Optimising multimodality in the teaching of Literature in English at Advanced Level in Zimbabwean schools.

Abstract

Complexities arise in the teaching of Literature in English to English Second Language learners (ESL) in Zimbabwean schools particularly because the cultural contexts of the literary texts are different from their own resulting in inhibited perceptions in the absence of multimodal approaches to teaching. As a result, the learners read texts but are unable to access them leading to constrained interpretations of poetry, drama and prose. This paper focuses on the use of multimodality to make texts comprehensible and analysable to Advanced Level Literature in English learners. The focus of the study was on the support systems which are put in place by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, teachers' knowledge base of multimodality, learners' perceptions and ways to mitigate inhibitions to the optimisation of the multimodal approach. A multiple case study design was used. Document study, observations, and interviews were used as data collection instruments. The main research question to be answered in the study was how can the use of multimodality be optimised in the teaching of Literature in English at Advanced level? Limitation of school resources was identified as the main hindrance to multimodality in English literature lessons.