Promoting 21st century skills through classroom encounters with English language literature in Norway: Theoretical and practical considerations

Abstract

The present chapter explores the affordances of literature as an educational medium in the School of the Future, more specifically in relation to the teaching and learning of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) in Norway. As new educational needs have emerged in response to the demands of the rapidly changing workplace and societies of our contemporary world, the role of literature in today’s language classroom may seem somewhat precarious. The chapter therefore considers what 21st century skills like cross-cultural communication, in-depth learning, critical thinking, problem-solving, creativity, innovation, collaboration, and multiliteracies may entail in a context of literary reading. First, it gives an overview of how notions of 21st century skills and the encounter with English language texts feature in the current Norwegian National Curriculum. Next, the Model of the Intercultural Reader (MIR) (Hoff, 2016) is proposed as a viable theoretical framework for developing such skills through reading and working with literary texts in the EFL classroom. Practical implications are considered, and both strengths and limitations of the model are addressed. By concretising the theoretical and practical links between the MIR and the concept of 21st century skills, the chapter expounds upon previous discussions of the model and thereby provides further insight into its relevance as a pedagogical tool. Moreover, the chapter illuminates why literature still can and should play an important part in the present-day teaching and learning of English.