaching examples. The content is richly varied, but all the chapters have a common goal of bringing innovative ideas, depth and criticality to the EFL classroom.
Mike Fleming, Emeritus Professor of Education, Durham University, UK
Brings together international experts who show us how CYAL can best be integrated in ELT classrooms so that learners can make deep and meaningful connections between life and literature and can be prepared for future reading challenges.
Susanne Reichl, Professor of Contemporary English Literature, University of Vienna, Austria
Bland’s highly stimulating and very readable collection of articles clearly demonstrates the great opportunity to pursue up-to-date curricular and pedagogical objectives through <i>challenging</i> reading...A book that is not to be missed!
Michael Meyer, Professor of English Literature and ELT, University of Koblenz and Landau, Germany
Notes on Contributors
Foreword, Peter Hunt (Professor Emeritus Cardiff University, UK)
1. Introduction: The Challenge of Literature, Janice Bland (Nord University, Norway)
Part I: Multimodal Challenges
2. The Graphic Novel: Brian Selznick’s The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Wonderstruckand The Marvels, Marek Oziewicz (University of Minnesota, USA)
3. Playscript and Screenplay: Creativity with J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World, Janice Bland (Nord University, Norway)
4. The Wordless Picturebook: Literacy in Multilingual Contexts and David Wiesner’s Worlds, Evelyn Arizpe (University of Glasgow, UK) and Sadie Ryan (University of Glasgow, UK)
5. The Picturebook in Elementary ELT: Multiple Literacies withBob Staake’s Bluebird, Gail Ellis (British Council – EU Region)
6. Story Apps: The Challenge of Interactivity, Sonja Brunsmeier (University of Education–Tyrol, Austria) and Annika Kolb (University of Education–Freiburg, Germany)
7. Transmedial Reading: Tim Winton’s Lockie Leonard, Michael Prusse (University of Teacher Education–Zurich, Switzerland)
Part II: Provocative and Compelling
8. Literature in Language Education: Challenges for Theory Building, Werner Delanoy (University of Klagenfurt, Austria)
9. Diversity in Love-Themed Fiction: John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars and David Levithan’s Princes, Johanna Marks (University of Münster, Germany) and Thorsten Merse (University of Munich, Germany)
10. Popular Culture Head On: Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, Janice Bland (Nord University, Norway)
11. Thought Experiments with Science Fiction: Ursula Le Guin’s The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, Ju¨rgen Wehrmann (University of Oldenburg, Germany)
12. Environmental Havoc in Teen Fiction: Speculating Futures, Jean Webb (University of Worcester, UK)
13. Hamlet, Ophelia and Teenage Rage: Michael Lesslie’s Prince of Denmark, Tzina Kalogirou (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece)
Part III: Embracing the Challenges
14. Negotiating the Challenges of Reading Literature: Teachers Reporting on their Practice, Sam Duncan (UCL Institute of Education, UK) and Amos Paran (UCL Institute of Education, UK)
15. Afterword: Thoughts on the Way Ahead, Geoff Hall (University of Nottingham Ningbo China, China)
Annotated Bibliography: Literary Texts Recommended for Children and Young Adults in ELT, Janice Bland (Nord University, Norway)
Index