Using Literature as a Teaching Medium in English Classes in Sweden

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1 CULTURE-LANGUAGES-MEDIA

Degree Project with Specialization in English Studies and

Education

15 Credits, First Cycle

Using Literature as a Teaching Medium in English Classes

in Sweden

Att använda litteratur som undervisnings medium i engelska

klasser i Sverige

Lamar Aziz

Degree project Examiner: Anna Wärnsby Term: Autumn 2020 Supervisor: Björn Sundmark

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Abstract

There is a great tendency in using literature as a medium of language teaching because literature plays an essential role in developing the students’ language skills. It also helps them in acquiring cultural experiences and to attain a better understanding of the literary texts. The Swedish National Agency for Education supports the inclusion of literature in English language classes in each of primary, secondary and even upper secondary schools. This research aims to examine the underlying reasons behind incorporating literature in teaching English, specifically in Swedish secondary schools grades 7-9, and it sheds light on how teachers manage to employ literature effectively in the classroom. Moreover, it explains the criteria behind selecting appropriate literary texts that suit students’ needs. The study also states some problems that may encounter teachers in adopting literature as a way of teaching. All these issues are discussed through conducting qualitative interviews with three English teachers. This study points out that literature has been used as a paramount tool for teaching English. By reading literary books, students’ knowledge about social and cultural issues is developed and their language skills also become better. Furthermore, teachers mention that there are several central criteria to note when using literature during the process of teaching literature, such as selecting literary materials with topics that students can find interesting to work with. Different kinds of tasks have been assigned to students to get the opportunity to describe, analyse and reflect upon what they worked with. Some of the challenges identified by the teachers are lack of time and the students’ different skill levels. More studies are required regarding the efficacy of using literature as a helping educational tool in English language learning from students’ views, in particular considering individual and linguistic improvement.

Keywords: teaching fiction, language development, critical thinking, social and cultural awareness, English curriculum for secondary school.

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1. Introduction

Teaching English as a foreign language requires a creative teacher with well-developed pedagogical manners, enabling themselves to effectively teach the material. As an English teacher, it is quite important to follow flexible working methods and conduct teaching that suits the needs of different students at different skill levels. Additionally, to stimulate their learning by varying the teaching materials as opposed to limiting it to school textbooks. Using enriching and varied literary materials, such as fiction, novels, and short stories, can be very helpful in delivering an adaptable and encouraging teaching experience. This is in line with what the Swedish national curriculum for compulsory school states: “Teaching should encourage pupils to develop an interest in languages and culture, and convey the benefits of language skills and knowledge” (Skolverket, Lgr 11).

Literature with its different genres, such as fiction, drama, poetry, and prose attracted many scholars and researchers who carried out various studies about the benefits of reading literary books. It has been pointed out that by reading fiction students can acquire knowledge about the structure of a language, the ability to take part in other people’s experiences and the expansion of their vocabulary (Lundahl, 2019, p. 426). In the core content (reception) of the national English curriculum, grades 7-9, the following is emphasized: “read and assimilate the content of simpler fiction and other narrative […] texts that deal with known subject areas” (Skolverket).

The incorporation of literature being supported by the Swedish national curriculum is an issue that intrigued my interest and curiosity. I chose to focus on this topic, because literature has been used prominently in Swedish schools in recent years. I have many thoughts and

speculations related to the active incorporation of literature in teaching languages, due to the fact that I grew up and even worked as a teacher in Syria where a traditional teaching system was adopted in schools. In other words, in many foreign educational contexts, English language teachers use only classroom materials designed by the national educational

institution and there is no place for literature in English classes. This stands in contrast with what I experienced during my supervised placement courses (VFU) where I witnessed how English language teachers follow the guidelines of The National Agency for Education in incorporating literature into their classes. Considering that the Swedish educational policy documents demand the inclusion of literature in English language classes, the primary

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contribution of this paper is to investigate how teachers incorporate literature into the English classroom in Swedish educational system and how they motivate its use.

1.1 Aim and Research Question

This thesis primarily concerns teachers of English language with an educational background that differs from the Swedish one. It aims to create a deeper understanding about why and how literature is incorporated into English classes in Swedish secondary schools. This study was conducted in a secondary school 7-9 located in the municipality of Karlshamn and was mainly based on interviews and additional research literature.

To achieve this purpose successfully, two questions have been formulated:

 What are the purposes of using literature, specifically fiction, in teaching English?  How do some teachers describe their use of fiction in teaching English?

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2. Literature Review

This section outlines some previous research and a textbook regarding the use of literature in English teaching and the benefits that students could gain while working with fiction. Studying and analysing the efficacy of literature as an educational tool in teaching the English language constitutes the main element of much research.

2.1 Literature and intercultural learning

Lundahl (2019, p. 425) argued that reading fiction affords the students the opportunity to be familiar with the historical and social conditions of people from different cultures. This occurs when students get a chance to read different types of fictional texts where they encounter people from different parts of the world. The skills acquired from studying literary texts help learners to become broad-minded and more aware of the world they live in.

Another empirical study conducted by Zengin, Basal; Yükselir (2019) about English language teachers’ practices for promoting students’ linguistic skills and intercultural learning is used as a reliable source in this thesis. This is due to the fact that the information provided in this research is illuminating and offers a sound basis for my thesis. It is instructive and suitable for my study since the authors conducted this research about the same subject matter. Zengin et al (2019, p. 155) focus on the vital importance of the close relationship between language and its culture. In the authors’ view, we cannot teach a language without referring to the culture of the target language.

In order to be fully competent in the target language, learners must understand the cultural context as well as the linguistic aspects (McKay, 2003, p. 70). Holme (2002, p. 212) similarly argues that it is important to understand the culture of the target language to have a complete knowledge of the language and its nuances. In this context, the importance of inclusion of literature which definitely reflects cultural features of a particular society comes to prominence into English language classes.

Hişmanoğlu’s (2005) article is another example that presents an elaborate description of the use of literature in teaching English language. The motivation behind selecting this article is its informative attributes for us, English language teachers, and because it affords me insights into new theories to use in this thesis since it is related to the same topic. Hişmanoğlu (2005, p. 54-55) argues that students’ understanding of how people communicate in the country of the target

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language is enhanced through various literary works such as novels, plays and short stories. Moreover, it presents a meaningful setting where students can encounter characters from many different social backgrounds. Students can consequently increase their knowledge and understanding about the characters in different situations: how characters feel and think, what their traditions and costumes are, what they believe, how they behave and how they speak.

