Exploring the Role of Novels in Teaching English Proficiency
Teaching English Through Novels
Betul ALTAŞ
•
Use of literature plays an important role
in
EFL/ESL classrooms:
authentic
pleasurable
cultural material (Hall, 2005)
•
Literature has a powerful role in teaching the
four skills.
•
It enables the development of linguistic and
communicative skills
.
The
reason for the interest in the use
of literature
in EFL/ESL
•
The rising popularity of cognitive approach
overthrew the dominance of behavioristic
approach
.
•
Then, it formed the basis of communicative
methodology in language learning
.
Use of literature
•
Meaningful rather than mechanical practice
.
•
In comparison to mechanical nature of market
driven course
books, use of literary texts offers
a more realistic
learning
context
•
Referential language
(
mainly
informational)
a mechanical framework
.
•
Representational nature of literary texts
stimulation of emotions along with cognitive faculties
(McRae, 1994).
According to Obediat (1997), l
iterature enables
learners:
to acquire a native-like
competence
to find a platform to voice their ideas
to
be
familiar with the idiomatic
expressions
to be familiar with modern English
to be critical, analytical and creative
•
All of the sources, teaching English through novels is
probably one of the most challeng
ing.
•
It can be difficult to integrate the novel into
curriculum.
•
Some teachers believe that it can be time/energy
consuming to use novels based on the outcome.
Discussion questions
1.
How does the use of novels contribute to
the proficiency level of students?
2. Does the use of novels provide learners with
a meaningful context in language learning?
Benefits of teaching English through
novels
Implicit
meaning
provided
with literary text
invites learners to go beyond the text
•
c
ultural knowledge
•
l
anguage enrichment
•
s
ensitivity to language
•
inferential understanding
•
p
erception
of social status
Use of novels in EFL/ESL classrooms
•
stimulates students’ imagination/creativity
•
enables learners to identify the emotions of
the characters
•
enables learners to master skills
(
Helton
,
Asamani & Thomas, 1998).
•
empowers oral and written skills
•
presents a unique way of reading
•
motivates learners to become a lifelong
learners
•
stimulates learners’ critical thinking abilities
•
reflects the importance of
sociolinguistic
aspect of target language (sociolects, regional
dialects, jargon, idiolects and so on)
•
develops learners’
sociolinguistic
competence
•
helps learners to be exposed to the ways of
target culture
(Helton, Asamani & Thomas,
1998).
•
Literary texts are
representational
(
MacRae
,
1994).
•
Function of
representational
language in
novels is more elaborate than referential
language.
•
It involves emotions, imagination and
creativity as well as the use of cognitive skills.
•
The use of novels improves learners’ four
language skills.
•
The study of the conversational discourse
through novel aims to contribute to speaking
skills which will be reinforced by activities such
as:
classroom discussions
role-playing
dramatization
improvisation
Difficulties and risks of teaching
English through novels
•
Before 1970s, language teaching was
dominated by
structural methods
.
•
Using
literary
texts was perceived as useless
•
The main argument was that use of literature
was challenging in terms of:
linguistic
cultural difficulties
Most common arguments against the
use of literature in EFL/ESL setting
•
Primary purpose of teachers is to teach
grammar
(McKay, 1982).
•
Studying literature will not enable learners to
fulfill their academic/occupational objectives
.
•
Specific cultural views embedded in literary
text will make the language learning process
harder (McKay, 1982)
Another argument
•
Students with low proficiency level may have
difficulty in understanding
the literary
elements such as:
allusions
ironies
metaphors
Some examples
*
Allusion
eg:
Don’t act like Romeo
before
her
.
*
Ironies
eg: My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
*
Metaphor
eg:
“she is all states, and all princes, I.”
What we need to take into consideration
while selecting literary texts
Grammatical
Lexical
Syntactical
Needs
Interests
Expectations
Age
Gender
Culture (cultural content and appropriateness)
Lenght of the text
How to eliminate the problems of
linguistic and cultural complexity
•
Using simplified texts
•
Using more comprehensible texts
•
Using young adult texts
How to use a novel
•
Classification of reading activities proposed by
Lazar (1993) is listed as follows:
pre-reading
while-reading
post-reading
Pre-reading Activities (a warm-up
stage)
•
Guessing the subject matter of the story,
based on pictures
•
Classroom discussions,
regarding
the title/first
paragraph of the novel
•
Assigning
mini-
projects
to groups (such as
poster, essay, a talk)
While-reading activities
•
The main focus is generally on reading and
writing skills.
•
Comprehension check questions
•
Asking a concise summary of the novel/story.
•
Providing learners with
jumbled sentences
and
asking them to re-order them.
•
Sentence completion activities which enables
them to make “cause-effect” relationship.
