ELE 208 (Literary Criticism for Teachers)
Course Guide
1st Semester, AY 2023-2024
NOTE TO STUDENTS
Dear Students,
LITERARY CRITICISM FOR TEACHERS aims to provide you with opportunities to study the
basic approaches to literary theory and criticism and their application to selected literary
works. You will be able to demonstrate content knowledge and application of literary criticism
and critical theory approaches relevant to literature and English language teaching.
Moreover, this will allow you to determine instructional implications in applying literature
teaching strategies that will promote critical thinking and other higher order thinking skills
through original critiques of literary pieces.
In the time of pandemic, this course guide will serve as your “bible” as you go about your
independent reading, doing tasks, and submitting outputs online. Each unit is composed of
learning outcomes, content outline, teaching-learning activities, and assessment. The
content is left to you and your subject teacher to explore and find reading sources. The
activities and assessment included here may be limited, too. Nevertheless, we hope it
serves its purpose – to guide you to LITERARY CRITICISM FOR TEACHERS’ scope and
management of learning.
This learning guide is flexible; the content, activities and assessment may be revised or
changed, or you may be provided with added materials. We advise that you maintain your
contact with your subject teacher through your FB Group and pay attention to requirements
and dates of submissions.
We are optimistic about you, finding meaningful information and enhancing your
communication skills, and taking to heart the ideals and values of West Visayas State
University.
Welcome to WVSU, where excellence is a tradition.
Unit 0 Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Outcomes
Unit 1 Introduction to Literary Criticism
Unit 2 Literary Theories
Unit 3 Modern Criticism Schools of Thought
Unit 4 Writing the Literary Criticism Paper
Unit 0: Vision, Mission, Core Values, and Outcomes
Desired Learning Outcomes:
At end of the unit, the students must have:
1. identified, described, and explained the vision, mission, core values of the
University and the institutional, college/campus, degree and course outcomes
Topics:
1. WVSU Vision, Mission, and Core Values
2. Outcomes: Institutional, Campus, Program and Course
3. Course Content, Outputs, Grading System
4. Others
Learning Activities:
Students may refer to the syllabus attached in the FB group or saved in their flash
drives.
Assessment:
Answer the following questions.
1. What key words or information (at least 3) are highlighted in the WVSU Vision, Mission,
and Core Values?
2. As you go through the Outcomes, what skills do you think you need to enhance and give
more effort to master?
3. Do you have any questions regarding the course’s content, outputs, and grading
system?
4. What other suggestions and concerns do you want to share as regards managing your
learning experience this semester?
Time Frame: (Week 1)
Unit 1: INTRODUCTION TO LITERARY CRITICISM
Desired Learning Outcomes:
At end of the unit, the students must have:
1. reviewed literature studies focusing on literary genres;
2. defined literary criticism and identify its purposes;
3. differentiated significant terms related to literary criticism; and
4. shown interest in acquiring a deeper understanding of texts through literary
criticism
Topics:
1. Review of Purposes and Benefits of Literature Studies
2. Review of Literary Genres
3. Review of Literary Techniques
4. Literary Criticism
5. Literary Theories
6. Definitions
7. Purposes of Literary Criticism
Learning Activities:
Task 1. Diagnostic assessment through objective test on literary concepts and analysis
(See attachment).
Task 2. Classify Me
Here are some titles of literary works. Are you familiar of them? Predict and identify to
which type of genre each literary work belong. Choose the letter of your answer from the
pool of options below. Write your answer before the number.
OPTIONS
a. poem b. short story c. novel d. essay e. drama
1. Richard Cory by Edwin Arlington Robinson
2. Iliad and Odyssey by Homer
3. How my Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife by Manuel E. Arguilla
4. El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal
5. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
6. What is an Educated Filipino? by Francisco Benitez
7. Alice’s Adventure in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll
8. New Yorker in Tondo by Marcelino Agana, Jr.
9. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
10. Biag ni Lam-ang by Pedro Bucaneg
Task 3. Prose vs. Poetry
Examine the constructs below then organize them using a Venn diagram to show the
similarities and differences between prose and poetry.
Used creative modes of expression Use of language
Used to reveal inner thoughts and feelings Creative
Aesthetic quality Source of learning
Use of limited words Measured and controlled
Free-flow of sentences Irregular
Lines and stanzas Sentences and paragraphs
Figurative Language Resemblance to everyday speech patterns
Manifestation of imaginative thinking Persona and addressee
unmeasured Rhyming, tone, sound
Task 4. Match Us
Arrange the jumbled letters to determine the concepts in column A. Then, match these
constructs with their respective meanings or descriptions in column B. Write the target
concept below each jumbled letters while the letter of the definition before each number.
Column A Column B
1. H E T M E
a. the most interesting and exciting moment in a story
2. T I T S E G N b. the causal relationship between and among events
c. the introductory part of a story
3. A R A C T H E C S R d. the lesson about life implied by a story
e. can be classified as either major or minor
4. Y S S M O L B f. objects or words which embody ideas and virtues and are
interpreted beyond literal sense
5. L T P O g. opposition of forces
h. clues or hints to future events
6. A R A O T N R R i. the one who tells or recounts the events and circumstances
in a story
7. P O X E T I S I N O j. knows what is on the mind of the characters; aware of the
total circumstance of a story
8. M O I N C E S I T N k. the untying of events; presents how the story closes or ends
l. the background environment of the actions or events
9. T C I L F N O C transpiring in a story
10. X M C A L I
Assessment Tasks:
Answer the following questions to check your knowledge and understanding of the
concepts presented in Unit 1.
1. As a student, how do you benefit from literature?
2. Why is it necessary for a student like you to be familiar of the forms and genres of
literature?
3. How is literary theory different from literary criticism?
4. Why should you study literary criticism?
Time Frame: (Week 1-4)
References:
Bantados, W., Marcos, L., & Valez, S. (2012). Introduction to literature. Manila: Purely
Books Trading & Publishing Corp.
Baronda, A.J. (2016). 21st Century literature from the Philippines and the world. Pasay City:
JFS Publishing Services.
Gnenoba, F., & Okoroegbe, F. (n.d.) Literary criticism. Lagos: National Open University of Nigeria
