The Significance of Literary Texts in the Pedagogy of English Language in EFL and ESL Classrooms

Abstract

Nowadays, one of the major concerns of teachers is usually about the material they intend to present to the students. The challenge that faces English classes is literature. The benefits of using literary texts in English language classes outweigh its shortcomings that specified by some literary critics, for instance, Chnara Khdhir and Mariwan Hasan pointed out this truth in their paper entitled, “The Importance of Literary Texts in Teaching Language in EFL Classes: The Waste Land as an Example”, which we strongly agree that one can easily learn a language through the literature of the target language. To learn a language one needs to study reading, writing, listening, and speaking; the four skills of the English language, which will all be available in the literature. Materials are provided, which are sufficient for these skills, but literary texts have ascertained a worthy source that accomplishes these abilities. Moreover, culture information is inferred via language learning, and yet with comprehension of the society. This is a characteristic of language that requires materials associating with culture. Culture is a basis for literature; namely; it does not merely imply that literature deals with culture, but literature about the culture of any specific user of that language. Furthermore, one can say the use of literary texts in language classes inspires more attentive and determined language learning. Thus, the students are not merely uncovered to the actual usage of language, but also they become critical scholars. As such, this study argues the causes behind focusing on the use of literary texts as a significant source in teaching the English language.