Teaching English Literature…

…to inspire and provoke.

Hello all. Welcome to the 123rd edition of TEPS Weekly! 

In today’s edition, we turn our attention to something we’ve all likely experienced but haven’t always questioned: how we teach literature in Indian classrooms.

Let’s begin with a brief look back.

The colonial legacy

English literature was introduced into Indian classrooms during British rule, and its purpose was clear: to train a class of English-speaking clerks for administrative roles. And so, literary texts were not chosen to spark ideas or emotions. They were selected to teach obedience, proper manners and a polished way of speaking – qualities the British thought were necessary for Indians working in their administration.

After Independence, English teaching in schools and colleges in India was divided into two separate streams – language and literature. On paper, this seemed like a good idea. Language classes would focus on grammar, vocabulary and writing. Literature classes would help students read stories and poems and understand ideas, emotions and characters.

But over time, both streams began to serve the same purpose – improving students’ performance in exams. In most classrooms today, literature is used to teach vocabulary, explain grammar or practise comprehension skills. Texts are read and explained line by line. Questions are answered. Notes are written. There is no space to discuss, feel or reflect.

What literature should do

Literature classes should help us understand the world around us and ourselves more deeply. When students read Harry Potter, they don’t just enter a magical school – they begin to ask what makes someone brave, or what it means to choose kindness over power. When they read Orwell’s 1984, they begin to see how language can shape truth, and how fear can silence entire societies. When they read a short story by Manto, they’re confronted with the rawness of Partition, with its discomfort, loss and complexity. Literature should open up space to think, feel, imagine, argue and understand – history, society, language, and most importantly, people. That’s what literature should do.

Three literature teaching strategies

For literature to do all this, it is important for us as teachers to change how we approach literature teaching. Here are three strategies to begin with:

Strategy 1: Dialogue Teaching Model

Most literature lessons stop at “What did the character do?” or “What is the correct answer?” But if we want students to really think, we have to go further. The Dialogue Teaching Model is one way to do that. 

Let’s understand its 8 steps using the NCERT Grade 7 story, The Day the River Spoke.

Step	Description	Example
Synopsis	Students read the story or a key part of it again, not just to understand, but to think.	Students re-read the part where Jahnavi tells the River why she wants to go to school but is scared to go.
Response	They write their first thoughts or opinions about a question related to the story.	Each student writes down their first thought: Should Jahnavi try to go to school? Why or why not?
Reasoning	They explain why they think that, using clues or lines from the text.	Students explain their answer using lines from the story. For example: “The River says she is brave, and she was not scared of the snake or the train.”
Focusing	The teacher picks one strong question to help the whole class think more deeply.	The teacher asks one question for deeper discussion: Was Jahnavi already brave, or did she become brave only at the end?
Recording	Students write down others’ points they agree with or want to challenge.	As classmates share, students write down any ideas that surprise them or make them think differently.
Dialogue	The class discusses. The teacher listens and guides but does not give answers.	The teacher invites students to talk one by one about their views. The teacher doesn’t share their opinion, just listens and helps keep the discussion going.
Reflection	Students write about what they learned, what changed or what they’re still unsure about.	Students write a few lines in their notebooks: Did someone change your mind? Did you think more clearly about the story after the discussion?
Evaluation	Students check how well they supported their ideas and responded to others.	Students look back at what they wrote earlier. Did their reason make sense? Could they explain it better now?

This approach is not complicated – it just gives students time and space to explore their own thoughts, explain their ideas, listen to others and change their minds if needed. It supports the true aims of literature learning – students learn to engage with ideas, understand characters at a deeper level and listen to multiple viewpoints. 

Strategy 2: Problem-Based Learning

In most classrooms, students read the story, answer comprehension questions and maybe write a summary. But literature can also be a starting point for solving real-world problems. With Problem-Based Learning, students work in teams to respond to a challenge linked to the theme of the story. 

