UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

SEMESTER: MAC 2021-AUGUST 2021

SUBJECT CODE: TSL 712

COURSE NAME: LITERATURE IN ESL

ASSIGNMENT: REACTION PAPER

TITLE:

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES IN LEARNING LITERATURE FROM

STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE

LECTURER: DR. SHIREENA BASREE ABDUL RAHMAN

STUDENT: FARHANAH BINTI KAMARUDDIN

MATRIC NUMBER: 2019894102

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TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGES IN LEARNING LITERATURE
FROM STUDENTS’ PERSPECTIVE.

1.0: INTRODUCTION

There are many researches that focus on improving literature teaching and learning in Malaysia
education system. However, students' point of view often left unnoticed in the reapproaching
the effective way of teaching and learning literature as mentioned by Carolli (2012) as cited in
Atex et al (2020), very few studies researched on students’ perceptions of literature component.
This is because, many research paper and journal articles focus heavily on teachers and the text
selection as the spotlight in addressing the hiccups to successful literature teaching and
learning. It can be said that the focus on addressing the challenges in teaching and learning
literature is based on what teachers assessed best for their students, rather than what students
actually perceived best for their learning.

Furthermore, it is undeniable that teachers play a crucial role in conveying and leading the
direction of learning literature component. However, students’ point of view should not be
ignored in reapproaching the better way in teaching literature as assessing the challenges in
learning literature through the eye of the students may help teachers to know what is the best
approach that fits students’ interest. Thus, better literature learning can be experienced by
students and hence lead to successful literature teaching and learning to a whole new level.

This paper will discuss on the challenges in learning literature from students’ perspective which
is based on few published articles. Challenges in learning literature will be discussed based on
students’ general perception and approaches employed by teachers in teaching vis a vis
students’ favored approaches in literature learning. Other than that, this paper also highlights
the factor of texts selection as the barrier to successful literature learning. Lastly, this paper
will also try to shed the light of discussion that the challenges faced by students might be from
the teachers themselves in term of competency in delivering literature component.

2.0: CHALLENGES IN LEARNING LITERATURE

2:1: Students’ Perception on Literature Learning

One of the challenges faced by students in learning literature is their own perception on
literature itself. Students’ perception in learning literature is crucial as perception will create

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either a positive or negative impact to learning process. According to Atex et al (2020), students
generally have positive perceptions of English literature component and they believe that
English literature helps them to improve their English, develop cultural awareness and critical
thinking skills. Atex et al (2020) also cited various study that support the finding of this
research. Students’ positive perception on literature learning is a good starting point for
teachers to succeed in teaching literature as students would likely engage in the learning
process.

However, Aziz (2017) in her interview with Form Five students mentions that students have
negative perception on literature learning as they are not able to understand the literature text
which is Charge of the Light Brigade. Therefore, we can see here that students’ positive outlook
might be true only to a certain extent. This is because learning literature for students who have
relatively weak grasp of English language might not be positive. Moreover, maybe the reason
why the literature is hard to be understood is because the context in term of place and time
setting is not familiar to the students (it will be discussed further under text selection section).

Moreover, Corolli (2012) as mentioned in Atex et al (2020), there are few studies on students’
perception on literature component. I believe that if there are more studies on larger population
of students in Malaysia, we may able to generalize students’ perception whether it is positive
or negative on literature learning. This is because by understanding students’ perception on
teaching literature, it may help teachers to execute a better teaching approach to cater students’
interest in literature learning.

2.2: Approaches in Teaching Literature

There are many teaching approaches in literature teaching. According to Atex et al (2020),
teaching approaches are mainly influenced by students’ language ability and the approaches
employed by teachers will enable students to develop their language proficiency further.

Moreover, Rashid et al. (2010) as cited in Atex et al. (2020), it is discovered in his research
that information-based approach, moral-philosophical approach and paraphrastic approach are
popularly employed by teachers who assessed that their students have low language proficiency
level. Furthermore, the finding of Atex et al. (2020) shows that the approaches students prefer
the most in literature learning is moral philosophical approach and followed by information-
based approach and language-based approach.

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I am actually wondering why students actually favored those approaches that are not student-
centered. In my view, to like certain approaches is first to be exposed to the approaches. Maybe
the reason why students favored those approaches is because the approaches are the only
approaches ever employed by teachers in the class. However, it is undeniable that those
approaches will benefit students with low language proficiency and to understand the reason
of the favoritism of the approaches will be complex as I believe, teachers have students’ best
interest in mind as well.

Therefore, we can synthesize that the approaches employed by teachers and the approaches
favored by students are correlated. However, critically analyzing the approaches, all the
approaches are all teacher-centered, instead of student-centered. It is in line with the finding
from Diana and Mohamed (2007) that shows among the least used approach in teaching is
personal-response approach and stylistic approach.

The approaches employed by teachers and students are not in line with magnitude of teaching
and learning in the 21st century teaching and learning spectrum. 21st teaching and learning
encourages teaching and learning to be students-centered. Teacher should not be the sage on
the stage, instead they should facilitate learning in a way that students are more involved in the
process of learning. This is because Curriculum Specifications of the Literature Component
mentioned that students’ response is very much expected in literature learning. The approaches
employed by teacher is more likely to prepare students for examination as learning in Malaysia
has been long established on rote learning.

