I forgot to write a post about this when we went over the article but I had a lingering thought after reading Bowmer’s article. It seems like I enjoy all the articles we have read so far and this one is no exception. It’s clear to see that there are many merits bridging school and the everyday but more specifically, utilizing this proposed “literacy of fusion”. My question is, do we have to do this? In high school, I remember learning about different texts without my teachers creating assignments that did not directly require me to pool in modern day resources. I found that I enjoyed the content and the various texts and I could understand them without having connections to popular culture! So once again, do we have to connect modern day examples within the class when teaching works from Blake, Shakespeare or Tennyson? Or can we just teach the text simply “on its own” like how I (and perhaps some of you) learned back in the day?
Hi Julius,
Thanks for such a great post and question! Definitely, in my undergraduate and high school years, I can recall not having modern metaphors or connections to popular culture (maybe the occasional meme or two). In my opinion, there’s no harm in incorporating them now, especially if it makes the content more relatable and accessible for our students (especially ELL students)! Connections serve as a great introduction to difficult content, which our students tend to warm up to or become interested in, particularly after they find something that connects them to it.
During my practicum, I found that I had the most buy-in to Shakespearean content when I could talk to my students about love, relationships, mental illness, and other connections to the themes of the play. I tried to strike a balance between modern and original texts relating to it, so my students were interested, but also developed critical reading skills in terms of analyzing Shakespearean language.
I think it’s the buy-in factor that a lot of students need. For students who love English and love reading, modern day connections aren’t always required and are seen as a little sprinkle of fun. For others though, modern day connections make or break it for them. If they can’t see the value of reading this text, they may never engage in what you really want them to engage with.
Like Vicky said, striking a balance is important. Going through this profession, I hope I will be able to find a good balance that helps students connect to a text but also appreciate the text for itself.
Hi Julius, thank you for sharing! Personally, I find it helpful both to myself and my students if I make my lessons relevant by bringing in a common ground or pairing it with an activity that can be relatable. I feel that the lesson can also be engaging in this way and naturally get the students to find and engage in meaning-making. However, I do agree with your concern and critique about how the connections can detract from the primary text and literary experience sometimes.