The Present English Education and English Literature: Poetry Class via Online Discussion during the COVID-19

Abstract

This essay first raises a question about the difference between the Korea Institute for Curriculum and Evaluation’s official plan-Subject Pedagogy (25~35%) and Subject Contents (75~65%), and the reality of Teacher Appointment Exam in the distribution ratio of Pedagogy and Contents in English subject. Not only questioning the difference, it also disputes the validity of giving a large portion of the test to the area of English Education to the extent of 47.5% (2016-17), among English Education, Linguistics, Literature, and General English. Second, commenting on the domain of English Literature which constitutes the lowest percentage in Teacher Appointment Exam, it contends that the present situation of English education leans too much to the education for profit or economic growth. It points out that excessive concentration on the education for profit in teaching English could result in the lowering of English proficiency, especially students’ reading ability and its accompanying thinking ability. Therefore, this essay pronounces on the necessity of invigorating English literature in EFL learning process since English literature as coupling English language and the humanities is crucial in the development of critical thinking and human compassion, as well as English proficiency. As a case study of English literature class for boosting students’ creativity and human compassion, it introduces English & American poetry class practiced with online discussion which was actualized due to the coronavirus pandemic. Lastly, this essay proposes the reform of English Teacher Appointment Exam such as making questions out of the selected must-read books so that teacher candidates could read English literature texts and collaborate in forming creative and interactive classroom environment with poems, novels, and dramas in the era of the fourth industrial revolution.