Literature at Tanjong Katong Secondary School

In Tanjong Katong Secondary School, there are only one or two Upper Secondary classes doing Literature. They are currently focusing on Boom and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. There is a strong emphasis on language and literary devices when analyzing the texts, and the teachers use creative methods to help the students connect better with the texts.

For example, in their study of a monologue from Boom, the students were instructed to arrange their chairs in the middle of the classroom, then shift all remaining tables and chairs to the sides. They were then allocated (in pairs and threes) certain lines or phrases from the monologue, until every student had a part. Starting from the pair with the first line, they proceeded in a circle, reciting their lines the first time round, then adding in appropriate hand gestures the second time. They were also given the chance to give comments on each other’s “performance” and discuss how it could be more effective. Finally, they got up from their seats and wandering around, reciting their lines with their finalized hand gestures. All this physicality got them warmed up and allowed them to repeat and listen to the lines many times without getting bored, so when they settled down to analyse each line more closely at the end, they were more inclined to offer their opinions and insights. The teacher I observed was very meticulous when it came to language, and would get students to identify the literary device used and its effectiveness, supplementing their thoughts with her own detailed interpretations.