The above mentioned research is in alignment with what the curriculum for English learning calls for: “Teaching should also provide pupils with opportunities to develop knowledge about and an understanding of different living conditions, as well as social and cultural phenomena in the areas and contexts where English is used” (Skolverker, Lgr 11).

2.2 Literature and critical thinking

Enhancing students’ creative and critical thinking is another aspect that has been discussed by many scholars like Yavuz (2010, p. 67) who argues that a student's ability to think creatively and critically is enhanced through the use of literary books in English classes.

Similarly, Zaker (2016, p. 175) asserts that incorporating literature in language classes has a positive effect on creativity, which is a major human attribute affecting second language learning and life skills acquisition. Khatib & Shakouri (2013, p. 103) claim that attaining critical thinking skills is importance for language learners and this can be achieved through giving the students the opportunity to study literature. This is in line with what is expressed in the steering documents highlighting the importance of critical thinking for students with respect to their success in learning and social life (skolverket). Lundahl (2019, p. 430) states that after the students accomplish a full understanding of the text, they step back and reflect upon what is presented in the text. This approach helps students acquire critical thinking. Based on the above mentioned claims, literature is an important contribution to the progress of critical thinking skills of the learners.

2.3 Literature and personal development

English curriculum for Swedish compulsory schools considers the importance of reading literature for personal development stating that: “having a knowledge of several languages can

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provide new perspectives on the surrounding world, enhanced opportunities to create contacts and greater understanding of different ways of living” (Skolverket, 2011, p. 36).

Lundahl (2019, p. 430) argues that literary works are of great importance in language teaching, since this sort of materials depict real people’s lives and their experiences. According to Lundahl, reading fiction can actively contribute to involving students with discussions, writings and dramatizations. Furthermore, selecting text content related to the students' experiences, interests, feelings and imagination is emphasized by Lundahl. According to Lundahl (2019, p. 438) creating a reading journal activates students’ thoughts and feelings as well as intellectual attributes. In other words, it prompts students to reflect upon the characters and events as they read. It also helps them anticipate coming events, evaluate ideas and concepts in the book and express their own thoughts and feelings about what they are reading.

Nilsson (2016) investigates the importance of reading literary fiction by young learners in Sweden. Nilsson’s study can be a good basis for my thesis because I am researching a similar topic. Based on her investigation, young students gain considerable advantages such as personal development, self-understanding as well as creative thinking, as a result of reading fiction. Nilsson (2016, p. 4) claims that fiction reading helps students significantly in attaining a better understanding of different social contexts. This, in turn, enhances their ability to understand themselves and others as well as fosters their imagination and creative thinking. Nilsson states that reading fiction helps students better understand ethical issues and become overall better citizens concerned with equality and social justice.

The process of learning language through reading literary books offers the reader personal engagement, which is considered one of useful elements literature promotes. As soon as students start reading a piece of literary work, they feel like they are totally immersed with the storyline and they pursue how the story events develop. In other words, literary books give students inspiration and boosts their curiosity to uncover what is going to happen as events develop until the climax is reached. In addition, the student readers have emotional reactions similar to the characters that they identify with, which is beneficial to language learning (Hişmanoğlu, 2005, p. 54).

2.4 Literature as a valuable authentic material

Zengin et al. (2019, p. 156) highlighted the abundance of benefits bestowed upon the students through the use of literature in English language teaching. To begin with, it facilitates the

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language learning process through supplying students with useful relevant materials. Secondly, by connecting the classroom to the real world, it enhances language acquisition. They consider that authentic texts and meaningful materials are another key point in teaching language. That is to say, language teachers offer their students an outstandingly rich source of authentic material.

Corresponding to Zengin et al.’s claims, Hişmanoğlu (2005, p. 54-55) states that literary works, i.e. novels, poems and short stories are authentic materials that are rich in contents which offer language input, idioms, and vocabulary used in real communication. When students are exposed to literary works, they become well acquainted with many different linguistic forms, syntactical structure and communicative skills that are intended for native speakers. When language teachers choose and prepare literary materials carefully, it can serve as an effective tool to help pupils master their language learning.

Nilsson (2016) highlights the advantages of reading fiction compared with watching films. According to Nilsson (2016, p. 6), films rarely reveal the quality of the written word, films while books do. Additionally, books help students understand the characters’ behaviour and way of thinking. Furthermore, she states that reading books is better than films due to the fact that reading enhances one’s development of their own images of the story. As such, reading facilitates the readers’ engagement with the text and stimulates their visual perceptions contrasting with the rapid flashes of images on the screen.

2.5 Literature for basic language skills and language areas

Lundahl (2019, p 426) mentioned that fiction is considered to be a reliable source that supplies the reader with information about how language is built and how texts are used. The author claims that fiction, with its different genres, can present a variety of different language uses to the reader and help them to learn how stories can be structured. Lundahl (2019, p. 230) describes the effective role of literature for students’ linguistic development. Reading fiction supplies language learners with many advantages: developing communication skills, a wide range of vocabulary and idiomatic language. In other words, learning new vocabulary is accompanied by using and practicing these vocabulary in and outside formal classroom settings. Therefore, teachers must afford students many opportunities to practice English language in different contexts, for example, reading, listening, conversation, and writing. Through these interactions,

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students are able to effectively employ the new vocabulary in their speaking and writing assignments (Lundahl, 2019, p. 230).

Similarly, Hişmanoğlu (2005) examined thoroughly the role of literature in foreign language teaching. According to him, the inclusion of literature is a popular teaching method for acquisition of both the four basic language skills (i.e. reading, writing, listening and speaking) and the language areas (i.e. vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation). Hişmanoğlu (2005, p. 54-55) argues that through literature students can get access to a wide variety of vocabulary, grammatical and syntactic items. Reading fiction helps students improve not only their reading comprehension but also their writing skills. To put it simply, language learners gain knowledge about the rules of sentence structure and how to communicate and formulate their ideas. That in turn will facilitate them to improve writing skills and employ them in their writing assignments.

