Reasons for Using Literary Texts in Foreign Language Classes

Most literary works are created not for the purpose of
teaching English.

For most Mexican students learning English as a foreign languageis not easy and common to have opportunities to travel abroad or to communicate several hours a week in English with fully bilingual people. For this reason, it is extremely beneficial to make use of authentic materials, and literature is one of the most powerful tools to raise the level of language.

Exposes the learners with authentic linguistic expressions intentionally produced for native English speakers.

Literature contains the language components required
by the learners: functional grammar & linguistic expressions.

In our Mexican teaching context, literature opens the
door to the cultures where English is spoken.

It enriches the learners’ skills in reading or writing.

Students become
familiar with the language components: individual lexis, the discourse functions in the texts,
the variety of syntactical structures, the different ways of connecting ideas in a story.

For Mexican English learners is just as important to learn the language as it is to learn about culture, since both aspects are intertwined. Chism (2002) states that "literature is the conveyor of culture, in terms of content, politics, pedagogy, perspective, recount, and language".

Engaging imaginatively with literature enables learners to shift the focus of their attention beyond the more mechanical aspects of the language system. When literature is explored over a period of time, the reader starts to inhabit the text.

It is well known that we Mexicans do not read much. The fact of introducing the use of literature in the efl classroom represents a giant challenge that will not be easy for the teacher or the student, however, it has great rewards. In my opinion, to achieve personal involvement in a text, the teacher must be concerned with providing the necessary context for the student to enjoy reading, regardless of the subject matter of the text.