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Volume 12. Issue 4
Article 11

Title
Literary Texts in the Language Classroom: a Study of Teachers’ and Students’ views at International schools in Bangkok

Author
Waseema Tasneen
East West University, Bangladesh

Abstract
The aim of the study was to find out the teachers’ and the students’ views about using literary texts in the language classes at some international schools in Bangkok. How much compatible are the classroom activities with their views and what kind of materials do the teachers prefer to use in their English language classes- was also investigated in the study. The research questions were attempted to be answered through: questionnaires (for the students and the teachers), interviews (the teachers and the students) and some classroom observations.

Both the teachers (37%) and students (68%) believed that literature was an asset to be used as the language teaching resource. However, both the teachers and the students faced some problems with literature in the language classrooms; 88% of the teachers thought that, for the students the linguistic level of the text and sometimes the cultural unfamiliarity hindered their comprehension of the texts. They liked both literatures with small and big ‘L’ to be used in their language classrooms. In fact some of them added that in a number of cases literature with small ‘l’ was more functional, as it gave the students quicker glimpses of various styles and structures. Although the research was conducted only in certain international schools in Bangkok, hopefully the findings of the study can likewise give other language teachers in other contexts an impetus for a better understanding of how and why to use literary texts in language classrooms.     

Key Words: Literature in Language classroom, ELT materials from own contexts, motivation, views, and international schools.

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