Zengin et al. (2019, p. 156) found that the inclusion of literature in language classes, for the benefits of learners of various levels, brings great results in as much as it provides them a tangible context within which the language is used. Moreover, it helps improve communication skills as it presents a wider spectrum of real-life examples of language use. Similarly, Lundahl (2019, p. 441) highlights that assigning the students different kinds of classroom activities such as combining oral and written tasks raise students’ interests and help them attain a broader understanding of the text and its context. It is all about teachers’ skills and capability of delivering adequate information about the text and the tasks.

Ward, Schell, Brown, & Thomason (2019, p. 192) conducted a study investigating the effectiveness of reading fiction and non-fiction texts to promote ELs’ learners’ language and literacy development. Although the study was conducted on the basis of students with English as their first language, these learning strategies can be applied on English as a second language learners. The authors demonstrated how reading texts of various genres with their rich contexts enables young ELs’ learners to learn the English language in context and deepen their understanding of different linguistic features, as well as improves their writing skills. Ward et al. (2019, p. 198) claim that reading both fiction and non-fiction texts supplies students with a considerable amount of vocabulary ranging between common everyday vocabulary and advanced vocabulary. Giving students the opportunity to read authentic texts stimulates them and keeps them actively engaged.

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Reading and writing are two inseparable skills. In other words, the more the students read literary works the more their writing skills would improve. According to Ward et al. (2019) when students read texts, they get an opportunity to understand how texts are structured and consequently their writing skills will improve. Writing activities may take different forms such as writing summaries, reports and analytical assignments about the texts the students read. Skilled and professionally competent English language teachers assign different kinds of writing activities to their students bearing in mind students’ strengths and needs (Ward et al., 2019, p. 197). When students are, for a long duration, exposed to literary texts addressing interesting topics, they become more motivated and totally immersed in the process of reading and this would serve as a basis and a springboard for continuous learning (Ward et al., 2019, p. 194).

Hişmanoğlu assures that literary works provide students with a great variety of themes and issues to write about and couple with their own life experiences, and therefore this helps interest them and make them involved in reading and writing about the work. Literature serves as a motivating and effective source for writing in English (Hişmanoğlu, 2005, p. 58). Hişmanoğlu (2005) asserts that using literature in a language class mainly involves reading and writing, but on the other hand, it can play an equally important role in teaching other language skills such as speaking and listening. A language teacher could organize many different activities like: role-playing, discussions and other group activities based on a literary work. Listening comprehension and pronunciation would become more interesting for students when language teachers make motivating tasks that involve direct experience and participation of students such as allowing students to listen to a recording or watching video of a literary work, or even reading literature aloud themselves (Hişmanoğlu, 2005, p. 59).

2.6 Didactic approach to be considered when teaching literature

With respect to using literature for language teaching purposes, it is important for language teachers to be thorough and consider other factors, namely: students’ needs, grades and levels,

goals for learning a language etc. Furthermore, language teachers play an important role in the beneficial use of literature to promote their learners’ language skills (Zengin et al., 2019, p. 157).

Prior knowledge, which refers to the information and experiences students have acquired throughout their lives elsewhere, is considered as an important factor influencing students’

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learning and achievement. In his book, Lundahl (2019, p. 434) mentioned some commonly used strategies to activate students’ previous knowledge about a particular topic, such as a mind map or a brief introduction which could serve as an appetizer to arouse interest and start the guesswork about the topic.

Lundahl (2019, the importance of employing classroom activities in preparing the students for the topic so that when the topic is introduced the students will positively and actively interact with it. This, in turn, will generate a deeper understanding of the topic and arouse interesting discussions between the students and the teacher as well as amongst themselves.

In the absence of the ability to read, the will to read is often lacking as well. Hence, it is better for the teacher to consider and balance students’ abilities and curriculum demands. Teachers can give students achievable assignments such as reading simpler texts, combining reading and listening activities, as well as movie-watching. (Lundahl, 2019, p. 423).

Zengin et al. (2019, 163) are placing too much emphasis on the teacher's ability to design appropriate tasks while working with literature for effective language learning. So while dealing with literary texts in the class for language learners, the language teacher plays a major role through adopting a wide-ranging approach by placing the focus on the correlation between language form, style and culture.

To accomplish a full understanding of a literary work in reading lessons, there are three levels that are preferable to be adapted by teachers. Initially, simple discussions take place where teachers pose uncomplicated direct questions regarding the setting, characters and the storyline that students get to answer by referring to the text. At the second level and after students’ literal understanding is accomplished, they proceed to a more advanced level of understanding by interpreting the story elements, such as characters, themes and settings and producing their own views. As soon as students mastered the first and the second level of understanding a piece of literature, they can come up with their own ideas about the work and can assess the work itself. Therefore, students’ skills to solve problems would develop as well as their imaginative thinking is provoked. As an outcome they will be provided with effective methods in their production as well as interaction since these discussions about the material that has been taught can function as the underlying basis for both oral and written activities (Hişmanoğlu, 2005, p. 57).

A great deal of research has been undertaken to investigate the effects of reading literary works on second language learners and language acquisition. It has been highlighted by many scholars

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that reading literary works does not only increase learners’ language ability, but also it evokes their interests and motivates them as well. However, it is worth noticing that in the abovementioned research the focus seems to have been not only on pupils' competent acquisition of language but also on social and cultural awareness. Based on the previously mentioned research, it appears evident that several researchers have studied the role of literature in teaching English language focusing mainly on the impact on both language improvement and cultural awareness development. Based on the above mentioned studies, with the purpose of this research in mind, a more thorough discussion will be introduced in section 4.

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3. Method

This section outlines the method that has been used in this study. According to Hatch, interviewing participants forms the basis on which qualitative research is grounded. The purpose of this study is to thoroughly examine some teachers’ viewpoints about the efficacy of literature within language teaching and how they approach literature in English classes. Therefore, qualitative interviews were considered to be a logical data-collecting method because this would provide me with more detailed information regarding teachers’ personal views (Hatch, 2002, p. 23). English class in Swedish schools is the focal point in this study and accordingly the selected interviewees are all English teachers. As Bryman and Bell (2013, p. 496) explain that a goal-directed selection takes place in such a way that the researcher selects participants who are considered relevant to the research questions that have been formulated. This section is divided into the following headings: Qualitative Interviews, Participants, Ethical Standards and finally Data Analysis.