Post-Reading stage
•
Listening
•
Speaking
•
Reading
integrated manner
•
Writing
What we need to take into consideration
while choosing a novel
•
Proficiency level
•
Age
•
Gender
•
Interest
•
Course objectives
•
Suitability of content
•
Themes
•
L1 culture
•
L2 culture
•
Availability of time
•
Literary background of the learners
(Note: These factors may serve as a checklist)
How to determine the range of
vocabulary
•
The average number of vocabulary items is
generally between 250-300 words per page
(
Nation
, 2001).
•
The
number
of
unknown
vocabulary items
allowed per page is 5 or 6.
•
The other way to determine the amount of
new vocabulary items is to use:
Krashen’s i+1 input hypothesis
Creating a timeline
•
Length of novel
•
Proficiency level of students
•
Course objectives
•
Activities and tasks
(A novel can be used for time periods which
range from a couple weeks to a full term
study.)
Grammar
1- Close reading word choice
sentence construction
punctuation
2- Transformation Drills active to passive
3- Cloze exercises finding out missing words
4- Recognition of specific grammatical patterns
5- Identifying sentence/clause types
Vocabulary
1.
Guessing the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary
2.
Determining vocabulary meaning using :
contextual clues
reference sources
prefixes and suffixes
using Latin and Greek roots
Reading
List of strategies used to improve reading skills
of students:
•
Skimming
a
text for the main ideas
•
Scanning
a
text for the specific details
•
Drawing conclusions
•
Making inferences
•
Predicting
•
Sequencing,
identification of the components
of a story
•
Previewing
a text for an idea of what the text
is about without reading the main body.
•
Establishing a purpose for reading
•
Adjusting purposes for reading
•
Adjusting reading rate based on purpose of
reading
Listening
•
Students acquire a great deal of language by listening
to recorded material (Lazar, 1993).
•
Most Common listening activities are:
*
Listening for the main idea
*
Note taking
*
Summarizing the passage
*
Predicting content
*
Listening
for
specific information
* Retelling the passage
Speaking
•
Role-playing
•
Discussion
•
Oral reading
•
Dramatization
•
Improvisation
•
Presentations
Writing
•
Writing the end of a novel (from characters’
point of view)
•
Reconstructing
a specific set of events based
on a different scenario
Writing activies used in the EFL/ESL
classroom
1. Controlled writing :
intended level: beginner/elementary level
focus is on grammatical structures and
correct use of language patterns
discussions/debates
group/individual brainstoming
Clustering
•
Conference
•
Generating
wh questions
related to target
topic
•
Role-plays
2.
Guided Writing
intended level: intermediate level
focus is on planning,organization
content
Independent learning
Use of a shared approach
Acronyms
reminders of different text structures
Templates
outline for a piece of writing
Writing frames
outline of a planned text
3. Reproduced Model:
Paraphrasing
Summarizing
Adaptation
Utilizing novels in English language teaching offers authentic and engaging cultural material, enhancing linguistic and communicative skills development. The shift towards cognitive methodologies has highlighted the significance of literature in creating meaningful learning contexts. Despite challenges, incorporating novels can empower learners to acquire native-like competence and express ideas effectively.
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Presentation Transcript
Teaching English Through Novels Betul ALTA
Use of literature plays an important role in EFL/ESL classrooms: authentic pleasurable cultural material (Hall, 2005)
Literature has a powerful role in teaching the four skills. It enables the development of linguistic and communicative skills.
The reason for the interest in the use of literature in EFL/ESL The rising popularity of cognitive approach overthrew the dominance of behavioristic approach. Then, it formed the basis of communicative methodology in language learning.
Use of literature Meaningful rather than mechanical practice. In comparison to mechanical nature of market driven course books, use of literary texts offers a more realistic learning context
Referential language (mainly informational) a mechanical framework. Representational nature of literary texts stimulation of emotions along with cognitive faculties (McRae, 1994).
According to Obediat (1997), literature enables learners: to acquire a native-like competence to find a platform to voice their ideas to be familiar with the idiomatic expressions to be familiar with modern English to be critical, analytical and creative
All of the sources, teaching English through novels is probably one of the most challenging. It can be difficult to integrate the novel into curriculum. Some teachers believe that it can be time/energy consuming to use novels based on the outcome.
Discussion questions 1. How does the use of novels contribute to the proficiency level of students? 2. Does the use of novels provide learners with a meaningful context in language learning?
