Orbiting by Bharati Mukherjee: A Contemporary American Short Story in the English Classroom

• Main Author: Ewa Konopka
• Format: Article
• Language: deu
• Published: The Pontifical University of John Paul II in Krakow Press 2012-09-01
• Series: The Person and the Challenges. The Journal of Theology, Education, Canon Law and Social Studies Inspired by Pope John Paul II
• Subjects: Applied linguistics; teaching English as a foreign language; American short stories; ethnic literature
• Online Access: http://czasopisma.upjp2.edu.pl/thepersonandthechallenges/article/view/909/802

The article puts forward arguments why American short stories should be used to teach English as a foreign language. It also describes the method which might help to teach literature in secondary schools. Additionally, it presents the results of the research conducted among students in Lomza, Poland, which aimed at examining the pedagogical potential of applying ethnic American short stories in teaching English as a foreign language. This was done by comparing the literary critical analysis of Orbiting – a short story written by Bharati Mukherjee with its intuitive interpretations by young Polish adults. Finally, the article is supplemented with the passage from the said text as well as lexical and reading comprehension exercises based on its contents, which can be used in the English classroom.