ENGLISH LITERATURE OVERSEAS, A REPORT ON A BRITISH CONFERENCE / JOHN ASHMEAD.

THE BRITISH COUNCIL CONFERENCE IN 1962 MET TO CONSIDER THE DOUBTS AND DISSATISFACTION ABOUT THE TEACHING OF ENGLISH LITERATURE OVERSEAS, ESPECIALLY IN COUNTRIES WHICH USE ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE. THE FIRST THREE COMMISSIONS STUDIED RESPECTIVELY ENGLISH LITERATURE IN UNIVERSITIES OVERSEAS, ENGLISH LITERATURE IN ADULT EDUCATION, AND ENGLISH LITERATURE IN SCHOOLS AND IN THE TRAINING OF TEACHERS OF ENGLISH. THE REMAINING FOUR COMMISSIONS, UNDER THE TOPIC TEACHING AIDS, STUDIED PROVISION OF TEXTS, PERIODICALS, BROADCASTING AND RECORDINGS, AND VISUAL MEDIA. THE PARTICIPANTS CONCLUDED THAT ENGLISH LITERATURE NEEDS SOME MODERNIZATION IF IT IS TO SURVIVE OVERSEAS, ESPECIALLY IN AFRICA AND ASIA. THIS MODERNIZATION MIGHT INCLUDE GREATER USE OF VISUAL AIDS, GREATER RELIANCE ON THE DISCOVERIES OF LINGUISTICS, A BROADER VIEW OF LITERATURE, AND GREATER FUNCTIONAL RELATION OF ENGLISH LITERATURE TO THE LIFE AND CAREER OF THE OVERSEAS STUDENT. THERE WAS A RECOGNITION OF THE NEED FOR ALSO STUDYING AMERICAN LITERATURE. THIS ARTICLE APPEARED IN "PMLA," VOLUME 78, NUMBER 4, PART 2, SEPTEMBER 1963, PAGES 26-29. (BN)

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