Investigating the role of literature in improving efl students’ reading skills at “ISCED-Huíla”

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe the influence of the use of literary texts in improving EFL students’ reading skills at “ISCED-Huila”. From my experience as an EFL teacher trainee at “ISCED-Huila”, I have observed that many of peer trainees find it difficult and boring the literary material in reading activities. As a result, students narrow their world-view and diminish their foreign language education (Hall, 2015), and students barely develop interpretative abilities, and decreasing their insight, opportunities to understand other cultures and their readability (Yeasmin, 2011). 2 EFL teachers and 25 EFL students participated in the study by completing a questionnaire. The main findings indicated that a) literature is a powerful tool for language developing because it provides a motivating drive for performing reading habits and skills due to its spectacular features that cannot be found in other type of texts; b) teachers of English at ISCED-Huila English sector use mostly non-fiction and folklore in their lectures; c) teachers of English at ISCED-Huila use literature because it leads to language enrichment, cultural enrichment, and because they are authentic materials and provide personal involvement; finally, d) teachers of English at ISCED-Huila English Sector apply book review and book discussion. However, classroom storytelling and creative writing in English lectures are not much used.