However, my response here is not to critic the teachers nor the education system. This is
because, I do believe that the favoritism of the approaches by teachers and students may be out
of certain constrains from teachers’ side as well as students’ side such as language barrier. This
is because language barrier will be a big hindrance in proposing teaching approach that does
not involve teacher eminent participation in the process. In short, we can see that one of the
challenged faced by students in learning literature is the approaches employed by teachers and
favored by students as it does not meet the goal of learning literature as mentioned in
Curriculum Specifications of the Literature Component mentioned that highlights students’
response is very much expected in literature learning.

2.3: Texts Selection

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Literary texts selected for school consist of short stories, novels, drama and poems. Literary
texts dictated for English literature in school also play an important role in the success of
meaningful and successful literature learning. This is because literary texts should be
understood by students to enable them to learn literature successfully. Moreover, students will
be intimidated if the texts are not parallel with their language ability. They also will have higher
chance to shun literary learning entirely if the literary texts do not capture their interest. Thus,
text selection can be considered as one of the challenges faced by students in grasping the
benefit of learning literature.

Furthermore, Gopal and Mokhtar (2020) mention that students relatively have positive stance
towards the selection of literary text that consist of various genres, prose forms and drama yet
they have difficultly to understand words in the text which are not beyond their language
ability. One of the examples of the text is Form Five, the "Charge of the Light Brigade" that
got negative perception from students who could not comprehend the text even the meaning of
some of the words had been referred to the dictionary and teachers (Aziz, 2017). Here is an
excerpt from the poem;

IV

Flashed all their sabres bare,

Flashed as they turned in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wondered.

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right through the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the sabre stroke

Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

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As we can see here, the poem can be understood by students who have a good grasp of English
language. However, looking at some words in the except of the poem, I truly understand why
some students found it hard to understand the poem. The concern of wrong selection of literary
text is, it might kill students’ interest to read literary text especially those with low proficiency
of the English.

Hence, although students have positive outlook towards literary texts selection, if the texts are
beyond their language ability, it will be hard for them to understand the literary text and
therefore unable to infer and relate the text with their background knowledge. If students are
unable to infer and relate the text with their life outside the literary text itself, then the goal of
literature learning in the school does not meet the standard specification of Curriculum
Specifications of the Literature Component mentioned that highlights students’ response is
very much expected in literature learning.

Moreover, Aziz (2017) mentions that students prefer literature that they can relate to their life
especially the teenagers’ issues. However, the context of most of literary text selection is from
other culture. It is undeniably good to learn about other culture yet Aziz (2017) mentions that
from her interview, even teachers find it hard for students to comprehend the texts with
different cultural setting. Teachers even suggested that for the next cycle literary texts, it should
be written by local authors. I agree with the idea as for me, it is easier for students to enjoy
reading literary text if they have enough background knowledge about the characters, setting
and etcetera.

Moreover, I believe, if the context of the text is local, students do not have to struggle to find
outside reference to understand the text. Thus, teachers can focus more to select the approach
that enable the students to engage critically with the text. As previously, we see that the
approaches employed by teachers and favoured by students are information-based approach,
moral-philosophical approach, paraphrastic approach and language-based approach. These
approaches are teacher-centered and not student-centered. I believe, one of the reasons these
approaches are mainly used and favored in the teaching and learning literature is because
teachers need to spend more time providing the background knowledge for students to
understand the text.

In short, it is best, if the context of the next cycle of literary texts is local as students don’t have
to infer outside reference to understand the text. On the other hand, teachers too will not need

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to spend much time providing background knowledge to students and this will enable teachers
to employed better approach in teaching literature such as personal-response approach that is
more students-centered.

2.4: Teacher Incompetencies

Teacher competencies refers to the ability of teachers to teach and deliver the component of
teaching literature. Although putting teaching competencies as one the challenges faced by
students in learning literature is like opening the pandora box, it is also a crucial discussion.
This is because, first of all, teachers too are human that are bound to imperfection and errors.
Addressing the challenges faced by students via their perspective makes me ponder, do students
like their teachers’ way of teaching literature? And if not, why?

However, this issue is not unfamiliar in the discussion to improve literature teaching and
learning in Malaysia education context as Nasharudin and Nadia as cited in Omar (2017),
mentions that teachers' teaching can also be one of the reasons why students lack interest in
learning literature. Moreover, Omar (2017) also highlights those teachers are having problems
in choosing the approach of teaching literature that helps students to gain both language itself
as well as the appreciation of literature. Thus, discussing teachers’ competencies is also one of
the challenges students face in learning literature is noteworthy.

Moreover, when I am writing this section, the issue does not feel alien to me. When I first
started as an English teacher years back in a private school, I have not even a slightest idea
how to teach. Not to mention the content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge, if I were to
scale that from 1 to 10, maybe I was at zero. I believe I am not the only teacher (even years
back) without education degree. This is because Ministry of Education also have an interim
teaching program that they employ non education degree graduates to teach in public schools.
However, these teachers are later bound to finish teacher training (post degree education
diploma) during their working years.

