Whole-Class Discussions About Literary Texts: Engaging in Dialogue and Eliciting Literary Competence

Abstract

This study examines literary discussions from Scandinavian lower secondary school classrooms, specifically the different ways in which teachers provide opportunities for students’ development of literary competence. Moreover, it discloses what kinds of literary competence these teachers elicit and encourage. Three extended video-recorded discussions, in which a large number of students actively shared their understanding of literary texts, were selected and analysed qualitatively with regard to the interaction between teachers and students and the content of the discussions. It was found that teachers used both open-ended and closed questions to introduce new themes, and that their frequent use of follow-up questions promoted dialogicity. The teachers generally favoured one particular aspect of literary competence, yet several aspects of students’ literary competence were visible in the discussions. For example, students were encouraged to pay attention to content, formal characteristics and contextual issues. Implications for teachers’ literature instruction and for students’ development of literary competence are discussed.