Integrated Pedagogy between Literature in English and English Language in Higher Education

Abstract

The concept of an integrated pedagogical approach in higher education has been discussed for years. Some institutions of higher learning offer Literature in English and English Language as separate academic disciplines. They do not consider the inherent interrelated pedagogical benefits each carries for the other. Consequently, students who major in any one of the two disciplines separately fail to hone the benefits of the integrated pedagogical set up. This study explored how Literature in English and English Language could be taught as integrated disciplines in higher education and the benefits of the integrated pedagogical approach. The study adopted a constructivist paradigm that holds that knowledge is a social construction; therefore, multiple experiences could be shared. It is qualitative in nature because it examines the depth of the integrated pedagogical approach and allows researcher’s interpret views. Data were generated from the literature review on integrated teaching between the two disciplines for the past six years. It was analyzed thematically. Language in/for/with content theory, reader response and schema theories formed the basis for the study. The results showed that lecturers could employ teaching methods such as stylistics and communicative approaches. Students could simultaneously gain language and content for the two disciplines because of their intrinsic relatedness. The study recommends that the two disciplines should be studied in juxtaposition in higher education because they each form the basis for the other and deal with language linguistically and literarily.