Keywords
Jane Austen, English literature, composition writing, English classrooms, English teachers
Submission Type
Research
Preview
While teaching composition courses on the Utah State University campus and completing my master's degree, I learned, through conversations with colleagues and students, that only a few of my associates were familiar with Jane Austen or the titles of her novels. Restless with my findings, I conducted a study through Utah State University on high school teachers' rationales and pedagogy for teaching Jane Austen's novels. I telephoned local English teachers, and I sent online inquiries to over 2000 English educators. Most of my results came from Utah teachers. These research results implied that the four most common rationales for including Austen's novels in Utah high school classrooms are that Austen's novels contain applicable themes for high school students, Austen's novels include powerful language techniques, Austen's novels fulfill a variety of course goals, and Austen's novels can be successfully taught among ethnically diverse students. Aren't English educators striving to include texts that are applicable, that teach strong language techniques, and that are successful among diverse students? As an assistant professor in the College of Education at Florida Atlantic University, Penelope Fritzer writes numerous articles on education and Jane Austen. She states, "Jane Austen is a fine author who is frequently overlooked in the high school classroom[ ... ]. The classroom use of any of these novels would be a service to the students, and a revelation of fine writing combined with relevant subject matter."
Recommended Citation
Wilson, Elena
(2004)
"Simple Ways to Include Jane Austen in High School,"
The Utah English Journal: Vol. 32, Article 17.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/uej/vol32/iss1/17