Teaching Literature: Principles, Practices, Applications
About this ebook
The book begins by explaining why teaching matters. Part I then outlines foundational principles of teaching and learning, exploring literacy, knowledge acquisition, modes of thinking, and contrasts between method and system. It also introduces three “ways in” to learning: heuristics, hermeneutics, and homiletics. Part II considers approaches to teaching literature, exploring the relationship between reading, writing, and thinking, featuring the influential work of Robert Scholes. The third part explores applications including “close teaching.” Part IV provides expert advice and helpful exercises that leading educators use with their secondary school, college, and university students. Topics in this section include deep reading, contextual reading, and discussion- based teaching. The book concludes with an appendix on teaching and learning in the age of AI.
Combining theory and practice, this comprehensive teaching guide is an invaluable resource for educators across secondary and higher education, as well as for school and college administrators.
About the author
Robert DiYanni is Professor of Humanities at New York University, USA, where he serves on the faculties of the School of Professional Studies and the Stern School of Business, following a decade in the College of Arts and Science. His publications include Reading Literature, Thinking through Words, Writing that Matters, and The Teaching Life, all published by Routledge in 2026.
