Classics and Canon in Secondary Education: Exploring the Thinking of 30 Literature Teachers in Spain

Abstract

The controversy surrounding the canon since the 1970s, as well as the multicultural nature of contemporary societies, has led to the emergence of several studies, both empirical and based on teachers' beliefs, which analyse how the reading of the classics fits into this new plural context. However, there are no such approaches in Spain from the teachers' perspective. To address this issue, a qualitative case study is presented based on interviews with 30 secondary school teachers. Data were analysed thematically and coded with NVivo 12 software, resulting in the identification of four main categories: teacher beliefs about their relationship with the classics, knowledge, beliefs about the sociocultural factor, and teaching practices and strategies. The findings reveal that teachers think it is important to read the classics, but they also argue that they must be approached in ways that engage students in interpreting them.