3.1 Qualitative Interviews

This research paper explores English language teachers’ views about using literature as an educational tool in English classes. Therefore, a logical and suitable method to collect data is qualitative interviews. Taking part in a specific kind of a conversation, such as in the qualitative interview with informants, enables the researcher to carefully examine his/her interviewees’ experiences and interpretations (Hatch, 2002, p. 91-92). According to Hatch, conducting qualitative interviews offers the researcher effective tools to acquire deeper knowledge about the participants’ views and motivations behind their actions. Furthermore, it is important to point out that this fact is related to acquiring more knowledge of teachers' own views and practices when working with literature. This research requires individual accounts of why teachers include literature and how they utilize it in their teaching. Therefore, an interview is considered to be an outstanding method to succeed in doing this task and to try to better understand for what purpose literature is used and how it is used in English language teaching.

The interviews were conducted in a semi-structured manner, which means that, “although it is important for the interviewers to come to the interview with a list of planned questions about certain topics in mind to guide the talk, they are open to follow their informants’ lead” (Hatch,

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2002, p. 94). To put it differently, it is critical to be simultaneously well prepared and flexible while you conduct a semi structured interview according to Hatch (2002, p. 94). Two of the interviews were conducted in English, while one of the participants preferred to answer in her native language, namely Swedish. This interview was then translated into English by the author and therefore all quotations from this interview are the author’s own translation.

3.2 Participants

An important part of a study is to conduct interviews that enable useful data collection (Hatch, 2002, p. 107). The purpose of this study is to investigate for what reasons and in which ways literature is used in English classrooms. Therefore, an important part of this study was to get in touch with teachers who could tell, based on their long years of experience, about their perspectives of using fiction in teaching English.

This study focuses on teaching English in Swedish schools therefore, interviewing English teachers will be the primary source of information. As stated by Hatch, “Qualitative researchers try to understand the perspectives of their participants or informants” (Hatch, 2002, p. 48-52). My empirical material is assembled through conducting 3 qualitative interviews with teachers. The school selected for the study is a secondary school grades 6-9 in Blekinge with about 300 students. This particular school was selected due to the author’s prior knowledge acquired during practical training placement there.

All three participants were English teachers. Two of the interviewees are female and one male and they have between ten to 22 years of experience teaching English. Due to the fact that I want to follow the ethical rules that exist regarding the protection of identities, informants have been referred to as participant 1-3. Participant 1 is a woman who has worked for 22 years as an English and Swedish teacher. Participant 2 has a similar amount of professional experience. The third participant is a man who has worked for around 12 years. Unlike quantitative studies, in a qualitative study the quality of the study is not related to the number of participants as it has been argued by some researchers (Hatch, 2002, p. 48).

Initially the plan was to interview more participants to accomplish the aim of this study but due to ongoing difficulties with a global pandemic, some participants were unable to take part in this research. The similarity that appeared in the answers given by interviewees indicated that

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three participants was sufficient in this case and more interviewees were likely to confirm this further. Therefore, in the author’s opinion the use of only three participants does not affect the result of this research.

3.3 Ethical standards

The Swedish Research Council’s ethical guidelines have been followed while conducting this research. Regarding the information requirement, I informed the participants in advance what is the purpose of the interview and that taking part in these interviews is optional, which means that they can at any time during the course of the study decide to no longer participate. In contact with the teachers, I explained that the data collected will be only used in this study not for other purposes. Aside from confidentiality, I referred to the participants by numbers for the purpose of anonymity (Vetenskapsrådet, 2002, p. 7-12).

3.4 Data Analysis

Hatch (2002) describes data analysis as a way to process qualitative data to get results and convey them to others. According to him, analysis means formulating and examining data in order to help researchers in identifying different themes, to establish certain theories, deepen their understanding, and to evolve their explanations and critical thinking. It is the researchers’ role, as he puts it, “to engage their own intellectual capacities to make sense of qualitative data” (Hatch, 2002, p. 148).

As mentioned in earlier paragraphs, I conducted an interview study of some English teachers’ perspectives on using literature in teaching English language. I was interested in exploring the relationship between some teachers’ viewpoints about teaching literature and how they use it in actual teaching in the classroom. A set of guiding questions was designed to give the teachers the chance to reflect upon their work, in addition to asking them to give a detailed description of the work itself.

As soon as all interviews had been conducted, I transcribed the recordings. I listened to the recordings again based on research question 1 and 2 and wrote down what the teachers answered to the different questions. The procedure was repeated to examine the differences and similarities between teachers’ answers in order to identify certain categorizations, which may

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relate to the research topic. “Data analysis starts by dividing the overall data set into categories or groups based on predetermined typologies” (Hatch, 2002, p. 152).

According to Hatch (2002) the researcher must systematically review the material to describe what it is really about. Then he or she must look for more abstract categories that can bring together and organize the material in new ways. The aim is to find more suitable categories that provide an opportunity to understand the content on a more interpretive and theoretical level. Following these guidelines, I started with the main areas of interest, dealing with the major topics when analysing the interview transcripts.

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4. Results and Discussion

Based upon the interviews conducted with teachers, I answered the research questions; what are the purposes of using literature, specifically fiction, in teaching English as proposed by some teachers? How do some teachers describe their use of fiction in teaching English? The results and discussions are presented in the following section and they will be divided into different categories based upon the results of the data, which all relate to the research questions. Themes that have been addressed: teachers’ views on including literature in English classes, teachers’ practices: how teachers use literature, the benefits of incorporating literature in teaching English, and finally, the main challenges that teachers encounter when teaching literature. This structure should allow the reader to clearly follow the information provided here. It also contributes to a better understanding of how literature benefited by English language teachers and what kind of challenges they meet while working with literature and how that correlates with previous undertaken research.

