Harnessing literature in EFL teaching: A case in point

İlknur Baytar, Metin Timuçin

Abstract


Foreign language teaching is a very challenging process and the materials chosen for teaching have of vital importance. In this sense, English teachers’ need for alternative materials to textbooks has been increasing day by day but deciding on the right material to use is a demanding job. Teachers are in a continous search for alternative authentic materials which might enable the learners to see the language in real contexts. It is argued in this study that literary texts, especially short stories, as products of language, can be counted amoung the alternative teaching sources as they provide both the teachers and the learners with abundant source of effective teaching materials on the grounds that literary texts have the potential of reflecting real life events and these texts are likely to increase students’ language and cultural awareness unlike the pseudo narratives. Therefore, this study aims to show how literary text, especially short story genre, can be integrated as a language teaching material in English language teaching classes and to find out the attitudes of the students towards the use of short story in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) setting.

Keywords


EFL setting; foreign language teaching; literary texts; literature; short story genre

Full Text:

PDF

References


Aghagolzadeh, F., & Tajabadi, F. (2012). A debate on literature as a teaching material in FLT. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 3(1), 205-210.

Akyel, A., & Yalçın, E. (1990). Literature in the EFL class: A study of goal-achievement incongruence. ELT Journal Volume, 44(3), 174-180.

Brumfit, C. J. (1986). Reading skills and the study of literature in a foreign language. In C. Brumfit & R. Carter (Eds.), Literature and language teaching (pp. 184-191). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Carter, R. (1982). Introduction. In R. Carter (Ed.), Language and literature: An introductory reader in stylistics (pp. 1-19). London: Allen and Unwin.

Collie, J., & Slater, S. (1987). Literature in the language classroom. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Elyıldırım, S. (1993). Using literature as a source in ELT classes [Unpublished master dissertation]. Atatürk Üniversitesi, Erzurum.

Eren, Z. (2004). The use of short story in teaching English to the students of public high schools. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Egitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 26, 41-47.

Erkaya, O. R. (2005). Benefits of using short stories in the EFL context. Asian EFL Journal, 8, 38- 49.

Gajdusek, L. (1988). Toward wider use of literature in ESL: Why and how. TESOL Quarterly, 22 (2), 227-57.

Ghasemi, P., & Hajizadeh, R. (2011). Teaching l2 reading comprehension through short story. 2011 International Conference on Languages, Literature and Linguistics IPEDR, 26, 69-73. Retrieved on May 30 2012 from http://www.ipedr.com/vol26/15-ICLLL%202011-L00032.pdf

Ghosn, I. K. (2002). Four good reasons to use literature in primary school ELT. ELT Journal Volume, 56(2), 172-179.

Guariento, W., & Morley, J. (2001). Text and task authenticity in the EFL classroom. ELT Journal, 55(4), 347-353

Hall, G. (2005). Literature in language education. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hill, J. (1986). Using literature in language teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

HiÅŸmanoÄŸlu, M. (2005). Teaching English through literature. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 1(1), 53-65.

Jacobson, E., Degener, S., & Purcell-Gates, V. (2003). Creating authentic materials and activities for the adult literacy classroom: A handbook for practitioners. USA: NCSALL.

Kaya, K. (2004). Teaching English through American short stories in Anatolian and superior high schools in Turkey [Unpublished master dissertation]. Atatürk Üniversitesi, Erzurum.

Keshavarzi, A. (2012). Use of literature in teaching English. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 46, 554-559.

Kırkgöz, Y. (2012). Incorporating short stories in English language classes. Novitas-ROYAL (Research on Youth and Language), 6(2), 110-125.

Lazar, G. (1993). Literature and language teaching: A guide for teachers and trainers. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Lazar, G. (1996). Exploring literary texts with the language learner. TESOL Quarterly, 30(4), 773- 776.

Llach, P. A. (2007). Teaching language through literature: “The Waste Land†in the ESL classroom. Odisea, 8, 7-17.

Martinez, B. I. (2007). A story-based approach to teaching English -A classroom experience. Encuentro, 17, 52-56.

McKay. S. (1982). Literature in the ESL classroom. TESOL Quarterly, 16(4), 529-536.

Peacock, M. (1997). The Effect of authentic materials on the motivation of EFL learner. ELT Journal, 51(2), 144-156.

Povey, J. (1967). Literature in TESL programs: The language and the culture. TESOL Quarterly, 1(2), 40-46.

Sarıçoban, A., Küçükoğlu, H. (2011, May). Using literature in EFL classes: Short story [Conference presentation]. 1st International Conference on Foreign Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, International Burch University, Bosnia- Hezegovina: Sarajevo.

Sarıçoban, A. (2013). Analysis of poetry and its teaching: A linguo-stylistic approach. Atatürk Üniversitesi Kazım Karabekir Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 0 (23). Retrieved on April 20 2014 from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/ataunikkefd/issue/2783/37364

Shang, H., & Tsai, Y. (2011). Using short stories to teach college-level EFL students. The International Journal of Learning, 18(1), 645-652.

Sivasubramaniam, S. (2006). Promoting the prevalence of literature in the practice of foreign and second language education: Issues and insights. Asian EFL Journal, 8(4), 254-273.

Soliman, N. A. (2012). Integrating literature and technology in EFL/ESL contexts. TESOL Arabia Perspectives, 19(2), 27-30.

Tarakçıoğlu, A. Ö., & Tunçarslan, H. K. (2014). The effect of short stories on teaching vocabulary to very young learners (aged 3-4 -year): A suggested common syllabus. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 10(2), 67-84.

Traore, M., & Blankson, L. K. (2011). Using literature and multiple technologies in ESL instruction. Journal of Language Teaching and Research, 2(3), 561-568.

Tso Wing-Bo, A. (2014). Teaching short stories to students of English as a foreign language (EFL) at tertiary level. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 10(1), 111-117.

Türker, F. (1991). Using literature in language teaching. Hacettepe Universitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 6, 299-305.


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies
ISSN 1305-578X (Online)
Copyright © 2005-2022 by Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies