Classic literature is defined as the body of works written by authors from ancient times until now. It includes poetry, drama, and prose fiction. The purpose of teaching classics literature at the high school level is to provide students with a solid foundation of knowledge about classical culture and develop their critical thinking skills so that they can make informed judgments on literary works. In addition, it helps them understand how different societies have developed over time through studying history and philosophy.

How can you Teach Classic Literature in High School?

Teaching classic literature is challenging because there are many books to choose from, and each book has its unique style.

Decide what kind of material you want to teach

When planning your lesson plan for teaching classic literature, the first step is to decide what kind of material you want to teach: short stories or novels, poems, or plays. You should then select one work per genre and read it carefully before deciding which parts will be covered during class discussion. For example, if you chose to cover Shakespeare’s Hamlet, you would need to identify all the major characters and plot points, such as the ghost scene, the duel between Laertes and Claudius, etc. Then you could divide these into smaller units like character development, theme, structure, language use, tone, point-of-view, setting, imagery, symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, metaphor simile, personification, dialogue, description, action, conflict, climax, resolution, moral, etc.

Prepare materials for your lessons

Once you know exactly what you want to discuss, you can start preparing materials for your lessons. This may include reading relevant passages from other texts, watching movies based on famous works, listening to audio recordings of speeches made by important figures in the story, writing notes summarizing key ideas, creating graphic organizers, making charts, tables, timelines, mind maps, If possible, try to find out more information about the author and his/her life. Reading biographies of great writers can help you gain insight into their lives and motivations. Also, look up some websites where people share interesting facts about the writer’s life.

Be flexible when teaching

If you notice that certain concepts seem difficult to explain, don’t worry! Just keep trying new ways to present the same idea. Remember that every student learns differently. Some learn best by hearing an explanation, while others prefer visual aids. Try using both methods. You might consider having students write papers on specific topics related to the text being studied. Students who take this approach often enjoy learning more than those who listen to lectures. They feel engaged and motivated to do well in class.

Be creative

Teaching classic literature requires creativity. The teacher must think outside the box and come up with innovative approaches to engage students. One way to achieve s lesson objectives is to create activities that require students to apply their analytical abilities. Here are some examples:

• Have students analyze the novel’s main themes and compare them to similar themes found in modern-day society.
• Ask students to summarize the most significant events in the novel. What were the consequences of these events?

Engage your students in discussions about the text

Finally, think about ways to engage your students in discussions about the text. Some questions might include, “What do we learn about human nature from this passage? What does this reflect in our society today? How did the author express himself using words? Why was he able to write something so powerful?” You can also ask students to create an outline of the main events in the novel and explain why certain scenes were included. They can also draw pictures illustrating the themes discussed in the course. If you wish to give students practice in analyzing complex issues, you can assign them to analyze a newspaper article related to the topic being studied. Students can either summarize the article or take notes while reading it. The teacher can check whether students understood the issue correctly after completing the assignment. To motivate students to study hard, you can set aside time every week to review the previous weeks’ assignments together. In addition, you can provide each student with a copy of the textbook that contains additional resources and useful tips.

Conclusion

When teaching classic literature at the high school level, remember many things: Be clear about your goals before starting any lesson planning process. Prepare material ahead of time. Keep track of all the details involved in running a successful classroom. Make sure that you have enough time to teach everything thoroughly. Use different techniques to make your classes engaging and fun. Engage your students in discussions about literary elements. Be creative when teaching.