English literature content in relation to human rights : with special reference to Form V in Junior Lyceums

Abstract

This dissertation discusses human rights education, its cross-curricular aspect and focuses on English literature's suitability to promote it. This work analyses the content of some of the textbooks set for the English Literature Matsec examination to see whether these deal with values of justice, tolerance, life, peace and equality, amongst others. Through questionnaires administered to members of the Matsec Board in charge of setting textbooks and through interviews to English literature teachers it is seen whether educators bear in mind human rights education when choosing textbooks. The teachers' results together with those from the Form V students' questionnaires throw light on whether human rights education is considered part and parcel of English literature teaching in Maltese Junior Lyceums. The results show that the majority of the set textbooks are appropriate to promote human rights education although there is still room for evaluation and change. The answers of the questionnaires indicate that most students still think that exams are the most important aim in learning literature and although teachers seem to be reserving some space for human rights education in their literature lessons, training in this field could lead to more fruitful results. Finally, all those involved in teaching English literature or in designing the syllabus and setting the exam paper for this subject are called to integrate human rights education throughout in order to make literature significant and helpful to students.