4.1 Teachers’ views on including literature in English classes

The participants stated that fiction has been used for many years as an important teaching material in their classes. They explained that every year they read at least one book with the whole class and that occurs frequently in all their classes spanning over 7th, 8th and 9th grade. All three participants stated that the curriculum and syllabus support the inclusion of English fiction in teaching English language, which is considered to be a key aspect for the learning process. As participant 2 puts it: “It is written in the English curriculum that literature should be a part of teaching English for the students to learn English and it is part of the central content in the syllabus”. The teachers’ views are connected to Skolverket’s demands. All participants are following what is mentioned in the Swedish national curriculum in the core content for year 7-9 that teaching English should include “literature and other fiction in spoken, dramatized and filmed forms” (Skolverket, 2011, p. 37).

In addition to literary books there are other school materials included in teaching English such as textbooks and online materials, according to the teachers. It has been stated that “As an English teacher I think it is necessary to give students the possibility to take part in what’s happening around us” (participant 2).

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Participant 2 uses both textbooks and literature in her classes but she always starts with textbooks, in particular with the young students who are in 7th grade. This is done because they need a very fixed concept, textbook and workbook, and then when they get more confident she gradually leaves the textbooks behind and starts to read literary books. This statement is fully in accordance with participant 3’s view that students also read things they have chosen by themselves based on interest and difficulty. He thinks sometimes they need to read texts which are written in a different way, such as non- fictional texts, motivating his statement: “because they need to be aware of how they’re supposed to use their English. Which is not the same in every setting, sometimes in some contexts you need to be able to have a formal language” (Participant 3). This stands in line with Ward et al. 's (2019, p. 198) claims that giving the students the opportunity to read texts of different genres supplies students with a considerable amount of vocabulary as well as keeps them actively engaged.

When the participants commented about the criteria of the selection process, they mentioned that many factors play a key role during the selection process. Teachers mostly select their own books to teach in English classes because they have to put together the assignments and this process requires preparation to be able to teach the material well. Participant 2 mentioned that “as a teacher you can't just select or choose something randomly and just give it away without knowing anything about it because you have to study a little beforehand”. Moreover, students’ interests and different skill levels are taken into consideration by all teachers when choosing literature. Participant 3 stressed that students’ different skill levels and interests were considered to be very important to note when choosing books to teach. This is in correlation with what is stated by Lundahl (2019, p. 430) who emphasized the importance of selecting text content related to the students’ experiences, interests, and feelings.

Two of the participants highlighted the importance of giving the students a chance to study language by exposing them to current affairs. For example, participant 1 and participant 2 named one of the books that is currently taught by teachers for students in 8th grade with the title The Hate U Give, which draws upon the racial issues which are contemporaneous with the Black Lives Matter movement in the United States. This is in alignment with Nilsson’s (2016) statement that reading fiction helps students to attain better understanding of ethical issues and they become overall better citizens concerned with equality and social justice (Nilsson, 2016, p.5).

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Furthermore, the teachers preferred books that have been made into films since it allows students to get a broader understanding of the story. For example, The Fugitive has been used in year 7 and participant 1 pointed out that the film helps students to understand the complicated storyline. This stands in contrast to Nilsson’s (2016, p. 6) claim that reading books is better than films because reading facilitates the readers’ engagement with the text and stimulates their visual perceptions compared with the rapid images on screen.

4.2 Teachers' practices: how teachers use literature

All the teachers interviewed pointed out that when teaching literature it is important to introduce the book to the students in a way that captures their attention and arouses their interests, to ensure that they are motivated to stay in tune to the last page of the book. Participant 2 maintained that “there is no limit to how to introduce literature because it is all about your own creativity, just to evoke their curiosity to get them interested”. From her point of view, the way to introduce a piece of literature should evoke students’ interests. She mentioned many different ways to introduce the theme they are going to work with, for example, showing a trailer for the film if the book has been made into a film. Other different ways to introduce the topic could be asking students to analyse a quote or extract from the book, playing games or doing quizzes, working on vocabulary or using flip cards. This is supported by Lundahl's (2019, p. 434) view about the importance of creating brainstorming activities to activate the students’ prior knowledge about a particular topic so that when the topic is introduced, the students will positively and actively interact with it.

Since listening skills are as important as reading skills, she starts often by reading the first two chapters out loud for students to enable them to both read and listen at the same time. Afterwards, she gives them time to orally discuss what they comprehended from the text. She frequently lets them discuss in pairs or in small groups in a beehive method. This view is presented by Lundahl (2019, p. 230), who mentioned that teachers can boost students’ linguistic skills by affording them many opportunities to practice the English language in different contexts, such as listening, reading, writing and speaking.

Participant 2 gives her students the opportunity to write their own writing log according to Chambers method, which is a method of writing a reading log. It is that after each reading lesson students write (+, _ , ?). The plus symbolizes what they liked about this chapter that they have

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read, the minus symbolizes something students did not like and the question mark symbolizes if any question pops up while reading. A similar approach is presented by Lundahl (2019, p. 438), who mentioned that assigning students to write their own reading journal activates students’ thoughts and feelings as well as helps them to develop their abilities to learn and reason. This is achieved by allowing students to anticipate coming events, evaluate ideas and concepts in the book and express their own thoughts and feelings about what they are reading.

Similarly, participants 1 and 3 described the way they introduce the book they are going to read. Participant 1 made a remark on how important it is to introduce a topic from the literary work, which can in advance afford an opportunity for the students to have oral discussions and to talk about this specific topic. She reported that it is even worthwhile arranging teaching materials based on a specific topic they can read, talk about, write about and practice listening. Furthermore, she mentioned that she usually cooperates with teachers, specializing in different subjects like history, then they choose books that are about a certain theme in history or other subjects. As she puts it “students can get a broader understanding, I think. It requires a lot from me as a teacher however, it does pay off” (participant 1). It has been stated by the teachers interviewed that supplying the students with a list of key words and phrases from the text, usually translated to Swedish, is of great importance to enable students to learn new vocabulary in context. This view is connected with Ward et al. (2019, p. 198), who claim that reading texts with their rich contexts helps English language learners to acquire a wide range of vocabulary in context and it can also facilitate learning various linguistic features.

