Traditional Approach in Teaching Literature

The traditional method in teaching is a functional strategy used to transfer

essential information and concepts to a wide-reaching group of learners. In this method,
instructors speaks before a group of students on a particular topic in a continuous manner
(Hafeez. 2021). Teachers are the dominant source of knowledge in the class; teachers are
the senders of knowledge, and students are the receivers. It is also characterized as a
whole class participation without individual or group activities (Khalaf, 2018). Several
educators claimed that in traditional learning, students do not have opportunity to take an
active part in the learning process, unless their instructors oblige them to complete a task
or ask them to answer questions. Thus, Maria and Luisa (2016) inferred that knowledge
presented by teachers in a traditional class setting is unchallengeable and unengaging.

Traditional learning of literature has been studied extensively in the academe. Its
introduction in the language classroom has mostly been and still continues to be through
course books (Barzani, 2020). In the previous study of Khalaf (2018), traditional learning
has been deemed necessary to increase learners’ outcomes and keeps them active during
the learning process. This result has been discarded by Barzani (2020) and further
contended that the old way of learning does not awaken students’ minds, instead, learners
nowadays want to be more involved in their learning process rather than to be passive,
which they claim to be the label always attached to the traditional ways of teaching and
learning. With the events that have traditionally taken place inside the classroom, now
take place outside the classroom and vice versa, students must be aware towards personal
preferences in learning. Furthermore, with the rise of information age, the traditional
method of teaching literature became outdated and needs modification. With that idea in
mind, teaching approach slowly changed. From the conventional approaches such as
reading texts and problems, formulating questions, attending lectures, and monitoring
discussions to the moderately evolved teaching methods including watching video,
attendance and participation in lectures using interactive whiteboards, role playing, and
the used of other media platforms to teach literature (Dimitrios, Labros, Nikolaos,
Koutiva, & Athanasios, 2015).
 Since traditional classrooms provides direct instruction in class and mostly expect
students to practice what they have learned later in their future professions without
applying it during training, which is a problematic situation for teachers (Ozudogru and
Aksu, 2020) traditional method of learning is now considered ineffective in the
educational field (Kiraly, 2017). Moreover, Simonds, Behrens, & Holzbauer (2017)
revealed that traditional learners’ lack knowledge and competence during translation and
these drawbacks are manifested in the limited development of knowledge, skills,
competence and the performance of traditional learners as accompanied by minimal
outcomes in the teaching and learning process. In the traditional method, students become
passive readers of the literature. The sense of actual reading, creative thinking and
judgement is not present anymore. Hence, students would not appreciate and apply
critical judgement as they read literature (Ikonne, 2016).

Students who accomplished undertakings through completing projects and tasks

have been shown to learn more compared to those who experienced traditional methods
of teaching and learning (Simonds, Behrens, & Holzbauer, 2017). Most of the learners
highlighted the point that in today’s time they want to be more involved in their learning
process rather than to be passive, which they claim to be affixed to the traditional ways of
teaching and learning (Barzani, 2020). With the changes in learners’ learning styles along
the emergence of technology, most students now view traditional approach as tedious.
Thus, research studies have recommended that students should no longer remain as
passive recipient of given information, and there is a need for changes in the pedagogical
and learning environment that foster creativity and critical thinking skills for learners
(Akil, Arafah, & Salija, 2018). Nurutdinova et.al (2016) also highlighted that active
learning helps students have an in-depth understanding of the course through induction
of practice; in other words, the modern or technology supported teaching approach has
better results than the traditional method of teaching.

Teaching literature in a language classroom is indeed a challenging task, more so,

if the teaching technique is outdated or predictable. With that, Akil, Arafah, & Salija
(2018) pointed out that there is an increasingly urgent need to try new approaches to
teaching language since the prevalent complaint published regarding the English
language points to the deterioration of English Language proficiency especially among
youths, despite the years they toiled learning the language at school. Even with the efforts
of the language teachers in teaching students in English and regardless of the number of
hours of language exposure, students are still having difficulty in using English language
(Ahmad, 2016). This is caused by the mismatch between the teaching strategies with
learning strategies, and traditional method of teaching literature is identified as

As pointed by Khalaf (2018), traditional learning method has constraints and

restrictions imposed by the availability of resources and fixed schedules. This findings
has been supported by Simonds, Behrens, & Holzbauer (2017) saying that traditional
learning can’t be helpful in solidifying the students’ learning as well as significantly
emphasizing the time management given per course structure. Perhaps most importantly,
students said that they learned more in the content-based course than they believe they
would have learned in a traditional course. Hence, traditional learning is ineffective and
students’ doesn’t learn that much using it.

Traditional behavioural classes do not favor active engagement of learners in the

learning process, but rather focus on the behavioral impacts of immediate context and the
teacher’s role on learners (Khalaf, 2018). Theoretical perspectives are considered to be
the foundation for the implementation of effective learning in the classroom. In the
current review, traditional learning, which was underpinned by behaviorism and inquiry-
based learning, which is underpinned constructivism, the key models of learning under
investigation.

