從差異反思台灣英美文學之教學

Rethinking Literature Courses with Difference: Teaching English Literature in Taiwan

台灣的英美文學界多年來已在文學與跨文化研究的領域發展出自己的特色，然而對於英美文學之課程目標、教育理念及教學方法等問題，甚少有學者教師之問的研究討論，而高等教育評鑑強調大學教師在學術著作方面表現，似乎使得教學更不易成為英美文學學者的研究重點。此外，近年來教育界大力推動提升大學生英語能力，使得大專英語學系成為培訓英語作為一種國際溝通工具的主要機構，而讓英語系的英美文學課程及文學研究迅速地邊緣化。因此，身為英美文學的教師及研究者，我們有必要重新檢視英美文學在台灣扮演的角色，以及英美文學課程之目的、理念、課程設計、內容及教學方法。有鑑於此，本論文認為台灣的英美文學教育勢必會牽涉到語言文化的比較，因此文化差異應可作為英美文學教學的核心角度，讓學生從本體經驗出發，透過差異中去體認英美文化的特質，並讓異質文化與本體文化透過比較產生有意義的連結。以文化差異為出發點，本論文提出四種教學方法之建議：文化類比、翻譯、個人心得筆記及跨文化改編，期盼能透過這些方法幫助學生從跨文化比較的角度來瞭解英美文學。

Although research and criticisms of English literature has been flourishing in Taiwan over the decades, very little effort has been made to reflect on the values, goals, and pedagogy of the literature courses offered to English majors. The renewed emphasis on research as a major criterion in faculty assessment further removes the literature faculty from the concerns of teaching. Moreover, the increasing demands of language courses for practical purposes in recent years leads to the overemphasis on English departments as language-training centers and further marginalization of literature courses and literary studies. It is therefore imperative to reassess the underlying assumptions of English literature curriculum, redefine its objectives, and modify our teaching strategies accordingly. This paper argues that teaching English literature in a non-English culture, such as in Taiwan, readily involves a comparative perspective. Bringing the awareness of difference to the fore in the classroom will enable students to better appreciate foreignness in the English texts while making connections with their own cultural experience. To manifest cultural difference(s) in a literature classroom, this paper explores several pedagogical possibilities: cultural analogy & comparison, translating & translations, personal journal & online discussion forum, and impersonation & adaptation.