The participants pointed out that constructing different kinds of tasks or assignments is of sufficient worth to do before, during, and after every reading session, where students will give answers to their teachers, and accordingly they will be fully engaged and stimulated to think deeply about the work and to completely understand it. Participant 2 highlighted the importance of constructing different kinds of assignments and trying new teaching methods, as she stated, “I do like to try new things as well. I can’t repeat and do the same thing all over”. This is in line with Zengin et al. (2019), who acknowledge that, teachers have a crucial role in constructing appropriate tasks involving writing and speaking skills for students while dealing with literary texts in the class. Hence, students’ language competence increases and effective language learning is achieved.

Teaching a literary book spans over almost four to six weeks, and in the meantime the teachers usually arrange both oral and written tasks. It has been named by the participants that by doing

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this, students’ ability to study the work, as well as to process it, to reflect upon it and to determine and analyse its essential features, is a primary goal of studying a piece of literature. Participant 3 described how he helps the students to completely comprehend literature on both linguistic and content level by describing how literature is employed in his classes through certain procedures. He gave the following example:

“I have the students work together and to read for each other and have different roles in the reading process so perhaps if they’re three, one of them is reading a chapter and the other student will be picking out words that might be difficult so they can talk about those and third student has a role roll to summarize. And then they change rolls so different ways to keep them activated I guess” (Participant 3).

According to what the teachers have reported, all of the teachers construct writing assignments similarly. This kind of assignment is subsequently given to the students after they have finished reading the whole story and demand analytical skills as well as creative thinking. To put it simply, students are given writing assignments to submit where they are requested to comment on the work and reflect upon its components, such as the storyline, the characters and the themes. Students’ critical thinking will accordingly develop and they will be able identify themselves with the work and completely comprehend it. The teachers’ views about utilizing literature in English classes correlate with what is presented by Lundahl (2019, p. 441), who highlighted that creating different kinds of classroom activities, such as combining oral and written tasks, evoke students’ interests and help them deepen their understanding of the text and its context. It is all about teachers’ skills and capability of delivering adequate information about the text and the tasks.

In reference to setting up teaching methods of literature that take into account the different needs of students, all of the teachers interviewed stressed that a focal point in their teaching is selecting fiction materials that can be adapted to student’s different needs and skill levels. Participant 2 states “teaching is very complex especially as the Skolverket stresses that teachers have to work on an individual level and that thing that I always bear in mind. So I make sure that everybody should be able to perform and give answers according to their level” (participant 2). One example she gave was working with The body in year 8 where the whole class read the light version of the book. She tried to challenge a very skilled student whose level was far away better than the others by letting him read the whole story and write more advanced

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assignments. Similarly, participant 1 and participant 3 explained that they always try to give a lot of support during the reading to students who will struggle by providing them with “open tasks” so everyone can manage to do them.

4.3 The benefits of incorporating literature in teaching English

The participants asserted that reading literature gives the students the possibility to practice the four language skills. Participant 2 mentioned that working with literature in English classes gives students much more than improving their language skills. Additionally, it permits students to get insight into other people’s worlds and take part of their experience. This is considered to be a central feature of using literature in language classes. In the same way, participant 3 reported on the benefits of using literature as a tool for teaching English:

“Literature is not only beneficial to broaden students’ vocabulary and idiomatic language but also literature is a rich authentic material that can be used to raise students’ social and cultural awareness. It even helps students to get involved in other peoples’ lives where they read a book” (participant 3).

He explained that if students read a book, they get the opportunity to follow the characters from the beginning to the end and get curious about what would happen next. Based on the participants’ detailed and informative accounts, one general goal of all the teachers is developing students’ cultural awareness by broadening their understanding of themselves and the world. This aim is related to Lundahl’s (2012) claim that including literature in language class is not limited to improving language skills, but rather includes understanding the cultural aspects of the target language. This view of literature’s role is related to Nilsson’ (2016, p. 4) claim that fiction reading helps students remarkably in attaining a better understanding of different social contexts. This will in turn enhance the growth of their personality and fosters their imagination and creative thinking.

Contextualization was another prominent attribute of reading fiction highlighted by all teachers. Participant 1 explained that when students read, they can get “a little more nuanced story and it becomes more real and they get so much in return that they get context where they can practice words and phrases and this is the point of using fiction” (Participant 1). Participant 3 mentioned

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that reading fiction helps students to get involved in other peoples’ lives. While reading a whole story, students would be able to learn new words, idioms and phrases in context. The Teacher's statements correlate with claims by Hişmanoğlu (2005, p. 54), who also acknowledges that personal involvement is important to engage students in literature. As soon as students begin reading a literary text, they are more engaged and start to follow the storyline eagerly to discover what happens as events develop.

Referring to the interviewed teachers’ comments on the beneficial use of literary books, they all stressed that one motivation behind teaching literature is to enrich students’ language input that is not naturally found in other school materials. Participant 2 highlighted that reading is a key factor to enable students to develop their writing skills where they can acquire linguistic knowledge about grammar and how texts are structured. Hence, they will apply this in their writing activities. Participant 1 and participant 3 likewise declared that language learners can benefit from reading fiction to improve their language basic skills as well as their learning of new vocabulary, phrases and idiomatic language. What the teachers reported is in line with Ward et al. (2019, p. 197), who pointed out that reading fiction texts and understanding their contents and structures, enhances students’ writing skills.

4.4 The main challenges teachers encounter when teaching literature

In spite of the advantages utilized from reading fiction, there are some restrictions connected to working with literature. During the interviews, all teachers referred to adapting the materials to students’ different skill levels as a main challenge when using literature.

Participant 1 said that “having a group of students with a very big difference in skill level is a big challenge for us as teachers”. She explained that it requires considerable effort to manage preparing materials to meet students’ different needs in a class where many students are fluent English speakers while others can barely understand. Participant 2 and participant 3 agreed that selecting a piece of literary work that can be challenging and adaptable for all students is one of the main difficulties they face in their work with literature. This idea is asserted by Lundahl (2019, p.423), who mentioned that it is better for the teacher to consider students’ abilities and the English language curriculum while preparing literary texts in order not to constantly burden students with inappropriate tasks. This can be accomplished by giving the students achievable tasks, such as reading simpler texts or combining reading and listening activities.

