Lecturers’ perception on the implementation of approaches to teaching literature in EFL classrooms

Abstract

The selection of appropriate approach(es) to teaching literature in EFL classrooms becomes a necessity that they can result in good performance of the students, both in their critical thinking aspect and their language proficiency. The problem appears when the lecturer does not implement a suitable approach to literary analysis when teaching literature to the EFL students. These problems led to the student’s inability to perform as expected. The present study examines how lecturers perceive the implementation of approaches to teaching literature in EFL classrooms and their relations to improving the students’ reflective writing skills as the manifestation of the student’ responses to the literary works. Among the approaches studied were the Language-based approach, the Reader-Response approach, and the Philosophical approach. The study was carried out on six lecturers teaching the Literary Criticism course in the EFL classrooms at the university level. A questionnaire was distributed to the lecturers teaching this course at a university in Semarang, Indonesia, containing eight-question items regarding how they perceive the literary approaches and how effective they used them in improving the students’ reflective writing skills, in encouraging the students to think critically about the events in literary works and in relating the readings to some aspects of their own lives. The study revealed that each literary analysis approach in teaching literature has its benefits and characteristics. The study results also showed that each approach has its strengths and weaknesses that differ from one another.

Using Novels in the Language Classroom

“…This is consistent with the findings of Shelton-Strong's study (2012), which claims that authentic reading materials push pupils to develop their own language skills. According to Febriani et al, (2022), choosing the right strategy (or approaches) to teaching literature in EFL classrooms is essential for students to do well in both their critical thinking and language proficiency domains. Reading literature provides students with a number of benefits, such as enhancing reflective and intentional learning and introducing them to critical thinking and cultural awareness (Hamid et al, 2020).…”

Envisioning Critical Literacy through Literary Work for EFL Pre-Service Teachers

“…It is the creativity at its purest. This creative way to rethink is relevant to the dynamic social phenomena which makes a variance in theoretical basis, ethical values, and/or concrete moral issues involved in teaching materials, which gives rise to many meaning options in literary teaching (Febriani et al, 2022;Muthmainnah et al, 2020).…”

The Teacher’s Approaches in Teaching English Literature Component: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Sixteen articles were chosen to answer the RQ 1. And these ten studies by (Al Sabiri & Kaymakamoğlu, 2019;Atek et al, 2020;Bunga Febriani et al, 2022;Fauziah, 2016;Granath, 2017;Jabeen & Sarifa, 2022;Ling & Chen, 2016;Resueňo & Ian Bel Resueňo, 2019;Suliman et al, 2019;Wahyuni et al, 2021), revealed that there are six main approaches employed by teachers in teaching literature, which are the information-based approach, moral-philosophical approach, paraphrastic approach, language based approach, reader response approach, and stylistic approach. Subsequently, four studies by Benonguil & Barnido (2022); Hernández (2020); Moustafa & Naima (2022) and Yimwilai (2015) suggested other teaching methods such as the experimental group approach, communicative approach, affective responses approach, and focus group discussion.…”