In Nigerian Cambridge schools, IGCSE English Literature is often taught to very bright students who know the stories well but still score modestly. Their answers:

• Retell the plot instead of analysing techniques.
• Express strong opinions but give little textual evidence.
• Struggle when faced with unseen poetry or prose in Paper 2.

This article introduces “The Literary Courtroom”, a high-engagement strategy where characters from set texts are put “on trial” and students must defend or prosecute using quotations and literary analysis—helping Nigerian learners move from summary to evaluation.

Why Nigerian Students Get Stuck at Surface Level

Common patterns in Nigerian Literature classrooms:

• Students prefer storytelling and can give detailed oral summaries in class.
• When writing, they offer general statements (“He is wicked,” “She is kind”) with few or no quotes.
• They often underuse technical vocabulary (imagery, contrast, irony, structure, narrative voice).

Exam success, however, depends on:

• Selecting relevant quotations.
• Commenting on language, form, and structure.
• Linking these to themes and effects on the reader.

Setting Up “The Literary Courtroom” in a Nigerian Context

Choose a key character from a set text your students are studying (e.g., from Things Fall Apart if used alongside the Cambridge text list, or any text your Nigerian school follows that aligns with the syllabus).

Declare that:

• The character is on trial in a Nigerian-style courtroom.
• The class is divided into prosecution, defence, and jury.

Give each side time to prepare:

• Prosecution: Collect quotations and events that show the character’s flaws, mistakes, or harm to others.
• Defence: Collect quotations that show strengths, pressures, or good intentions.
• Jury: Prepare to evaluate both sides using agreed criteria (supported by evidence, depth of analysis, understanding of context).

Turning Evidence into Analysis

Provide a simple framework Nigerian students can use to turn quotes into high-quality analysis:

• Point – clear argument about the character or theme.
• Evidence – short, well-chosen quote.
• Technique – comment on language, form, or structure.
• Effect – what the reader is made to think or feel.

For example:

• Point: “Okonkwo is often controlled by fear rather than strength.”
• Evidence: “He was afraid of being thought weak.”
• Technique: The repetition of “afraid” emphasises his deep insecurity.
• Effect: The reader sees that his harsh actions come from anxiety, not just bravery.

During the courtroom session:

• Students must phrase their points using this pattern.
• The teacher or a student “judge” insists that every statement is backed by a quote and a comment on technique.

Applying the Courtroom Mindset to Unseen Texts

For unseen poetry and prose in Paper 2, adapt the courtroom idea:

• Put the speaker, narrator, or poet “on trial”:
  • “Is the speaker in this poem selfish or misunderstood?”
  • “Is the narrator being honest or biased about this Nigerian community?”

Ask students, in groups, to prepare:

• At least three pieces of evidence from the text (short quotes).
• For each, a comment on a technique: imagery, sound, structure, or narrative voice.
• A conclusion about what the writer wants the reader to feel or understand.

This trains Nigerian students to interrogate unseen texts actively, rather than passively summarising.

Integrating Nigerian Contexts and Voices

Where the syllabus and school policy allow, bring in:

• Nigerian poems, short stories, or extracts that mirror the themes of set texts (tradition vs. change, urban life, corruption, family expectations).
• Newspaper columns or opinion pieces by Nigerian writers that use figurative language and rhetorical techniques similar to those in exam texts.

This helps students see that literary analysis is not only for foreign texts; it also applies to the voices they hear every day.

Question Format Guide

• Cambridge IGCSE English Literature Paper 1 (Set Texts – Open Book or Closed Book, depending on centre):

  • Use Literary Courtroom activities for each major character or theme, so Nigerian students practise building balanced, evidence-rich arguments with quotations.
  • After each courtroom, assign a written essay using the same evidence and analysis structure to mirror exam-style responses.

• Cambridge IGCSE English Literature Paper 2 (Unseen Texts):

  • Put the speaker or narrator of an unseen poem or passage “on trial” and require students to justify their judgments with close reference to the language and structure.
  • Practise short timed paragraphs where Nigerian learners move from quote to technique to effect using the Point–Evidence–Technique–Effect pattern.

• School-Based Literature Assessments in Nigerian Cambridge Schools:

  • Include at least one courtroom-style oral assessment per term before converting it into a graded written task, especially helpful for students who express themselves better verbally.
  • Use rubrics that reward textual evidence, technical vocabulary, and depth of comment, aligning school expectations with Cambridge marking.

How AI Buddy Supports These Strategies

AI Buddy helps Nigerian IGCSE English Literature teachers design Literary Courtroom activities and high-quality analytical writing tasks more quickly. You can use it to generate balanced “prosecution” and “defence” briefs for key characters, curated quotation banks, and model PEEL/PEE paragraphs that show students how to move from evidence to technique to effect in a way that matches the mark schemes for Papers 1 and 2.

When you tell AI Buddy which set texts, themes, and Nigerian-linked comparison pieces you are teaching, it can propose courtroom scenarios, unseen practice passages, and guided annotation prompts. That keeps students immersed in deep, text-driven argument while you focus on coaching performance, nuance, and exam timing rather than assembling resources from scratch.