The Role of Literature in Developing English Language Proficiency: Methods and Applications

Current trends in teaching language stress the idea of developing communicative competence as the goal of language instruction. This implies a knowledge both of linguistic competence and of culturally appropriate behavior. Literature can make an important contribution to the development of cultural awareness. The value of literature for language learning is supported by numerous studies and more recently by linguistic theories which emphasize that language must be viewed both in context and as interaction. The linguistic, cognitive, and affective role of literature as well as the methodological framework within which it can be used is the subject of this article. The characteristics of authentic and simplified literary texts applicable in academic situations and the procedures of implementing them are described in detail. The future of literature and the importance of teacher education are also considered. The overall purpose of this study is to provide sufficient information to make instructional sequences possible. Literature is a recreation of reality for the reader. As such, it can make a significant contribution to the writer's perception of acts, feelings, and reactions which create the human experience, where primary emphasis on interactions with literary texts. Accordingly, it assists in developing a sociocultural, cognitive dimension to language studies by recreating representative pieces of the experience including social mores and individual behavior.