Editor: Viv Edwards (University of Reading, UK)
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Volume: 16 Number: 1 Page: 18–36
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'Opening Up' Literary Cloze
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Anne Isaac
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This article reports on case-study research which explored English as a second language (ESL) learners' perceptions of the role played by the literary cloze activity in the development of their language
and literary awareness. The subjects, four students from a variety of language, cultural and literary backgrounds, attended a semester-long university ESL subject which adopted a language-based approach
to literature. Data included the subjects' evaluations of the technique, a multiple-choice literary cloze exercise and an audiotaped discussion in which the subjects retrospectively explained and analysed
their responses. The findings shed light on why the subjects considered that the cloze procedure and following discussion had influenced their vocabulary acquisition and development, interpretative skills
and confidence to form and express opinions. Data analysis demonstrated that cloze may be used to highlight the cohesive structure of a text and 'open up' its meaning, and equally to sensitise learners
to stylistic features. Finally, the findings provide an indication of the way language proficiency may have influenced the subjects' responses to the cloze activity, but also suggest that cultural and literary
background, as well as personality and age factors, may have affected their ability to interpret and express opinions about the text.
© Multilingual Matters 2002
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