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The Genres practiced in the English Block were:
Written
news reports
magazine articles
book reviews
letters to the editor
record keeping (diary and minutes of meetings)
letters of complaint (often to the teachers)
research reports
letters to outsiders e.g. to invite people to speak to the students
letters to the national press (sometimes with a prize for the
first letter published)
Reading
Novels
Magazines
Non-fiction, especially encyclopedias and other reference books
Spoken
Debate
Prepared talk
Discussion
Meeting for planning
Unscripted but rehearsed improvised drama
Radio talk
The Abolition of Literature
It may be suggested that there was too great a concentration
on "literary" genres rather than the supposedly "practical"
genres. However, if as I think likely students' real need is
to be aware by experience that various genres of language use
exist, the practice they gained in writing, reading and speaking
in the different manners required will have prepared them to
tackle new genres they would experience later on. In any case
one of the purposes of the English Block was to abolish the distinction
between literary and non-literary language. Thus Literature was
not referred to by that name in the activities. The terms "Reading
for Study" or the "Group Book" or "Intensive"
and "Extensive" Reading were used instead. Instead
of poetry the term "Intensive Writing" was used. The
emphasis was on the readers becoming aware of their own responses
to any piece of language without being prejudiced by the concept
of Literature as a sacred cow and there were few occasions for
teachers to pass on to them a received opinion. In Kakamega where
the system was used only in Forms one and two there was less
temptation to offer opinions on for the most part reduced vocabulary
books (up to 4000 words).
An important effect of the distinction in African schools has
been to make students afraid of the idea of Literature. Doris
Lessing has pointed out (in a Channel 4 opinion talk, 1985) that
the way literature is taught in schools and universities puts
people off reading books, which is bad for writers who need sales.
It is to be hoped that students who passed through the English
Block will have acquired a reading habit but will not have studied
the more esoteric literary disciplines.
The research has not established whether this was the case
or not and perhaps it would be impossible to be sure. The answers
in the questionnaires were inconclusive. The only real test would
be to see in people's homes. Many allegedly educated people never
read anything after leaving school.
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