Literature

In the
classroom
Definition of literature
from varios sources.
 Merriam Webster

Simple Definition of literature

Written works (such as poems, plays,
and novels) that are considered to be
very good and to have lasting
importance

Books, articles, etc., about a particular

subject

Printed materials (such as booklets,

leaflets, and brochures) that provide
information about something.
 Merriam Webster

Full Definition
a) writings in prose or verse; especially: writings
having excellence of form or expression and
expressing ideas of permanent or universal interest

b) the body of written works produced in a particular

language, country, or age

c) the body of writings on a particular

subject <scientific literature>

d ) printed matter (as leaflets or circulars) <campaign

literature>
 Collins

Full Definition Collins

1. written material such as poetry, novels, essays, etc,

especially works of imagination characterized by
excellence of style and expression and by themes of
general or enduring interest

2. the body of written work of a particular culture or

people Scandinavian literature
 Britannica

1.a body of written works. The name has traditionally

been applied to those imaginative works of poetry and
prose distinguished by the intentions of their authors
and the perceived aesthetic excellence of their
execution.

Literature may be classified according to a variety of

systems, including language, national origin, historical
period, genre, and subject matter.
 Using literature.
Why, what and how.
Why is literature beneficial in the
language learning process?
Literature is authentic material
What does that mean?

Literature is not created for the

specific purpose of teaching a
language.
In reading or listening to
literary texts, students are
exposed to language intended
for native speakers.
This helps students become
familiar with different
linguistic uses
forms
conventions
with irony, exposition, argument,
narration, writing styles and so on.
It provides cultural enrichment
Literature can be a source of a
great deal of cultural information.
A complement to other materials
which can help learners regarding
the country whose language is
being learnt.
Even though a novel, play, or short
story is a work of an authors
imagination it provides a full
context for characters from all
kinds of social backgrounds.
Literature also enriches language

Reading increases a learners

receptive vocabulary and
facilitates transfer to a more
active form of knowledge.
 Drawback to vocabulary learned
in this way?
It is believed that literature does
not give learners the kind of
vocabulary they really need.

Why?
Because the language of literary
works is generally:
not typical of the language we
use in our daily life.
It is unlike the language used in
learners textbooks.
How can teachers get around this
problem?
By selecting the text they consider
best while bearing in mind that
the text will be used as a to
supplement other materials in the
language classroom.
The benefits outweigh the
drawbacks in that literature
provides a rich context for
students where lexical as well as
syntactical elements of the
language become more
memorable.
Reading or listening to a
contextualised body of text, is a
way to become familiar with many
features of the written language:
the formation and function of
sentences, the variety of possible
structures, the different ways of
connecting ideas.
Example of text which could be
used in class to help students
become familiar with lexical and
syntactical elements of the target
language.
 If all the seas were one sea..."

If all the seas were one sea,

What a great sea that would be!
If all the trees were one tree,
What a great tree that would be!
If all the axes were one axe,
What a great axe that would be!
If all the men were one man,
What a great man he would be!
And if the great man took the great axe,
And cut down the great tree,
And let it fall into the great sea,
What a great splash-splash that would be!
Mother Goose
At a productive level the use of
literature:

more creativity as students discover

the richness and variety of the target
language.
A literary text opens up several
possibilities for oral work in the
classroom. A novel or long play
develops the students ability to make
inferences from linguistic clues, and to
deduce from the context. Inference and
deduction are useful tools in other
areas of the curriculum.
 Personal involvement
Literature in the language learning
process fosters personal involvement.
This is important because language has
traditionally been learnt in an analytic
manner and as separate elements which
may distance the learner from the
language.
Learners can engage imaginatively
with what they are reading or
listening to. This leads to a shift in
the focus of their attention from the
more mechanical aspects of the
foreign language system when they
are involved in whatever they are
reading, be it short story or play.
The meaning of individual words or
phrases become less important than
following the development of the
story.
Why?
Because the reader is eager to find
out what is going to happen.
As the reader / listener puts himself
into the story, he will not easily lose
interest and the learning process
becomes more meaningful.

Motivation
The fiction draws the whole person
into its own world and this is
beneficial for the learner.
What works are appropriate in the
foreign-language classroom?
Criteria of suitability depend on:

group of students
their needs
interests
cultural background
language level
Aspects to consider:
Is it meaningful?
Will it be enjoyable?
Because if these are present then
reading is more likely to have a
lasting and beneficial effect upon the
learners linguistic and cultural
knowledge.
It is important to choose books,
which are relevant to :
the learners life experiences
the learners emotions
the learners dreams
Language difficulty also has to be
taken into account.
It is advisable to choose a work that
is not too much above the students
normal reading or comprehension
proficiency otherwise they might
lose interest or the benefits will not
be attained.
Interest, appeal and relevance are
all important because the language
being simple is not enough in itself.
Apart from being able to understand
the text without difficulty the learner
has to find it appealing and of
interest.
Before choosing texts, a teacher may
hand out questionnaires on the
tastes and interests of the class.
Another option is to give the class a
brief summary of the possibilities,
with short extracts from the text and
let students choose the one they
find the most appealing.
How can we present and use
literature in the foreign language
classroom?
Teaching languages is now guided
by the objective of promoting
learners communicative
competence. When, however, the
teacher introduces students to the
literature of the foreign language,
this communicative goal might be
pushed into the background.
When literature is introduced in the
language classroom, teachers must try
to ensure that they do not lose sight of
communicative competence.
Therefore the objective is to develop a
wide range of activities which implies
the involvement of pupils
Once a story or play has been
chosen, how best can the teacher
and students work with it?
Teacher centred classroom

Learner centred classroom

The teacher may ask questions
regarding the text to get students
involved but these have to be as
open-ended as possible.
This type of question will allow
students to express their own
views and not feel that there is
little room for either their own
responses or involvement in class
when literature is being used.
By supplementing the printed page.
The emotions expressed by the text
can also be used by the teacher to
bridge any gap between the learners
and the text.
Other kinds of supports may be used
to maintain interest and help the
learning process.
By making use of the knowledge and
experience within the group.
Pair and group work help increase
learners confidence. With the groups
support and control, the individual has
greater freedom to explore his or her
own reactions and interpretations.
By helping students explore their own
responses to literature.
Giving students shared activities in
groups may help them become more
familiar with the chosen text. The effort
they have made may make them want
to extend their understanding of it by
personal reading at home.
By using the target language.
Even though students might not
have all the necessary vocabulary
and structures, they should be
encouraged to use the target
language regarding the proposed
activities related to the text.
By integrating language and
literature.
Teachers should make the most of
the benefits of communicative
and other activities for improving
language within the context of the
chosen poem, play or short story.