This article explores different ways through which literature can be used by the teachers of English language so as to maximize learning among the learners and enhance the learners' motivation, in addition this article also highlights some of the serious challenges which English language teachers confront while teaching students who are often not sufficiently equipped to benefit themselves in terms of increasing their language proficiently through the study of literature. Finally, this article proposes some of the vital considerations which the syllabus designers as well as the teachers must bear in mind while selecting an array of literacy texts to be the learners at different levels.
Literature-based syllabus is considered useful in terms of motivating the students as it gives them information regarding different cultures (Ronnqvist and sell 1994), presents life-like and imaginary situations (cook 1983), entertains, gives ample opportunity to the learners to acquire second language and provides the teachers a means to work on learners' language skills,both productive and receptive. moreover, the learners' get motivated as they raise questions while studying literature, Ronnquist and sell (1994) argue that literature motivates the learners as they acquire the cultural information which in certain ways makes them behave like the members of the target community, this boundlessly helps the learners acquire their target language , carrel (1984) also holds this view and points out that reading about the local setting of the target community is highly motivating for the learners a this type of reading enlarges their vision regarding the culture of the native speakers of the target language, this in turn helps the learners acquire their target language in a more efficient manner, Galda and cullinan (2002.p.7) claim that literature "entertains"...intorms"|it| enables young people to explore and understand their would " and "enriches their lives and widens their horizons". Thus, through literature, children "lean about people and places on the other side of the world as well as ones down the street. They can travel back and forth in time to visit familiar places and people, to meet new friends, and to see new worlds. They can explore their own feelings, shape their own values, and imagine lives beyond the one they live".
Thus, the study of literature motivates the learners in ways which are not possible for the textbooks which are written solely for the purpose of enabling the learners acquire their target language. Huck et al. (1997) also share their view and believe that through literature the learners are culturally enriched and get to know the target community more closely than they can through the books which create limited and artificial situations that may offer little motivation.
Lazar (1990) believes that literature may be highly motivating for the students as it provides them opportunities to observe real life situations from a close quarter. She states, "A good novel addresses itself to complex situations and adult dilemmas. It engages our students intellectually, emotionally, and linguistically, and as such it can provide the basis for motivating a variety of classroom activities. Hismanoglu (2005) avers that the real life situations are abundantly found in literature. Thus literature can be useful in the language learning process owing to the personal involvement it fosters in the reader.Once the student reads a literary text, he begins to inhabit the text. He is drawn into the text. Understanding the meanings of lexical items or phrases becomes less significant than pursuing the development of the story. Oller (1983) agrees with this belief and considers the learners' motivation level of the characters that the students are studying. Thus, if the communication between the characters is exciting or pal in the learners themselves seem excited or flat accordingly. Huck et al. (1997,p.15) literature is "the imaginative shaping of life and thought into the forms and structures of language". Thus, though the appreciation of vicarious experiences, the learners tend to develop empathy which heightens the level of their motivation.
Cook (1983) views literature as being useful in terms of not only providing motivation to the learners though encapsulating real life-like situations but it also includes imaginary characters and situations which entertain the students more like a television soap Consequently, literature sweetens the pill of language learning for the learners.
Commeyras summer (1998) contend that literature makes the students motivated to learn though questions. The study of literature makes the students curious resulting in questions which the students pose in order to satisfy their curiosity. It makes the classroom interaction between the teacher and students livelier According to Thomas (1988, p.552), "Thinking about why-questions and answers, gets to the center of what teaching is all about, touching on motivation, behavior and learning itself."
In addition, literature provides entertainment to the learners which increases their motivation level and facilitates the process of second language acquisition (Norton 1999, Tomlin son 1996, Brown 2004, Winch et al 2004). Ghosn (2002) also affirms the idea that literature motivates the students through entertaining them. It implies that the learners unwittingly carry on studying literature for pleasure's sake which serves as a catalyst for language learning as well.
Rudman (1993) and Small wood (1996) argue that besides being a pragmatic vehicle for improving the learners' reading and writing skills, literature also serves to bring the target language close to the learners as it displays the language working in multiple context and diverse situations. According to Winch et al. (2004, p. 402), literature provides a remarkable opportunity to the students "to see language in action", "a great resource for more formal learning about the structures of language" and "a locus for learning about these structures in meaningful contexts". Fosters (2003) agrees with this view and sees an invaluable potential in literature to provide the learners with different models of language structures which may be useful in expanding the learners' linguistic prowess. According to Xu (2003), the students while studying literature come across repeated language structures, vocabulary items and uses which help them develop their linguistic repertoire. Mitchell (1989) points out that the reading of literature carries an experience of an informal encounter of the learners with a native speaker of the target language which in such a case would be the author. This informal encounter in turn makes the language learning process more interactive and subsequently pleasant.
