Literature in the EFL Classroom

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to propagate the use of literature in EFL classes as a means of student-centred language teaching. I argue that through reading literary works in the target language students become active participants of the learning process, which helps them to understand the language in its complexity and to become more reflective and creative language users. Following an overview of the advantages and basic strategies of using literature in language teaching, I put forward some arguments and ideas for the classroom use of Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Finally, I describe my own experiences gained from reading a chapter from the novel with three different groups of intermediate students.