“Reading the word & reading the world”: Promoting the Interdisciplinary Topics in LK20 through Literature

The new curriculum, LK20, has introduced three interdisciplinary topics that are to be integrated into all subjects: health and life skills, democracy and citizenship, and sustainable development. This thesis argues that literature is a valuable way of working with these topics in the English subject. Firstly, literature can promote Bildung and empathy, which can be argued to be essential life skills. Working with literature offers an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of oneself, and of others. Based on Klafki’s understanding of Bildung, the literary text itself can have a potential for Bildung (material), the technical skills of reading the literature can have potential for Bildung (formal), or exemplary learning through a literary text which combines the two can have potential for Bildung (categorial). The imaginative potential in literature gives students a chance to live someone else’s reality and can therefore promote empathic abilities. As students learn to empathize with diverse others through literature, they could feel a sense of connection to others which could result in more emphatic citizens of the world. Secondly, literature can promote and develop intercultural competence and critical literacy. Multicultural literature offers students access to diverse cultures, and an opportunity for students to learn about, through and for intercultural encounters. This can then promote important democratic values and foster an inclusive environment. Furthermore, students must learn to keep a critical distance in their readings to expose the power structures that lies within texts. Developing students’ critical literacy skills can be done by critically examine the literature and explore how it affects their own understandings and interpretations. Learning how to be emphatic, but critical individuals is essential for democratic citizenship. Thirdly, literature can contribute to develop students’ environmental awareness and promote ecocriticism. The imaginative potential in literary texts, for example in dystopian fiction, can make students experience the consequences of the climate crisis, and develop environmental awareness. Further, ecocritical readings of and literary conversations about literary texts can bring out different perspectives and opinions on the environment, and contribute to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes that align with Education for Sustainable Development. Lastly, teachers should be aware of the paradox that comes with teaching both normative attitudes, and at the same time fostering independent critical thinkers