Understand the definition of literature as it applies to literary criticism. In its broadest sense, literature encompasses all written works. Literature as it applies to the field of literary criticism means, generally speaking, written works of merit due to their beauty of language or scholarly content. Debate over this distinction is ongoing.
Introduce students to the purpose of evaluating literature. Select a book by an authoritative literary critic and examine that text to put your introduction into context. "The Anatomy of Criticism: Four Essays," by Northrop Frye, is one such text. Explain the method you will be using to teach.
Consider an online guide such as Literary Resources on the Net. (See Resources below.) Guide your students here to help initiate their search for quality literary criticism. Also suggest they read Aristotle's "Poetics," available online as well. (See Resources.)
Discuss methods of analyzing literature. These methods include considering literary texts in social, political and historical context. Other methods involve analyzing the social and political views of the writer as well, which can often have a strong impact on the way a work is presented.
Teach the language of literary criticism. Examine literary texts for figures of speech and motifs that signify greater meaning. Encourage students to find the subtext of the literary works they examine. The goal is always to find out what the material says on the surface as well as beneath it.
Challenge students to look at classic literary texts with fresh eyes. Ask them to read criticisms of the classics and then re-evaluate those criticisms. The goal is to encourage free thinking. Teach your students to review the works of other critics and determine whether or not they disagree or agree with the conclusions they find. Ask your students to add something new to classic criticisms.
Supplement the theory with plenty of reading. The best way to teach literary criticism is to do it. Don't spend all of your time on the theory. Break down literary pieces in front of the class and engage them by having students add their viewpoints and criticisms. Once the basic theory of literary criticism has been taught, the only way a student becomes more adept at understanding and analyzing literary works is by doing it.