Abstract:

This paper will argue that literary competence should be an important skill in the toolkit of non-native trainee teachers who wish to engage their future students not only in learning the English language but also in engaging with the culture and history of Anglophone countries.

In the words of Nuzzaci, Nirchi & Luciani (2016) “literary competence lives in the intersection between different kinds of competence (linguistic competence, communication competence, reading competence, writing competences, interpretive competence, discursive competence, cultural competence, cross-cultural competence, pragmatic and strategic competence and social competence),” making it a valuable tool for any teacher. However, this paper will go further – arguing that the real benefit of studying literature is in cultural and intercultural awareness (when the course features a broad range of literature, including, for example, migrant and postcolonial literature) and developing an understanding of different identities and interpretations of the social history of Anglophone cultures.

Through literature review and survey responses from trainee teachers in Slovakia currently studying literature courses, this paper will show that a basic knowledge of literature in the English language could give a new teacher the confidence to adopt a more holistic approach to English teaching, in the way many native speakers would do, by making apt and contemporary references to literature that students could find enriching and engaging.

Keywords:

Literary competence, English Literature, higher education, initial teacher training, cultural awareness, intercultural awareness.