Which of these approaches in teaching literature has been used traditionally?

• A. Literary-core approach
• B. Reader-response approach
• C. Content-based approach
• D. Communicative approach

Answer: (A)

Focusing on the text itself and its literary features has long guided how literature is taught. This approach centers on close reading—examining language, form, imagery, tone, structure, and how these elements create themes and meanings. Students study canonical works, discuss authorial craft, and analyze how writers shape experience through literary devices. The literature becomes the main object of study, with learning arising from careful interpretation of the text.

Other approaches shift the emphasis away from the text. A reader-response perspective foregrounds the reader’s own interpretation and personal response, making meaning partly depend on the reader’s experience. A content-based approach blends literature with other subject matter, often prioritizing subject-matter learning over literary analysis. A communicative approach focuses on language use and interaction to develop speaking and listening skills, rather than on analyzing a text’s craft and meanings.