With all compulsory education there will be some struggles we face – from Maths to Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Another compulsory subject that is often broken down into two areas is English. The two strands of English are Language and Literature, which can be taught separately either at GCSE or at A Level. There’s a lot of knowledge in both areas that your child can learn about, and it’s why it is so important to teach in schools.
This guide from a private girls school in Hertfordshire we take a look at the reasons why English Literature lessons are so important.
Teaches your child about the wonders of storytelling
Literature is all about the development of stories and how they come to be in our favourite novels, short stories and more. It’s a good time for students to break down the many different aspects of what constitutes a story, as well as helping students understand what the themes are. A lot of novels encompass different connotations and messages within the characters and plot lines, which can be developed even further by conversations in the classroom between students and teachers.
Helps students appreciate reading
While it’s drilled into every child’s head that they will have to read plenty of books to develop the first stages in their English studies, picking up later on as a hobby is also beneficial. Reading stories all the time will give your child a lot more development in their sentence structure and grammar skills, as well as discovering new words to develop their vocabulary. This is a large part of English Literature and it can convince a lot of students to pick up a book on a regular basis.
Helps broaden a student’s horizons
Another benefit to Literature lessons is reading about the many struggles other people face on a daily basis. As young adults we may not be able to relate to all of these issues, which is why it’s a very important step to helping students understand other people’s struggles. There’s a lot to learn from novels, and it often brings inspiration to many young people in schools across the country.
Improves a student’s essay writing skills
A lot of English Literature study relies on students to write large analytical essays and develop argument points in the classroom. This is good preparation for students who are looking for opportunities to develop their writing skills, as well as helping students get ready for future essay writing.
A lot of exams and coursework assignments require students to write essays and develop their own points of view. This can be helped along in English Literature lessons that require students to write their own opinions on a novel, an argument being developed in a story, or their opinions on a particular character.
All of this alone can give your child the confidence to write lots of sentences into essay format ready for those dreaded exams. It can feel daunting to write lots of words in a short space of time, which is where this subject comes in handy in terms of helping students develop an argument and write opinionated pieces.
There’s a lot to learn about in an English Literature lesson that can be beneficial to not only your student’s development of language, but also of arguments, critical thinking, and decision making. It will teach your child about the struggle of both fictional and real life characters in a story, which will give them a unique perspective on learning. It also means that students get to explore some exciting stories, discover what makes a book a best-seller, as well as develop a new passion.
Prioritising English Literature lessons are so important for students, including those heading into Sixth Form and beyond. Should you have any questions about this subject, feel free to talk to your child’s teachers about the curriculum they offer.
