1. Use of Literature in Language Teaching

2. What is literature?
What is literary language?
3. Do you think literary works are good resources for language teaching? Why/ Why not?
4. What are approaches of the study of literature in the language classroom?
5. What are the criteria for selecting literary materials to teach in the classroom?

3. Introduction
According to Hirsch (1978), literature includes any text which is worthy to be taught to students (p. 34).

4. What is literature?
Literature is composed of literary works in a language by which a community defines themselves.
Self-defining activity.
Those literary works are defined as artistic and aesthetic. (McFadden, 1978, p. 56).

5. What is literary language?
There are distinctive features in literary texts because of the language used in these texts.
Therefore, it is generally demanding to explain an argument in the literary texts.

6. The study of literature involves an approach to texts as cultural artifacts.
Use of literature as a linguistic resource
The study of literature also includes :
“Metalanguage” (meaning in varied areas to talk about language, images, texts)
Critical concepts knowledge of conventions.

7. Using literary texts as a source for language teaching
Three major benefits of using literary texts in the language classroom:
specific communicative goals
an ideal resource for integrating the four skills
cross-cultural awareness (McKay, 2001).

8. Why do we use literary texts in the language classroom?
As to Lazar (1993), benefits of using literary texts in the language classroom are listed as follows:
Motivating
Authentic material
Educational value
Syllabi

9. Cultural value
Stimulus for language acquisition
Fun
Highly valued/ high status
Language awareness
Motivating to talk about opinions/ feelings

10. Sample course objectives for reading literature
As to Campbell (2007), the objectives are listed as follows:
Students will develop a variety of reading strategies.
They will identify the literary terms and study how these terms contribute to their writing skill.
They will develop skills to analyze literary texts.

11. Students will develop discussion skills.
Students will discover connections with the literature they read.
text to self
text to text
text to world

12. Students will understand the role of literature which provides insights into the culture of target language.
For instance:
A play which allows language learners to participate in the new culture helps them develop sensitivity as to how speakers of the target language interact with each other. (Stern, 1980, p. 209)

13. Approaches to study of literature
1 .The Cultural Model:
language as a cultural artifact
study of literary text from social, political, literary and historical perspective (Carter&Long, 1991).
2. The Language Model:
contextualized linguistic features (systematic practice)
regardless of literary quality of text or reader-text interaction (Carter & Long, 1991).

14. 3. The Personal Growth Model:
language learning and cultural awareness
personal development
focus is on learner’s interaction with the text and learner’s feelings /ideas/opinions (Carter & Long, 1991).

15. Approaches to study of literature while teaching English
Language Based Approach:
study of language of literary text
detailed analysis of literary text to improve interpretation skills
knowledge of grammatical, lexical/ discoursal categories
literary texts regarded as great sources for language activities
a wide range of styles and registers (Lazar, 1993).

16. Open to multiple interpretations along with the classroom discussions
Focus on interesting topic (Lazar, 1993).
One of the Possible negative aspects of this approach is:
If the analysis of the text is made in purely linguistic terms, this approach to study of literature becomes mechanic (Lazar, 1993).

17. 2. Literature as content Literature is the content of the course
Focus is on such areas as:
history and characteristics of the literary movements or periods
social, political, and historical background to a text.
literary genres and rhetorical devices

18. Reading texts along with literary criticism helps learners acquire English.
The teacher can also ask students to translate these texts into their mother tongue.
Meaning emerges in literary and historical context.

19. One of the possible negative aspects of this approach is:
If the literary text is difficult linguistically, students may depend on the teacher’s ready-made interpretations.

20. Biographical information about the author
Therefore, the background information to be supplied in this approach is important.
Biographical information about the author
Historical/ mythological events or characters
Philosophical, political or religious ideas in the text .
Places, objects or other texts referred to in a text

21. Genre of the text (drama, poetry, fairy tales, short story, folklore and to name a few)
relationship between the text and literary periods or movements
historical, political or social background against which the text was written.

22. 3.Literature for personal enrichment
Literature as a tool for encouraging students to express their feelings and verbalize their ideas
It involves learner as a whole person.
Material is thematically organized along with non-literary texts (Lazar, 1993).

23. Using this approach may be a problem while teaching English
Some texts may be so remote from the students’ own experiences.
In addition, some students may not find pleasure in discussing about their own feelings/ emotions or reactions.

24. Involving learner’s as a whole person Engaging feelings/ emotions
Personal Enrichment Model and Humanistic Approach to Language Teaching by Williams and Burden (1997)
Involving learner’s as a whole person
Engaging feelings/ emotions
Developing identity
Encouraging self-knowledge and self-evaluation
Establishing a sense of personal value in learners
Encouraging Creativity

25. Selecting materials
According to Lazar (1993), there are three things to be taken into consideration while selecting the literary materials. These are:
learners’ cultural background
learners’ linguistic proficiency
learners’ literary background

26. Important Issues while Selecting the Materials by Coser (2011)
Literary text should capture the students’ interest
Literary text should be suitable for the intended level, age group, interests, cultural background

27. A variety of genres and styles should be taken into consideration
Text should be associated with other media
Text should fulfill teacher’s literary objectives