Let’s understand how this strategy works using the NCERT Grade 7 story, My Brother’s Great Invention.

Step	Description	Example
Problem	The teacher presents a real-world problem related to the theme of the story.	The teacher tells the class: There have been many thefts in your housing colony. Design a better burglar alarm than Anand’s — one that actually works.
Explore	In small groups, students discuss the problem and what they already know — and what they don’t.	Students list: What was wrong with Anand’s alarm? What do we know about how alarms work? What do we need to find out?
Research	Students research to fill the gaps using books, videos, or speaking to others.	One group watches a video on how motion sensors work. Another reads about simple circuits. Some talk to the school security guard.
Design	Students brainstorm possible solutions and decide which one to build or present.	One group draws a plan for a sound-based alarm. Another wants to use light sensors and create a model using craft materials.
Create	Students make a model or prepare a presentation or poster – any format they choose.	One team builds a working cardboard model. Another creates a poster showing how their system would work in a school or home.
Present	Each group presents their solution to the class. They explain their thinking and process.	“Our alarm uses a sensor near the doorknob and a bell. It is safer than Anand’s because it works on real motion, not just a gentle push of the door.”
Reflect	Students reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and what they would change.	“We learned that it’s not easy to make a working system. We had to change our plan when the wires didn’t work, but we figured it out.”

This approach helps students see that stories are not just for understanding characters and events, but for applying ideas to real-life situations. And in doing so, it brings us closer to the real aims of literature: to reflect on the world, question what is around us and imagine how things could be different.

Strategy 3: Literature Circles

In many classrooms, the teacher asks questions, and students answer one by one – and the conversation ends there. In Literature Circles, students take charge of the discussion. Each one has a role to play, and everyone is responsible for thinking, listening and building on each other’s ideas.

Let’s understand how this works using the NCERT Grade 7 story, A Tiger in the House.

Role	What They Do	Example
Discussion Director	Thinks of interesting questions that help the group discuss the story more deeply.	“Why do you think Grandfather wanted to keep Timothy even after he grew bigger?”“How did the zoo scene change our view of Timothy?”
Vocabulary Enricher	Finds hard or interesting words, learns their meanings and shares them.	“Retinue” and “confined” are tricky words. The Vocabulary Enricher looks them up and helps the group understand them in context.
Literary Luminary	Picks strong or beautiful lines, reads them aloud and explains why they stand out.	Chooses: “It was a very young tiger cub, hunting ants.” Explains: “It’s unusual and funny. Tigers don’t usually hunt ants, so this shows how young and tame he was.”
Connector	Links the story to something from real life or another story or film.	“This reminds me of Life of Pi, where the boy is also close to a tiger. Why do stories show such strange friendships?”
Summariser	Gives a short summary of the part the group read.	“This section is about how Grandfather brought the tiger home and how it became part of the family – until it had to be taken to the zoo.”
Checker	Makes sure everyone has done their role and speaks in the discussion.	“Let’s hear from everyone. Aanya, you found a line as Literary Luminary – tell us why you picked it.”

When students read together in small groups, they begin to associate reading with friendship, fun and belonging. This social context and social acceptance of reading and deep thinking also contributes to building a love for reading and a leisure reading habit.

This strategy works best once students already know how to think deeply about a story. If you’ve tried the Dialogue Teaching Model or Problem-Based Learning, your students will already be in the habit of asking questions, finding clues in the text and listening to each other. Literature Circles are a natural next step.

The British introduced literature in India to discipline, polish and create obedient subjects who would serve the empire’s goals. Today, literature teaching should help students think deeply and understand themselves and the world better We’ve looked at three simple but powerful strategies: the Dialogue Teaching Model gives students time and space to reflect and reason; Problem-Based Learning helps them apply the story to real-life problems; and Literature Circles turn reading into a social, shared experience. For more literature strategies, you can also check out TEPS.school.

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Edition: 4.30