英美文学史课程设置的争议与教学方法的革新

Curricular Controversy and Pedagogical Reforms Concerning Courses of English and American Literary History

多年前,在英语专业的文学课程改革里,以作品鉴赏取代文学史概览的呼声较高。不过,无论过去关于英美文学史课程设置的争议有多大,新出版的《普通高等学校本科英语类专业教学指南》仍然把英国文学史与美国文学史列为英语专业文学方向的必修课程,其重要性可见一斑。英语专业的文学教育既不能重史轻文,也不能重文轻史,应当文史并重。这不意味着我们要回归多年前以知识传授为主的模式。通过革新教学方法,英美文学史可以成为培养学生思辨能力的优势课程。关于文学史学科自身的矛盾与争议问题,教师无需回避,而应在教学中因势利导,引导学生反思学科建构的过程与可能存在的问题,培养学生的批判性意识与创新能力。

Years ago,the pedagogical reform of literature courses for the English major attempted to replace the overview of literary history with textual analyses.However,no matter how controversial the courses of English and American literary history have been in the past years,the newly published Teaching Guide for Undergraduate English Major still lists English and American literary history as compulsory courses for English majors,which reinforces its importance.The literary education of English majors should neither prioritize history over literature,nor vice versa.Literary texts and literary history should be equally important in literary education.This does not mean returning to the traditional model that was dominated by knowledge inculcation.By innovating teaching models,English and American literary history can become advantageous courses for cultivating students’critical thinking ability.As to controversies concerning literary history itself,teachers do not need to be evasive;instead,they should make the best use of them,by guiding students to reflect on the process of knowledge construction and its potential problems,in order to cultivate students’critical awareness and innovative ability.