THE INCORPORATION OF LITERARY TEXTS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM

Literature has been a subject of study in many countries at a secondary or tertiary level. Until recently, though, there has not been given much emphasis in the EFL classroom and how we, as teachers, can incorporate literature in the teaching process.
Many authors, critics and linguists have concluded upon several theories which try to describe the primary and essential nature of literature. One broad explanation of literature suggests that literary texts are products that reflect different aspects of society. They are cultural documents which offer a deeper understanding of a country or countries. Other linguists defend the idea that there is no inherent quality in a literary text that males a literary text. It is rather the interpretation that the reader gives to the text which reveals the text’s authentic quality. So, literature is only literature if it is considered as art.
Based on the idea that literature is a form of pure art, and that art nourishes peoples’ minds, it is quite worth to suggest several ideas on the ways that literature could be used as a tool of effective teaching. Literature, when is incorporated in the EFL classroom, can provide our students, with a high quality of ideas and experiences, which help them understand the very nature of humanity and its aspects. Literary texts have the potentiality to make students come in touch with other cultures, ideas, beliefs and moral instincts. As a result, every attempt to incorporate literary texts in the EFL classroom is highly valuable and critical. It does not only help students to learn the target language, but it also provides them with the opportunity to discover a whole new word.
Below we present several reasons of why we should try to use literature in the EFL classroom:
•    Literature is authentic material. It is good to expose learners to this source of unmodified language in the classroom because the skills they acquire in dealing with difficult or unknown language can be used outside the class.
•    Literature encourages interaction. Literature texts are often rich is multiple layers of meaning, and can be effectively mined for discussions and sharing feelings or opinions.
•    Literature expands language awareness. Asking learners to examine sophisticated or non standard example of language, makes them more aware of the norms of  language use.
•    Literature educates the whole person. By examining values in literary texts, teachers encourage learners to develop attitudes towards them. These values and attitudes relate to the world outside the classroom.
•    Literature is motivating. It holds high status in many cultures and countries. For this reason, students can feel a real sense of achievement at understanding a piece of highly respected literature. Also, literature is often more understanding than the texts found in the coursebooks.