Purpose+of+Literature

**and the Classroom **
 * What’s the Big Idea? The Real Purpose of Literature in Society **

Too often both teachers and students approach literature as some mysterious code to be deciphered. Poems have “deeper meaning” while novelists “really meant to say” something else. Sure, the only thing separating teacher and student is their experiences with texts, but what is it about that experience that makes the difference? This session will highlight and examine the foundations of literary study by exploring the role of literature in society and how that is reflected in the classroom. An experienced AP consultant and winner of the 2010 NCTE High School Teacher of Excellence award will demonstrate how these strategies can work with all literature and how teachers can help students understand that true literature is important in a society. This truly is something that you can go into your classroom on Monday and use.

//Presenter: Brandon Abdon, Highlands High School // //& The Bread Loaf School of English at Middlebury College//