FOSTERING LINGUOCULTURAL COMPETENCE THROUGH HOME READING: THE CASE OF SIMPLIFIED O. HENRY STORIES IN A1–A2–B1 EFL CLASSES

This article explores the development of linguocultural competence among higher education students through home reading of short English stories. In today’s globalized world, English teaching should combine language skills with cultural understanding. Short stories provide authentic, motivating material that is suitable even for elementary and pre-intermediate learners (A1–A2–B1). The study presents a practical system of tasks based on O. Henry’s The Gift of the Magi and The Last Leaf (simplified versions). A pedagogical experiment was conducted with pre-diagnosis, experimental process, and result analysis. The results show significant improvement in vocabulary, reading fluency, stylistic awareness, and cultural knowledge. Implementing short-story home reading is effective and highly recommended for preparatory courses.