ETULAY 21ST CENTURY LITERATURE Q2 WEEK 1: 21st Century Literature from the Philippines and the World

The session introduces 21st Century Literature, outlining key learning competencies for the quarter. These include analyzing literary texts, identifying representative texts and authors from around the world (Asia, North America, Europe, Latin America, Africa), comparing literary genres, adapting texts using multimedia, and engaging in peer and self-assessment of creative adaptations.

The primary goals for the session are to identify common reading approaches for analyzing and interpreting literary texts, and to practice writing close analyses using these approaches. The core concept for the week is 'reading,' defined as decoding words and ideas in printed or digital texts.

Reading approaches are explicitly planned actions that help readers understand the meaning of written text. They enhance decoding and comprehension skills, introducing new vocabulary and writing techniques.

The four basic reading approaches are skimming, scanning, intensive reading, and extensive reading. Skimming is used to quickly grasp the main idea or gist of a text, often when already familiar with its content. Examples include reviewing product reviews, practicing a speech, or quickly searching for specific information in notes.

Scanning involves running one's eyes over a text to find specific points or information, similar to how a barcode is scanned. Examples include checking urgent emails, finding horoscopes or showbiz news in a newspaper, or quickly spotting food options on a restaurant menu.

Intensive reading is a time-consuming approach used for mastering concepts, often for academic purposes, involving re-reading and looking up unfamiliar words. Extensive reading, on the other hand, is reading for pleasure and interest, often involving a wide range of texts and leading to extended reading sessions due to enjoyment. The key difference is academic focus versus leisure.

One reading tip is to vary your reading rate: read fast if the text is familiar, repetitive, or contains general concepts, but slow down if there are unfamiliar terms, jargon, long sentences, or highly detailed information to master.

Another tip is to identify 'pivotal words' or transitional devices (e.g., 'in other words,' 'consequently,' 'therefore'). These words provide clues about the text's structure, emphasis, or cause-and-effect relationships, aiding comprehension.

The third tip is to read voraciously, meaning to read as much as possible, across various genres, not just for assignments. This immersion helps in understanding different writing styles and eventually developing one's own writing technique, reflecting the idea that 'reading is the springboard to writing.'

A quick assessment is conducted to test understanding of the reading approaches. Scenarios are presented, and participants identify the best-suited reading approach. Examples include Miriam reading novels for leisure (extensive reading), Roland quickly choosing food from a menu (scanning), Michael looking for specific answers in a text (skimming), and burning the midnight oil to ace a quiz (intensive reading).

Literary analysis involves examining and evaluating a literary work to understand it better, going beyond a simple summary to provide meaning to its elements and their relationships. Tips include annotating the text, comparing/contrasting character personalities and decisions, and identifying the author's purpose, style, and context.

Additional tips for literary analysis include using specific literary approaches or theories (e.g., formalist, biographical, psychological), analyzing recurring patterns like images or symbols to explore their meaning and emotional impact, and including pieces of evidence from the text or external sources to support arguments.

The session concludes with a recap of the four reading approaches and an encouraging quote by Anna Quindlen, emphasizing books as a means of journey, destination, and hope. Learners are encouraged to use their reading skills, engage with others about texts, and potentially write their own masterpieces, inviting them to explore the realm of possibility through literature.