Traditional teachers assume the overriding authority and responsibility in the

classroom because they believe that they know the students’ needs and the classrooms
should strictly follow specified time and place yet teacher-centered classes are traditional
ones and learners have passive roles. In most traditional literature classes, teachers first
assign text for students to read generally before class, then, the teacher will focus more
on the discussion about the background information and explanation about the thematic
and stylistic features of the text, leaving students to become a parrot-like only capable of
repeating and receiving what is being presented in class (Wang and Zhang, 2018).
Student cannot do the task by themselves, express and formulate their own feeling about
the texts. Generally, traditional approach in teaching does not consider the involvement
of students the reason why reading large amount of literary text without the opportunity
to analyse the text in their own seems questionable (Ikonne, 2016). In these classes,
learners just receive information whereas teachers have active organizer roles. Teachers
design lessons, identify the objectives of the lessons, and give feedback to their learners.
Through changing teacher-centered classes to learner-centered ones, teachers’ and
learners’ roles change. Learners are active participants in the lessons (Gilakjani, 2017).

The information age has paved way for technology to be introduced to the
academic arena. Scholars began to pay attention to the effectiveness of using technology
to support the transformation of teaching approach in literature and make literature
learning more interactive and inclusive to learners (Wang and Zhang, 2018). Technology
enhanced the language learning process. Same as true in teaching literature, the use of
technology-based materials enhanced retention of information. For instance, the rise of
YouTube as one element to teach literature, it provides learners authentic situations that
help them gets a better understanding on the lessons and facilitates them in memorizing
the events in the story easily (Khalid and Muhammad, 2015).

The integration of technology helps teachers choose their own favorite

multimedia and software that creates more interactive lessons. The traditional lecture-
based lessons do not stimulate learners. By including technology in their classes, teachers
will have the opportunity to engage more learners and lead more energetic classes.
Multimedia presentation software allows both teachers and learners to organize, present,
and use information in new ways. For instance, in the English classes different
presentations may be made based on the subjects through using computer and overhead
projector. Moreover, multimedia software allows teachers to design audio-visual
narrative themes including the learner’s actual participation (Rodinadze and Zarbazoia,
2012).
 The use of information technology in education was regarded as a facilitation
factor that improved the quality of education. It also changed the concepts of traditional
teaching methods (Gilakjani, 2017). It was concluded that the use of information
technology has a great effect on the evaluation of teaching methods, the value of learning,
and the relationship between teacher and learner. Although increasingly encouraged to
incorporate digital media into classrooms to prepare students for engaged participation in
a digital world, teachers are often taken by surprise when paradigm clashes arise between
traditional school expectations and the affordances of these new spaces (Rust, 2017).
Theefore, Alzeebaree, & Hasan (2020) emphasized that schools and teacher plays a
significant role in the development of students’ learning. It is believed that teacher has a
direct impact on students’ achievement, thus, it is possible that when teacher serving in
schools do not use utilize various method in teaching literature and stick to the
conventional approach, lesser tendency of learning for students. Teachers characteristics
is also important in promoting language learning and understanding the difficulties of the
students in the learning process (Reynoso, 2019); thus, Howlett and Penner-Williams
(2020) said that teachers must have a deeper understanding of the content and master the
instructional strategies that will assists learners in their academic achievement.
Technology plays a key role in promoting appropriate activities for learners and has
significant impact on teachers’ teaching methods in their classes. Technological advances
became effective in strengthening the language input of learners through authentic media-
based texts and materials. Thus, sticking to traditional approach is not an option.
Teachers of literature should not ignore the importance of the latest methods and
equipment that are suitable and effective for teaching literature (Gilakjani, 2017).

According to Khalid and Muhammad (2015), if technologies are used to promote

meaningful learning, they should be used as facilitators of thinking. Here are some
reasons as to why there is a need to integrate technology-based material as facilitators in
literature teaching: Technology is a tool that supports knowledge and encourages learners
to make opinions, understandings, and beliefs (Gilakjani, 2017). Moreover, technology
provides existing knowledge and worldviews that supports student’s understanding on the
texts, and they may able to compare one source to the other (Han, Shin, & Ko, 2017).
Technology is an intellectual partner to support learning, and a platform that provides
opportunity for learners to express their ideas and assess what they have learned. This
also support internal discussion and construction of meanings, and making personal
representations of meaning (Nomass, 2013).

The positive effect of technology is evident in the academic setting. It brought

more attention on the active engagement of learners in the learning process; therefore,
there is more retention of information. Aside from that, it fosters meaning learning
experience and provides avenue for interaction between each other (Simonds, Behrens, &
Holzbauer, 2017). According to Gilakjani (2017), technology is a powerful contributor to
learning because it can be used to deepen learners’ engagement in meaningful and
authentic curriculum. Technology is the learning tool and teachers are the ones
responsible for choosing the technology that is suited for the learners’ need. Teachers
should model the application of technology in support of the curriculum so that learners
can see the correct use of technology and exposure them to a more advanced applications
that they will use independently in the future (Dimitrios, Labros, Nikolaos, Koutiva, &
Athanasios, 2015). Indeed, the use of new technologies of information and
communication transforms traditional teaching and assists the adaptation of new curricula
and new courses in existing applications (Nurutdinova et.al, 2016).
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