In the past, scholarly and pragmatic methods of teaching languages have alternated.

It
takes more than just memorization to learn every grammatical structure a language has to offer.
The majority of people study a foreign language to improve their ability to communicate. Being
effective communicators in other languages is their main goal. They naturally strive to become
fluent in the four language abilities - speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Literature and
language are not rivals when it comes to language training. But it has always been difficult to
identify suitable literature material for second language (L2) classroom instruction. The chosen
text should hold the students' interest and not be overly lengthy, linguistically or conceptually
complex, or too far removed from their prior understanding of the world. If teachers could
employ engaging and informed literature to teach language in a second or foreign language
setting, that would be wise.

The idea that literature should serve as both a fundamental part of the language
curriculum and a source of real texts rather than the end goal of English instruction has gained
traction in recent years. There has been a lot of discussion among language teachers about how,
when, where, and why literature should be included in ESL/EFL curricula. The growth of
intriguing concepts, learning, and enhanced education for all has resulted from open debate of
how literature and ESL / EFL instruction can collaborate and connect for the sake of students and
teachers. The use of literature in language instruction is seen by many teachers as an intriguing
and important issue (Sage, 1987).

The ESL students' interest is maintained in large measure by literature. Literature is

lovely and enjoyable, of course. It appeals to everyone and reaches the learner's heart on a
personal level. Because of its powerful allure, the literature stays in the learner's memory for a
long time. Literature is therefore seen as an appropriate teaching tool for languages. In addition,
many experts believe that adequate integration of language and literature is necessary for
effective foreign language teaching and learning. Carter (1996) makes the strong
recommendation that possibilities for in-depth, integrated study of both language and literature
be sought out while teaching a foreign language. Maley (1990) expresses a similar viewpoint
when he says that literary texts should be used as teaching tools for languages rather than being
the focus of literary analysis.
 In the field of foreign language learning and teaching today, the use of literature as a
method for teaching both language areas (i.e. vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation) and
language basics (i.e. reading, writing, listening, and speaking) is very common. Additionally,
many language instructors assign their students to translate literary works like theater, poetry,
and short stories into the native tongue during translation classes. Translation is stressed in
language teaching both as an application field spanning four fundamental skills and as the fifth
skill since it allows students to put their lexical, syntactic, semantic, pragmatic, and stylistic
knowledge into effect.

Collie and Slater (1990) identified four key factors that influence a language teacher's
decision to incorporate literature into the classroom. These are valuable authentic material,
cultural enrichment, language enrichment, and personal involvement. Other factors that
necessitate the use of literature as a powerful resource in the classroom context include
universality, non-triviality, personal relevance, variety, interest, economy, suggestive power, and
ambiguity.

1. Valuable Authentic Material

Literature is authentic material. It is beneficial to expose students to this source of

unmodified language in the classroom because the skills they learn in dealing with
difficult or unfamiliar language can be applied outside of the classroom.

2. Cultural Enrichment

The ideal way for many language learners to improve their understanding of
verbal/nonverbal aspects of communication in the country where that language is spoken
- a visit or an extended stay - is simply not possible. Literary works, such as novels,
plays, short stories, and so on, help such students understand how communication works
in that country. Though the world of a novel, play, or short story is fictitious, it provides a
rich and colorful backdrop for the description of characters from various social/regional
backgrounds. A reader can learn about how the characters in such literary works see the
world (their thoughts, feelings, customs, traditions, possessions; what they buy, believe
in, fear, and enjoy; and how they speak and behave in various settings).
 3. Language Enrichment

Literature increases linguistic awareness. Examining sophisticated or nonstandard

examples of language (which can occur in literary texts) makes students more aware of
language norms (Widdowson, 1975 quoted by Lazar 1993). Reading a substantial and
contextualized body of text allows students to become acquainted with many features of
the written language. They learn about the syntax and discourse functions of sentences,
the various structures that can be used, and the various ways to connect ideas, all of
which help to develop and enrich their own writing skills. Students become more
productive and adventurous when they recognize the richness and diversity of the
language they are attempting to learn and begin to tap into some of that potential. As a
result, they improve their communicative and cultural competence through the
authenticity, richness, and naturalness of authentic texts.

4. Personal Involvement

Literature educates the entire individual. Teachers encourage students to develop

attitudes toward values by examining them in literary texts. These beliefs and values are
relevant to life outside of the classroom. After reading a literary text, the student starts to
populate the text. He becomes engrossed in the text. Recognizing the meanings of
vocabulary units or phrases becomes less important than pursuing the story's
development. The student becomes enthralled as events unfold through the climax; he
feels similar to such characters and shares their emotional reactions. This can have a
positive impact on the entire language learning process.