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Participant 1 maintains that text selection is quite hard since there are more than 20 students in each group where learners have different skills so language teachers always strive to bridge the gap between reading material and learners' language proficiency and background knowledge which can obviously differ. Participant 2 mentioned that a novice teacher would certainly face these kinds of challenges but with experience they can deal with them. As participant 2 puts it, “It is quite difficult but the more skilled you are, the more experience you have of course the quicker you will find ways to get round this”. The challenges mentioned by teachers connect to Zengin et al. (2019, p. 157), who claims that students’ needs, grades, levels, and interests are important factors to be considered and taken into account by language teachers. These factors are preferable to be considered both before and during the process of planning the lessons and preparing the teaching materials.

Keeping students interested and making them curious when studying literature, is identified as a difficulty that may arise while reading fiction in language teaching. Participant 1 said that “It is a challenge when you stand in a classroom with 20 students, many think that English is fun while others think it is boring”. Similarly, participant 2 and participant 3 mentioned that having a good plan and well prepared fictional material does not mean that all students will eagerly get involved in what they present. It has been stated by participant 3 that “It's very difficult to find something that will please and challenge everybody” (Participant 3).

Promoting reading habits among students concerns some of the teachers interviewed. All of the students nowadays are becoming more overwhelmed by technology and digital tools, which results in them becoming less active as readers. It has been identified by participant 2 as a challenge to encourage students to read in their spare time. They stated, “I always encourage my keen reader students to read in their spare time” (participant 2). To enable students to pursue reading and motivate them to actively take part in the reading process, the participants pointed out that they frequently select books that students find interesting and enjoyable to read. For example, participant 1 said that “we pick books that we believe could be engaging and interesting that you can speak and write about - books that teenagers like - many times we pick titles that are filmed as well” (participant 1). This is in alignment with Zengin et al.’s (2019) description of effective pedagogical practices that could be applied by teachers when using literature. The authors claimed that the teachers play an active role in supporting students’ linguistic knowledge by affording them varied activities that could capture their interests as well as consider their strengths (Zengin et al., 2019, p. 163).

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The lack of time has been highlighted by participant 2 as another challenge in English class as she declared that “the problem is that time is always chasing us so we can't cover everything, I don’t cover as much as I would love to”. She expressed that preparing appropriate material and assessing whether it works or not is a process that takes a lot of time. She meant that using literature in English language classes requires time, efforts and preparation. She expressed, “I make the plan and I make the assignments and I can give that response to them because I have to put together the assignments because it does require preparation” (Participant 2). All the participants asserted that the incorporation of literature in English classes necessitates a lot of work, including tasks such as selecting the appropriate material, reading it, and assessing its efficacy to be taught.

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5. Summary and Conclusion

This paper aims to thoroughly examine some teachers’ views and experiences regarding the inclusion of literary books in English classes for grades 7-9. The following aspects have been addressed: 1) teachers’ various ways of utilizing literature, 2) their views about literature and 3) the obstacles they encounter in the process. The study has shown that through incorporating literature into English classes, learners’ cultural and social awareness of the target language is increased, as well as their language skills are improved. This is connected to the English national curriculum and English syllabus requirements for years 7-9 (Skolverket, 2011).

“Reading fiction has a long tradition in the English subject” (Lundahl, 2019, p. 423). According to Lundahl (2019) literature has been prominently used as authentic school materials in language classes in Swedish schools. Teachers of both English language and modern languages should make sure they follow the guidelines of the National Agency for Education by incorporating literature in their classes.

Teachers’ objectives are to follow the guidelines of the Skolverket for helping students improve their language skills by selecting materials students find interesting. Furthermore, teaching methods should be compatible with teaching of literature. To put it simply, teachers need to construct various tasks that can be interestingly adaptable to the students. This correlates with Lundahl’s (2019, p. 423) view on the benefits of reading literature to improve students’ language skills, which asserts that reading fiction in English classes is highly relevant in facilitating language proficiency.

A set of criteria, upon which selection of literary materials can be based, as described by teachers whom I interviewed, results in the choice of stimulating topics that students find engaging. This means that the topic is more likely to hold students’ curiosity and encourage students’ participation, enhancing their linguistic ability. The way the teachers introduce a literary work is critical for arousing students’ interests to pursue reading, according to the participants. To help students improve both their oral and writing skills, teachers frequently create varied assignments for students to analyse, reflect upon and describe what they read and what they hear. Offering students the opportunity to practice the four basic language skills was pointed out as a major goal by the teachers. Two obstacles teachers encounter while teaching literature are finding materials that could be adaptable to a group of students with different skill levels and the infrequency of English lessons on a weekly basis.

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Based on what the respondents said, it became apparent that to include literature in English language classes is not as simple as people could think. As stated by participant 2, “your role as a teacher is very complex”. In light of what teachers responded to the interview questions, bridging the gap between students’ different levels, keeping students motivated, and evoking their interests are key factors that must be taken into account when incorporating literature in English classes.

The underlying reason behind the variety of activities in the classroom can be explained by the fact that the informants approach literature differently. However, despite this difference, they all have a fairly close resemblance in the teaching methods used in dealing with literature. Another thing the study shows is that, in addition to literary books, there are school textbooks and other online materials used frequently in combination. This is due to the fact that students are supposed to read different kinds of texts in different settings. In addition, teachers think that students need to be familiar with online materials, such as news, articles, and movies, to acquire not only linguistic knowledge but also understand what is happening around the world.

Beside the noticeable benefits of using literature in English classes on both students’ linguistic skills and cultural and social awareness, individual learning is one of the factors that has been proven to be prominent in language classes based on teachers’ practices. Constructing teaching that could suit all students’ different needs is mentioned in the Swedish National Agency for Education. Therefore, all the teachers interviewed asserted that it is a focal point in their teaching methodology to meet students’ basic requirements. However, teachers have to build on that to provide students with the necessary framework conditions for learning English.

One perspective that emerged from the study is the view that literature should be incorporated in English classes since good reading habits are undoubtedly needed for students. Establishing

good habits among students, such as preserving reading in an era where students are mostly exposed to their screens, is a priority for some teachers as discussed by participant 2. I personally experienced a more traditional teaching system without including literature in the curriculum. I believe that these insights could be applied to other such schooling systems, where teachers will be able to introduce literary works in English language classes. When students have the opportunity to read fiction, they will be able to practice and experience the enjoyable process of reading fiction.

