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- Literature is so deeply intertwined with our lives. It is one of the ways you can find out more about the world, about the past, about the struggles of the greatest thinkers in history. Even though some students might not see the advantages and benefits of studying literature and reading, they indeed come with many.
Literature as a Tool to Encourage Critical Thinking
As an educator, you can use literature as a tool to encourage critical thinking among students. It is a valuable way to spark interest in thinking about philosophical questions, but also about discovering things about yourself. Studying literature comes with benefits, so how can you use it within the classroom so that you actively encourage critical thinking among students?
Expressing Opinions
When you study literature, you may only think about the fact that you have to read a lot of books. Even though not all students are into reading, this passion can be easily developed by choosing the right literary works. However, reading helps students face distinct styles, distinct ideas, and distinct ways of expressing thoughts.
So, you can be inspired easily by reading. But you also learn how to express your opinions easily, in a more clear way. Along with your studies, you have to complete many assignments, such as argumentative essays or case studies. Romeo and Juliet is one of the greatest literary works many students study in college, so for sure they need to express their critical opinion on this work through an essay. You might need to write a fascinating essay and you might struggle with structuring it, but by reading a lot, you learn how to do it. So, do you have to write who is to blame for the death of romeo and juliet essay, on EduZaurus you can find the answer to your question. Studying literature helps you delve more into this story, but also learn how to properly express your opinions so that the teacher and other readers will grasp your ideas fully. Besides, the texts are logical and organized and the style is suitable.
Developing Critical Thinking
Not only reading but studying literature and writing your assignments helps you develop your critical thinking. When you start looking for a job, you can notice that employers are looking for candidates that have excellent critical thinking skills, no matter the domain. But you cannot develop your critical thinking overnight, so literature is an excellent tool to encourage it among students.
You learn to analyze texts, draw inferences, and, of course, synthesize the information you find in texts. You learn to evaluate what you read and these all mean that you develop your critical thinking. The literary world is full of great works that force you to think more and to go beyond what you already knew. And in this process, you develop and expand your way of thinking.
Expanding Logical Reasoning
Literature is one of the underrated tools used as a way to expand logical reasoning. Many would think that only science can help you do this, as there you have numbers and theorems that help you know the exact answer to a problem. However, literature can help you do this even more.
When you have a large piece of text, a great and extensive literary work you need to analyze, you expand your logical reasoning. The text analysis you need to conduct helps you understand the profile of the characters and their behaviors. And when you need to express everything you have learned about the book and its characters in an essay, you just expand your logical reasoning. You learn and practice how to express your ideas in a logical and clear way, but also think logically too.
Final Thoughts
Literature is amazing as it has lots of books and novels that force you to think outside the box. Even though not all students might be keen on reading or studying literary works, as many of them might find them boring, educators can find exactly those that catch their interest.
Developing a love for reading and literature might seem challenging, but it comes with many benefits for students. You learn how to analyze a text and draw inferences, skills that will be helpful in your life. You learn how to express your opinions in a clear and logical way, skills you will need throughout your life. All in all, you develop your critical thinking skills, skills that are sought after a lot during these times.
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Bio lines: Matthew Torrain is a content writer and blogger. Passionate about reading and literature, he often writes articles that encourage students and youngsters to start reading and expand their vocabulary and knowledge. Matthew’s favorite author is Haruki Murakami.
