Reasons for Using Literary Texts in Foreign Language Classes

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Reasons for Using Literary Texts in Foreign Language Classes

Name the character


Type in the name of the character whose change throughout the story you are going to analyze.

Example: Nick Carraway.

Personal relevance

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.

Literature for cultural enrichment

Character's behavior

Think of the character's behavior at the beginning of the story and look for the way it changed throughout the story.

It enriches the learners’ skills in reading or writing.

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".

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.

Change in behavior

How did the character change the first behavior you mentioned? Type in a quote to prove your statement.

Example: Nick assumes the whole responsibility for Gatsby's funeral arrangements, 'with that intense personal interest to which every one has some vague right at the end.'

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.

Initial behavior

How does the character act at the beginning of the story? Type in a relevant quote for your statement.

Example: Nick shows his immature side as he leaves to New York in order to avoid 'being rumored into marriage' with his girlfriend.

Authentic material

Character's feelings

Focus on the way the character's feelings are presented at the beginning and at the end of the story, while explaining why they have changed.

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

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.

Initial feelings


How does the character feel about a certain subject at the beginning of the story? Type in a relevant quote to support your statement.

Example: 'Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope.'