Benefits of teaching English through novels Implicit meaning provided with literary text invites learners to go beyond the text cultural knowledge language enrichment sensitivity to language inferential understanding perception of social status
Use of novels in EFL/ESL classrooms stimulates students imagination/creativity enables learners to identify the emotions of the characters enables learners to master skills (Helton, Asamani & Thomas, 1998).
empowers oral and written skills presents a unique way of reading motivates learners to become a lifelong learners stimulates learners critical thinking abilities
reflects the importance of sociolinguistic aspect of target language (sociolects, regional dialects, jargon, idiolects and so on) develops learners sociolinguistic competence helps learners to be exposed to the ways of target culture (Helton, Asamani & Thomas, 1998).
Literary texts are representational (MacRae, 1994). Function of representational language in novels is more elaborate than referential language. It involves emotions, imagination and creativity as well as the use of cognitive skills.
The use of novels improves learners four language skills. The study of the conversational discourse through novel aims to contribute to speaking skills which will be reinforced by activities such as: classroom discussions role-playing dramatization improvisation
Difficulties and risks of teaching English through novels Before 1970s, language teaching was dominated by structural methods. Using literary texts was perceived as useless The main argument was that use of literature was challenging in terms of: linguistic cultural difficulties
Most common arguments against the use of literature in EFL/ESL setting Primary purpose of teachers is to teach grammar (McKay, 1982). Studying literature will not enable learners to fulfill their academic/occupational objectives. Specific cultural views embedded in literary text will make the language learning process harder (McKay, 1982)
Another argument Students with low proficiency level may have difficulty in understanding the literary elements such as: allusions ironies metaphors
Some examples * Allusion eg: Don t act like Romeo before her. * Ironies eg: My grave is like to be my wedding bed. * Metaphor eg: she is all states, and all princes, I.
What we need to take into consideration while selecting literary texts Grammatical Lexical Syntactical Needs Interests Expectations Age Gender Culture (cultural content and appropriateness) Lenght of the text
How to eliminate the problems of linguistic and cultural complexity Using simplified texts Using more comprehensible texts Using young adult texts
How to use a novel Classification of reading activities proposed by Lazar (1993) is listed as follows: pre-reading while-reading post-reading
Pre-reading Activities (a warm-up stage) Guessing the subject matter of the story, based on pictures Classroom discussions, regarding the title/first paragraph of the novel Assigning mini-projects to groups (such as poster, essay, a talk)
While-reading activities The main focus is generally on reading and writing skills. Comprehension check questions Asking a concise summary of the novel/story. Providing learners with jumbled sentences and asking them to re-order them. Sentence completion activities which enables them to make cause-effect relationship.
Post-Reading stage Listening Speaking Reading Writing integrated manner
What we need to take into consideration while choosing a novel Proficiency level Age Gender Interest Course objectives Suitability of content
Themes L1 culture L2 culture Availability of time Literary background of the learners (Note: These factors may serve as a checklist)
How to determine the range of vocabulary The average number of vocabulary items is generally between 250-300 words per page (Nation, 2001). The number of unknown vocabulary items allowed per page is 5 or 6.
The other way to determine the amount of new vocabulary items is to use: Krashen s i+1 input hypothesis
Creating a timeline Length of novel Proficiency level of students Course objectives Activities and tasks (A novel can be used for time periods which range from a couple weeks to a full term study.)
Grammar 1- Close reading word choice sentence construction punctuation 2- Transformation Drills active to passive 3- Cloze exercises finding out missing words
4- Recognition of specific grammatical patterns 5- Identifying sentence/clause types Vocabulary 1. Guessing the meaning of unfamiliar vocabulary 2. Determining vocabulary meaning using : contextual clues reference sources prefixes and suffixes using Latin and Greek roots
Reading List of strategies used to improve reading skills of students: Skimming a text for the main ideas Scanning a text for the specific details Drawing conclusions
Making inferences Predicting Sequencing, identification of the components of a story Previewing a text for an idea of what the text is about without reading the main body. Establishing a purpose for reading Adjusting purposes for reading Adjusting reading rate based on purpose of reading
Listening Students acquire a great deal of language by listening to recorded material (Lazar, 1993). Most Common listening activities are: * Listening for the main idea * Note taking * Summarizing the passage * Predicting content * Listening for specific information * Retelling the passage
Speaking Role-playing Discussion Oral reading Dramatization Improvisation Presentations
Writing Writing the end of a novel (from characters point of view) Reconstructing a specific set of events based on a different scenario
Writing activies used in the EFL/ESL classroom 1. Controlled writing : intended level: beginner/elementary level focus is on grammatical structures and correct use of language patterns discussions/debates group/individual brainstoming Clustering
Conference Generating wh questions related to target topic Role-plays 2. Guided Writing intended level: intermediate level focus is on planning,organization content
Independent learning Use of a shared approach Acronyms Templates Writing frames reminders of different text structures outline for a piece of writing outline of a planned text 3. Reproduced Model: Paraphrasing Summarizing Adaptation
