Literature education in Nordic L1s: Cultural models of national lower-secondary curricula in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden

Abstract

This study aims to shed light on the cultural models of literature and literature education reflected in Nordic L1 curricula by investigating how literature is given discursive significance in the Danish, Finnish, Norwegian and Swedish L1 curricula for lower-secondary school, both within and across those four countries. Education in the Nordic countries is a field well suited for comparative analysis as the languages used are closely related and the countries' educational systems and policies are similar. In the study, we discuss how literary texts are given significance compared with other texts and what purposes of literature education are given a prominent place in the L1 curricula. The theoretical framework used derives from Gee's (2014) description of cultural models; we understand the national curricula as linguistically created realms of reality. The comparative analysis suggests that there are similar tendencies as well as distinct national differences. Prominent cultural models identified across the countries are a double position of literary texts and a high expectation on literature education. The study points to a need to discuss the status and purpose of literary texts in the Nordic L1 subjects in order to promote further mutual understanding and inspiration across borders.

Function and use of literary texts in Nordic schools

“…In Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish language arts curricula, literary texts are included in an extended notion of text, but they are also ascribed a prominent position (Gourvennec et al, 2020). Hence, it can be argued that they are given significance as something different from other texts.…”

“…Hence, it can be argued that they are given significance as something different from other texts. Gourvennec et al (2020) draw the conclusion that although literature may have lost some of its former status in language arts, literary texts are still given significance and prominence in comparison to other text types in Nordic curricula. In the Icelandic curriculum (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, 2014), which was not included in the analysis, "reading and literature" is presented as one of the main objectives of teaching Icelandic; and Icelandic cultural heritage, which is predominantly related to literary texts, is especially mentioned.…”

“…In the Icelandic curriculum (Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, 2014), which was not included in the analysis, "reading and literature" is presented as one of the main objectives of teaching Icelandic; and Icelandic cultural heritage, which is predominantly related to literary texts, is especially mentioned. Different purposes of literature education are given weight in different countries, but in the curricula Gourvennec et al (2020) analyzed, they could identify a number of similarities. For example, all four curricula highlight positive reading experiences as a justification for reading literature.…”

“…She points out that in this way a reading crisis is expressed in the curriculum. Another important similarity between the four curricula is that they all state that reading literature can contribute to personal growth and identity formation (Gourvennec et al, 2020). However, the curricula do not make it exactly clear how work on literary texts is supposed to bring about this development, which, according to Gourvennec et al (2020), will leave teachers in a challenging and interpretative position.…”

7. Arbete med skönlitteratur i svenskundervisningen – två lärarstudenter reflekterar

“…I en analys av hur litteraturundervisningen beskrivs i de nordiska ländernas läroplaner för årskurserna 7-9 identifieras fyra så kallade kulturella modeller: a) litteraturundervisning är bra för individens personliga utveckling, b) litteraturundervisningen stärker elevens literacyfärdigheter och ämneskunskaper, c) litteraturundervisningen stödjer empatiutveckling, d) litteraturundervisningen bidrar till en ökad kunskap om kulturer. Sammantaget utgör dessa en övergripande kulturell modell som innebär att litteraturen erbjuder en väg för att upprätthålla och utveckla ett demokratiskt samhälle genom att forma och utveckla goda medborgare (Gourvennec, Höglund, Johansson, Kabel & Sønneland, 2020).…”