Back then, I major in English linguistic and had only rough idea about teaching and learning.
Therefore, this is the reason why I outlined that teacher competencies could be one of the
challenges that students faced in learning literature. The road back then to teach and engage
with students in the class was bumpy. It still is, yet with the tough decision to take another

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degree in education, helps to shed the path that I believe could be a better way to teach English,
especially literature.

First of all, one of the teachers’ competencies issues might be at the language proficiency level.
Omar (2017), citing from the Star (26th September 2012) mentions that 60% of English teachers
failed the Cambridge Placement Test. It is quite shocking to know that English option teachers
were not able to pass the test. Maybe, the reason is because the test is structural in the sense
that the score in the test does not reflect true nature of English language proficiency level.
However, looking at the striking percentage of teachers whom failed the test gives a bad notion
about the proficiency level of English teachers in Malaysia education system. I believe, the
selection process of English teacher is better as we progress to transform our education system
in the recent years.

Moreover, other than English language proficiency, teachers too should be equipped with
content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. Putnam and Borko (2000) as cited in Omar
(2017) outlines that teachers' content knowledge and pedagogical knowledge. are the important
components in ensuring the effective learning. This is because language is only the vehicle to
transport the content knowledge teachers have. Meanwhile, the pedagogical knowledge is the
road map for teachers to achieve the goal of literature learning.

In the other hand, although there are many other challenges faced by students in learning
literature, incompetent teachers are the real nightmare. This is because teachers are still the
important guide for the students in navigating literature learning in the classroom even if the
magnitude of learning is moving forward to student-centred learning. However, if teachers are
incompetence, to succeed in achieving the goal in literature is near to vain.

This is because, even if there are other barriers and challenges in learning literature, if teachers
are competent, they will help to lessen the impact of those challenges. To further elaborate this,
I will give example why I am believing that teacher factor is the most crucial factor. Let say,
when students have negative perception towards literature learning, competent teachers will
know how to shift from negative perception to positive. Moreover, even if the approach
favoured students are the approaches that students can be passive, competent teacher can
change the mindset in shifting the approaches in a tactful manner. Lastly, even if the text is
difficult to be understood by students, competent teachers will find at least one working
approach to ensure that students are able to understand the text and critically respond to it.

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Thus, we can see here that competent teachers will help to lessen the impact of any other
challenges in learning literature. In short, teachers’ incompetency is the biggest challenge faced
by students.

3.0: CONCLUSION

There are many challenges faced by students in learning literature. Among those challenges
are students’ general perception on literature. Negative perception might hinder positive
attitude towards literature learning and vice versa. The second challenge is the approaches
employed by teachers in teaching as the approaches used might not be sufficient or adequate
to navigate students to the real goal of literature learning. However, we need to embrace that
the approaches employed by teachers might be due to the constrain that students’ language is
at low proficiency.

Other than that, texts selected to be incorporated as the main literary texts in school also a
challenge that students need to face in learning literature. This is because sometimes the words
in the literary texts are not suitable to students in term of proficiency level. Moreover, most of
the context of the literary texts are not local. Thus, students need to infer to the reference
outside, as their background knowledge is not sufficient to understand the text. Therefore, it is
hindering the teachers to employ critical approaches in teaching literature as they have to focus
more on equipping students with the context of the text. The last challenge, which is the most
challenging for students is the teachers’ incompetency. This is because teachers need to be
competence to be able to deliver the component of literature. Competent teachers are able to
navigate literature although the aforesaid challenges will make literature teaching and learning
difficult.

Therefore, we can see that understanding the challenges of learning literature from students’
perspective is important. Although only few selected challenges are chosen to understand the
difficulty faced by students in learning literature, I hope it helps to shed a better light of
understanding that students’ perspective too should be taken into account when reapproaching
the better way in teaching literature.

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REFERENCES

Atek, E., Isyaku, H., Latiff, N., Nazmi, NJ. (2020). Students’ Perceptions of the English
Literature Component in Malaysian Secondary Schools. Language Related Research.
11. 125-144. 10.29252/LRR.11.5.125.

Aziz, A. A. (2017). Students' perceptions of the text selection in the literature component.
National Pre University Seminar 2017. E-ISBN: 978-967-2122-11-1

Gopal, R., Mokhtar, M.M., (2020). Literary Texts Selection for Malaysian Lower Secondary
Schools in Perak. Universal Journal of Educational Research 8(8): 3417-3422, 2020,
DOI: 10.13189/ujer.2020.080815

Hwang, D., Embi, M. A., (2007). Approached Employed by Secondary School Teachers to
Teaching The Component in English. Jurnal Pendidik dan Pendidikan.

Omar, Y. (2017). Inclusion of literature components in Malaysia English paper: The challenges
and Pros in teaching and learning. Al-Ta Lim Journal, 24(3).
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.15548/jt.v24i3.335

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