Classical settings, imaginary incidents, old-fashioned characters, these are few elements or characteristics of stories from literature that are often not appealing to students. this gives the teacher difficulty in teaching literature.

Literary appreciation determines the personal attitudes and the significant values that are visible in a particular literary material. Students are ill-equipped to handle understanding of the theme of literary piece, and teachers must comprehend that in order that students appreciate the literature they must appreciate pleasure from reading first.

Reading journals and literature can be helpful as students can document their progress and reflect on them. They should be provided with oral interaction to respond to literature in the classroom, discuss and interpret personal ideas and opinions, and grasp the value or lesson that the literary materials have. Literary materials should therefore, be chosen intelligently as well. Teacher should also consider students’ stages of developmental and strategies best apply to them. The literary piece should suit to the sense of satisfaction of the students in order for them to move to a deeper stage of appreciation.

 It is said that the main goal of teaching literature is for aesthetic purpose–appreciating the artistic beauty and values extracted from it. Students must experience pleasure and profit from reading, viewing and listening to literary for greater comprehension. Parents and teachers should go hand in hand to meet the students’ preferences in appreciating literary and to help them feel comfortable and interested to fulfill satisfaction in reading it.

By: Mina Lorena S. Lintag | Teacher III | Pablo Roman National High School | Pilar, Bataan