EN3TL: Teaching Literature

Module code: EN3TL

Module provider: English Literature; School of Humanities

Credits: 20

Level: 6

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Neil Cocks , email: n.h.cocks@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): At least 40 credits of EN-coded modules at Part 1 (except for visiting students) (Open)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module is an optional third year module, designed specifically for students interested in becoming A Level teachers, but helpful to students interested more broadly in a teaching career. The aim is to develop both an ability to engage with popular texts/authors on A Level programmes in terms of universal Level 3 Assessment Objectives for literary study, and to design lessons for different audiences that reflect these objectives.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. apply discipline-specific practices of close reading, interpretative analysis and critical argument
2. undertake autonomous learning, enquiry and research within the discipline of English literature, applying relevant knowledge, skills and methods       
3. articulate their own and other people’s ideas concisely, accurately, and clearly
4. Identify different learning needs
5. Create lesson plans that meet AO demands and are appropriate to specific learning situations.
6. Critically engage the discourse of learning needs.

Module content

The three texts that students will study are popular choices at A Level, but have been chosen also to reflect the various genres and approaches with which teachers of A Level English Literature will need to be acquainted. They are Othello, Wuthering Heights, and Unseen Poetry. With Othello, the focus will be on different interpretations gained through passage analysis (A05, but also A01), Wuthering Heights will focus on context and criticism (A03, but also A05), Unseen Poetry will look at questions of form and close analysis, as well as comparing poems (A02, A03) .

Students will initially have the opportunity to explore and respond to the texts as they would in a ‘standard’ University module, although the framework will be that of Assessment Objectives. The module will encourage an awareness of critical debates, the practice of close reading, the ability to contrast different interpretations, and to situate texts in terms of contexts.

Students will then learn how to translate these theoretical ideas into lesson plans using learning strategies that meet the needs of a variety of audiences.  Students will be encouraged to think, for example, about different size groups, differentiation, and different learning styles.

The texts studied can change in line with changes in A Level provision.

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

One two-hour seminars and one hour of lectures weekly, for which students are required to do preparatory reading. Learning Resources giving information on both critical approaches to the three core texts, pedagogical approaches to various leaning needs, and criticism of the discourse of learning needs, will be provided through online resources. 

Each student will receive at least 20 minutes additional tutorial feedback on their formative assessments.

Study hours

At least 33 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Students to submit 500 words on one of the three texts, in response to a question posted on Blackboard. Week 7 hand in.

Reassessment

Additional costs