What literary studies can offer sexuality education: Pre-service teachers' responses to an animated film

Andy Carolin
2022 Transformation in Higher Education  
This study aimed to contribute to the scholarship of teaching and learning by reflecting on how English literary studies can contribute to sexuality education. Setting: The context for this study is a specific undergraduate English module that forms part of the foundation phase and intermediate phase teacher education curriculums at the University of Johannesburg. Methods: This study is a self-reflective analysis of how the methodology of close reading, which is central to English literary
more » ... es, can be used to support sexuality education. Results: Despite the prevalence of homophobia in South African society, when undergraduate students in this English module (n = 356) were asked to write an essay about the representation of same-sex sexuality in a short animated film, none of them made homophobic comments. Conclusion: Paying particular attention to the analytical methodology of close reading, the author argues that a narrow focus on the storytelling techniques used within a narrative textin a way that deliberately excludes students' personal opinions about same-sex sexualitiesoffers a powerful way of facilitating a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of homophobia and heteronormativity.
doi:10.4102/the.v7i0.162 fatcat:qlt7dru5cvgrfb3dlztludizg4