What is the Place of English Literature in ELT Classrooms? A Review of Related Studies

Abstract

The debate over the place and role of literature in language classrooms has long intrigued researchers and teachers’ interests over the years. Although there is an overall consensus that the teaching of literature in English language teaching (ELT) classrooms can help foster L2 learners’ language skills and cognitive abilities, some researchers have suggested that integrating literature in ELT classrooms should be approached with caution due to EFL learners’ limited language proficiency. In this paper, the researcher reviews previous related studies on the place of literature in the English language teaching (ELT) contexts. The aim of this review is to shed light on this researchers/teachers’ ongoing debate over the place of teaching English literature in ELT. In particular, the review examines how researchers perceive the role of literature and its authenticity in ELT classrooms as stimulating learners’ interests and personal engagement with literary texts, fostering L2 learners’ language skills (particularly their reading and creative writing skills), and enhancing their critical thinking skills and strategic processing of texts. Furthermore, the review covers issues related to how the integration of literature in language classrooms should be carefully task-designed and assessed.

Enhancing students writing skills using novels: The saudi EFL learners’ perspective

“…As a consequence, they are reluctant to support students with becoming proficient language consumers. Recently, applied linguists' attitudes toward literature's impact on second language teaching have changed, as Alkhaleefah (2017) relate this change to a need for teaching materials that elicit authentic, communicative discourse from language learners, owing to the fact that literary texts elicit reactions to compelling plots, characters, and themes.…”

Translation Techniques of Cultural Words Applied in the Novel the Hunger Games

“…For instance, Lazar in Tarek A. Alkhaleefah (2017) mentioned various reasons why literature is essential and beneficial to language learners including it is very motivating, it is an authentic material, it helps students to understand another culture, it is a stimulus for language acquisition, it also expands students' language awareness.…”

Dilde Standartlaşmanın Reddi: John Agard Şiiri Örneği

“…However, those who support that literary texts be integrated into the ESL/EFL curricula base their arguments on various advantages literary texts offer. These advantages include contributing to language learners" reflections of language and cultural awareness, increasing learner engagement in the classroom via authentic texts, and improving learners" language skills and text processing skills (Alkhaleefah, 2017). In terms of contributing to language learners" reflections of language and cultural awareness, a number of scholars have underlined that the use of literature in language learning and teaching classrooms, concise stories help learners make personal connections with the content (Erkaya, 2005).…”

“…Closely related to contributing to learner reflections, literary texts are also useful in increasing learner engagement. Although being a highly-contested issue, scholars (Ghosn, 2002;Erkaya, 2005;Alkhaleefah, 2017) underlined that literary texts, varying from short stories to poetries and children"s literature, can present opportunities to stimulate learners" interests, critical thinking skills, cultural awareness of a variety of issues. As for the role of literature in improving language skills of learners, various scholars argued that literary texts provide ""learners with tasks that involve careful reading of assigned literary texts and engage them in strategic processing of the text content (e.g., skimming, scanning, questioning, identifying themes, making inferences), as well as extensive and intensive reading, particularly in poetry"" (Alkhaleefah, 2017: p. 194).…”