Sage (1987) believes that literature offers to the learners the opportunities to learn their target language which may include not only the literary and conventional modes of language as used by the native speakers but also provides them with informal linguistic modes which the learners may find useful in their everyday life.
Literature-based syllabus is considered useful in terms of motivating the students as it gives them information regarding different cultures (Ronnqvist and sell 1994), presents life-like and imaginary situations (cook 1983), entertains, gives ample opportunity to the learners to acquire second language and provides the teachers a means to work on learners' language skills,both productive and receptive. moreover, the learners' get motivated as they raise questions while studying literature, Ronnquist and sell (1994) argue that literature motivates the learners as they acquire the cultural information which in certain ways makes them behave like the members of the target community, this boundlessly helps the learners acquire their target language , carrel (1984) also holds this view and points out that reading about the local setting of the target community is highly motivating for the learners a this type of reading enlarges their vision regarding the culture of the native speakers of the target language, this in turn helps the learners acquire their target language in a more efficient manner, Galda and cullinan (2002.p.7) claim that literature "entertains"...intorms"|it| enables young people to explore and understand their would " and "enriches their lives and widens their horizons". Thus, through literature, children "lean about people and places on the other side of the world as well as ones down the street. They can travel back and forth in time to visit familiar places and people, to meet new friends, and to see new worlds. They can explore their own feelings, shape their own values, and imagine lives beyond the one they live".
Thus, the study of literature motivates the learners in ways which are not possible for the textbooks which are written solely for the purpose of enabling the learners acquire their target language. Huck et al. (1997) also share their view and believe that through literature the learners are culturally enriched and get to know the target community more closely than they can through the books which create limited and artificial situations that may offer little motivation.
Lazar (1990) believes that literature may be highly motivating for the students as it provides them opportunities to observe real life situations from a close quarter. She states, "A good novel addresses itself to complex situations and adult dilemmas. It engages our students intellectually, emotionally, and linguistically, and as such it can provide the basis for motivating a variety of classroom activities. Hismanoglu (2005) avers that the real life situations are abundantly found in literature. Thus literature can be useful in the language learning process owing to the personal involvement it fosters in the reader.Once the student reads a literary text, he begins to inhabit the text. He is drawn into the text. Understanding the meanings of lexical items or phrases becomes less significant than pursuing the development of the story. Oller (1983) agrees with this belief and considers the learners' motivation level of the characters that the students are studying. Thus, if the communication between the characters is exciting or pal in the learners themselves seem excited or flat accordingly. Huck et al. (1997,p.15) literature is "the imaginative shaping of life and thought into the forms and structures of language". Thus, though the appreciation of vicarious experiences, the learners tend to develop empathy which heightens the level of their motivation.
Cook (1983) views literature as being useful in terms of not only providing motivation to the learners though encapsulating real life-like situations but it also includes imaginary characters and situations which entertain the students more like a television soap Consequently, literature sweetens the pill of language learning for the learners.
Commeyras summer (1998) contend that literature makes the students motivated to learn though questions. The study of literature makes the students curious resulting in questions which the students pose in order to satisfy their curiosity. It makes the classroom interaction between the teacher and students livelier According to Thomas (1988, p.552), "Thinking about why-questions and answers, gets to the center of what teaching is all about, touching on motivation, behavior and learning itself."
In addition, literature provides entertainment to the learners which increases their motivation level and facilitates the process of second language acquisition (Norton 1999, Tomlin son 1996, Brown 2004, Winch et al 2004). Ghosn (2002) also affirms the idea that literature motivates the students through entertaining them. It implies that the learners unwittingly carry on studying literature for pleasure's sake which serves as a catalyst for language learning as well.
Rudman (1993) and Small wood (1996) argue that besides being a pragmatic vehicle for improving the learners' reading and writing skills, literature also serves to bring the target language close to the learners as it displays the language working in multiple context and diverse situations. According to Winch et al. (2004, p. 402), literature provides a remarkable opportunity to the students "to see language in action", "a great resource for more formal learning about the structures of language" and "a locus for learning about these structures in meaningful contexts". Fosters (2003) agrees with this view and sees an invaluable potential in literature to provide the learners with different models of language structures which may be useful in expanding the learners' linguistic prowess. According to Xu (2003), the students while studying literature come across repeated language structures, vocabulary items and uses which help them develop their linguistic repertoire. Mitchell (1989) points out that the reading of literature carries an experience of an informal encounter of the learners with a native speaker of the target language which in such a case would be the author. This informal encounter in turn makes the language learning process more interactive and subsequently pleasant.
Sage (1987) believes that literature offers to the learners the opportunities to learn their target language which may include not only the literary and conventional modes of language as used by the native speakers but also provides them with informal linguistic modes which the learners may find useful in their everyday life.
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