The language teacher should consider the students' requirements, motivation, interests,
cultural background, and language proficiency while choosing the literary works to be utilized in
language sessions. It’s better to give them time to achieve the required level than to leave them
struggling to understand. However, one important consideration is whether a particular piece of
work can demonstrate a certain level of personal commitment by picking students' interest and
evoking powerful, affirming responses. The effective use of literature in language instruction
benefits students' mastery of English in a variety of ways. There are many possible
interpretations for literary works. A literary work uses a variety of noble techniques to convey
meaning, such as metaphors, words with various meanings, sarcasm, cynicism, etc. The word
may be used in a novel way by the authors to produce lofty meanings and sentiments. The
instructor should select concise, stand-alone elements. Reading and understanding can give
students a sense of success, which is motivating when learning a language looks (in actuality is)
infinite.

In teaching literary selections, ignore literary history. Materials that are appropriate for
the students' interests must be chosen. Stories, plays, and poems are frequently found in the
textbooks used in Third World nations to teach English as a second or foreign language. Some of
these, particularly the dramas and stories, may share the same cultural and literary roots as the
students.

Literature can be used to teach the four macro language skills which are reading,
listening, writing and speaking. However, skills should never be taught in isolation but rather in
an integrated manner while employing literature in the language classroom. Basic language skills
should not only be taught as a component of the oral and written creation of words, phrases, and
sentences; rather, they should be taught as an essential component of the tools for establishing
both referential and interactional meaning. The study of literature in a language class, though
being mainly associated with reading and writing, can play an equally meaningful role in
teaching both speaking and listening. Oral reading, dramatization, improvisation, role-playing,
pantomiming, reenactment, discussion, and group activities may center on a work of literature.

Teachers of ESL/EFL students should use a dynamic, student-centered approach to

reading comprehension. In a reading lesson, conversation starts at the literal level with
straightforward factual inquiries about the place, characters, and narrative that can be addressed
by explicit textual allusion. Students advance to the inferential level once they have mastered
literal knowledge, when they must make assumptions and inferences about the characters,
setting, and topic as well as create the author's point of view. Students are prepared to work in
groups once they have understood a literary selection at both the literal and inferential levels.
This means that they discuss their opinions on the piece and their own responses to it, including
their thoughts on the characters, any underlying themes, and the author's point of view. They
should use this opportunity to express how they feel about the work's inherent cultural themes
and problems. The third level, the personal/evaluative level, encourages students to consider the
work imaginatively and challenges their capacity for problem-solving.

Literature can be a powerful and motivating source for writing in ESL / EFL, both as a
model and as subject matter. Literature serves as a model when student writing closely resembles
the original piece or blatantly copies its concept, content, structure, and/or style. However,
literature is used as a subject matter when student writing demonstrates original thought, such as
interpretation or analysis, or when it results from or is artistically encouraged by reading. In
terms of guided, free, regulated, and other styles of writing, literature contains a huge variety of
themes to write about.

Teachers of composition occasionally struggle to find relevant material for their writing
students because writing is not a subject in and of itself. The readings serve as the basis for
compositions, which is one advantage of using literature as the course's reading material.
Students in a writing course with literature as the reading material draw conclusions, create their
own ideas, and carefully examine a book to find evidence to support generalizations. They get
the ability to think critically, freely, and creatively as a result. They benefit from this preparation
in other classes that demand logical reasoning, independent thought, and careful text analysis.
There are mainly two kinds of writing based on literature as subject matter: writing “on or about”
literature, and writing “out of” literature. These categories are suitable and useful for ESL / EFL.

Many non-English speaking nations' English programs place a strong emphasis on

literature. However, there are several issues that language instructors run into when it comes to
teaching English through literature. First off, there aren't many items that language teachers can
utilize in a classroom that are pedagogically sound. Second, there is a lack of preparation in the
area of literature teaching in TESL / TEFL programs. Many teachers attempt to incorporate
literature into their classes but lack the experience and training in that area, and third, there are
no specific goals defining the function of literature in ESL/EFL.

Literature is not only a tool for developing students' written and oral skills in the target
language; it is also a window into the culture of the target language, which helps students
develop cultural competence.
References:

Amer Anwar, A. (2012). Using Literature in Reading English as Second/Foreign Language.

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED528593.pdf

Atchibald, J., et.al. (2008). A Review of the Literature on English as a Second Language (ESL)
Issues. The Language Researh Centre - University of Calgary.
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED506095.pdf

Clandfield, L. (n.d.). Teaching Materials: Using Literature in the EFL/ESOL Classroom.

OneStop English. https://www.onestopenglish.com/methodology-tips-for-teachers/teaching-
materials-using-literature-in-the-efl/-esol-classroom/146508.article

Hismanoglu, M. (2005). Teaching English Through Literature. Journal of Language and

Linguistic Studies, Vol.1, No.1. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/104660

Monaco, E. (2022, February 8). 5 ESL Literature Lesson PLans Based on Great American
Books. FluentU English Educator Blog. https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-
literature/

Panyasi, S. (2015, June). Teaching English Literature to English as a Second Language Learners.
http://www.highlightcomputer.com/Teaching%20English%20Literature.pdf

Sage, H. 1987. Incorporating Literature in ESL Instruction. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc

Using Literature – an Introduction. (n.d.). British Council Teaching English. Retrieved from
https://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/article/using-literature-introduction. Accessed September 6,
2022.