RETHINKING LITERATURE PEDAGOGY: A DEMOCRATIC AND PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO TEACHING LARGE CLASSES IN LAGOS STATE
The teaching of literature transcends the mere transmission of textual knowledge; it is a dynamic, dialogic process that enables learners to interrogate human experience, social realities, and cultural identities. Despite its transformative potential, the teaching of literature in large classrooms especially in developing contexts such as Nigeria continues to face pedagogical limitations rooted in traditional teacher-centred approaches. This study examines the effectiveness of democratic and participatory classroom strategies in the teaching of Literaturein- English in large secondary school classrooms in Lagos State. Using participatory and observational research methodologies, data were generated from selected schools in Badagry Local Government Area. The findings reveal that participatory approaches significantly enhance students' engagement, comprehension, and critical thinking. Drawing on the pedagogical philosophy of Paulo Freire and Critical Social Theory, the study argues that the creation of a democratic classroom environment characterised by dialogue, collaboration, and shared knowledge production offers a viable alternative to the traditional “banking model” of education. The paper concludes that participatory pedagogies not only improve learning outcomes but also foster democratic consciousness and critical literacy among students.
Keywords: Democratic Classroom; Participatory Pedagogy; Literature Teaching; Large Classrooms; Critical Pedagogy