Reading and writing skills for students of literature in english: 1. Theoretical foundations

Abstract

The materials in this collection constitute one of the results of the "Grup d'Innovació Docent" [Innovative Teaching Group] "Estratègies per al desenvolupament de les habilitats de lectura i escriptura de l'alumnat de literatura de Filologia Anglesa" [Strategies for Developing Reading and Writing Skills in English Philology Students of Literature] (Code: 2004bGID-UB/09), coordinated by Enric Monforte, which later became "INDIGO: Estudis de narrativa en llengua anglesa" [INDIGO: Studies of Fiction in English] (Code: 2009GID-UB/04), coordinated by Ana Moya. The materials are divided into five independent sections: Theoretical Foundations, Romanticism, The Victorian Period, Modernism and Modernity, Postwar; Postmodern; Postcolonial. The main aims of the collection are the improvement of the reading and writing skills of students of Literature in English at the tertiary level in the early stages of their degree course. Worksheets on selected texts are combined with PowerPoint presentations related to the same texts. Each worksheet is divided into three sections, with a first part devoted to elementary comprehension questions on the literary works, a second part which poses more elaborate questions on the texts with the aim of prompting thought and discussion, and a third section providing the student with challenging essay topics with a view to the production of university level writing practice. PowerPoint presentations complement the worksheets and have been devised as study aids. The materials are especially intended for use in connection with two of the compulsory, second-year courses which are part of the new syllabus in the English Studies degree at the University of Barcelona (Estudis de grau, 2009- ): "Literatures en anglès dels ss. XVII al XIX" and "Literatures en anglès dels ss. XX i XXI", but could also be used in any other Literature in English course covering the same periods and geographical areas.