Using literary texts in language teaching...

...is not a new idea. It has been talked about, enacted and evaluated by many. The writer has highlighted a few benefits of this approach and to name a few: literature is a valuable authentic material which offers "authentic" samples of language; it brings us cultural information and fosters personal involvement in readers. Secondly, the writer shared criteria for text selection: appropriateness in terms of lexis, grammar, and style; cultural barrier between readers and text should be mediated by the teacher and the text should be pleasurable for students. Among the pedagogical approaches discussed, I like the storylines activity most because it allows students to use their imagination to arrange the sentences in a sequential manner. This encourages them to rely on their knowledge of the language (e.g. discourse markers) to make sense of the sentences. Lastly, I would also like to end this post with the quote by Baurain that rounded up the article, "Knowing what your students need, want, lack, and desire in their study of literature is a key of success." Indeed, the job of a teacher does not only consist of impacting knowledge and skills to students but also to build a positive relationship with them. Only by knowing more about the students can we customise our teaching materials to suit their needs and further their learning.

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