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This research examined the use of literature but further research is required in this topic area. More studies are required regarding the efficacy of using literature as a helping educational tool in English language learning from students’ views, in particular considering individual and linguistic improvement. This is due to the fact that it is important to attain a deeper understanding of the students’ insight of working with literature.

Moreover, in order to get a deeper understanding of both theories and practices of using literature, more studies are needed. There are still many unexplored aspects of using literature from students’ views as a paramount educational tool in the Swedish schools. This would also help both apprentices and active teachers from educational backgrounds that differ from the

Swedish one. Hence, they will be able to access and use even more of the ever-expanding information in teaching English at secondary schools in Sweden.

One final thought: in my view there is much more that could be done in this field, such as conducting a classroom Action Research. In other words, the teacher can conduct a research of their own practices to investigate this issue from as many different angles as possible. This may lead to a better understanding of the underlying causes of teachers’ practices, because there are still few studies on teaching of English language in the Swedish schools for students in grades 7-9.

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References

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Hatch, J. Amos. Doing Qualitative Research in Education Settings. SUNY Press, 2002.

Hişmanoğlu, M. (2005). Teaching English through Literature. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies Vol.1, No.1.

Holme, R. (2002). Carrying a Baby in the Back: Teaching with an Awareness of the Cultural Construction of Language. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 15(3), 210-223, https://doi-org.proxy.mau.se/10.1080/079083102Q8666645

Khatib, M., & Shakouri, N. (2013). Literature stance in developing critical thinking: A pedagogical look. International Journal of Research Studies in Language Learning, 2(4), 101-108. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/271258190.

Lundahl, B. (2019). Engelsk språkdidaktik: texter, kommunikation, språkutveckling (Fjärde upplagan). Lund: Studentlitteratur.

McKay, S.L. (2003). The cultural basis of teaching English as an international language. TESOL Matters, 13(4), 1-6.

Nilsson, Skans Kersti. "Young Adults in Sweden on Reading Literary Fiction in Print and Electronic Media." CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 18.2 (2016):

<https://doi.org/10.7771/1481-4374.3140>

Skolverket English curriculum

https://www.skolverket.se/download/18.31c292d516e7445866a218f/1576654682907/pdf3984. pdf

Vetenskapsrådet. (2002). Forskningsetiska principer inom humanistisk-samhällsvetenskaplig forskning. Retrieved 2018-04-02 from:

http://www.gu.se/digitalAssets/1

Ward, N., Schell, R. F., Brown, C. L., & Thomason, B. (2019). Pairing Fiction and Nonfiction Texts to Promote Literacy and Language Development of Adolescent English Learners. Clearing House: A Journal of Educational Strategies, Issues and Ideas, 92(6), 193–201. https://doi-org.proxy.mau.se/10.1080/00098655.2019.1649631

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Yavuz, A. (2010). Enhancing creativity in the communicative language classroom through poetry as a literary genre. Dil Dergisi, 149, 64-79.

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Zaker, A. (2016). Literature and Creativity in an ELT Context. ASIAN TEFL: Journal of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics, 1(2), 175-186.

Zengin, B., Basal, A & Yükselir, C. (2019). Investigation into the Perceptions of English Teachers and Instructors in the Use of Literature in English Language Teaching. Reading Matrix: An International Online Journal, v19 n1 p 155-166 Apr

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Appendix 1 Interview questions for teachers:

1. Can you tell me about how you use fiction in Your English class?

2. How do you introduce fiction to the class? How do you capture the students’ interest in the selected works?

3. In what way can literature be utilized in English language teaching? Can you see any benefits of incorporating literature in your teaching? And how does the use of literature contribute to the language learning process?

4. What benefits/advantages do you see in using fiction as a means of teaching English? 5. Can you give some examples of English fiction you have used and how you

implemented it? Who chooses the fiction? Do you feel literature sources are adequately available at school? Do you, or the students choose the texts to be studied? What are the criteria of the selection process?

6. How do you adapt your fiction teaching methods to the various needs of your students? Do all students in one class often read the same texts, or are there different texts for students with different skill levels?

7. What assignments do you subsequently give your students to cement the learned knowledge, and how does that help in the long run?

8. Do you think fiction should be used more often in English teaching than it is today? Why/ why not?

9. How do your students interact with English fiction?

10. Do you feel that the steer documents/governing documents, curriculum and syllabi support the implementation of English fiction in the learning process?

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Appendix 2

Interview Questions T1 T2 T3

1. Can you tell me about

how you use fiction in Your English class?

1. We often use literary

books when teaching our English classes as a teaching material. We try to do that by harmonizing teaching materials and school years.

It was even thought worthwhile arranging teaching material based on a specific topic/issue. we read, talk about, write about, practice listening

1. I use both textbooks and

literature in my English classes.

I do use fiction in all my classes spanning over 7th, 8th and 9th grade.

I make sure that each year there is at least one book that I cover and read with the whole class.

I read out loud certain chapters so they can both see the text and listen to my reading.

Sometimes I let the students read out loud together in small groups and to discuss with each other just to practice. I form book clubs and I provide the guidelines to write their reading log.

1. We use fiction, every

semester we read at least one book together in the class. It’s not all literary books, I think sometimes they need to read texts they are written in a different way, non-fictional texts. So I try to give them both because I think they need it. And it’s also in the

curriculum that they’re supposed to read different kinds of texts. I always read the first part then I have the students work together and to read for each other and have different roles in the reading.

2. How do you introduce

fiction to the class? How do you capture the students’ interest in the selected works?

2. In different ways-

sometimes with words and phrases from the book and the pupils can guess what the book is about - other times with a “trailer” etc.

2. It could be a trailer, it

could be a quote from the book and have them analyse what this means, it could be an extract from a book, you can play games, and you can put them together to do quizzes. It could be a picture from the book I show them and ask them what’s going on here, what you think the story is going to be about.

2. I read some parts from the

book that I know are

interesting. We always look at the book together to see if there's anything in the cover any suggestions as to what the book might be about. If there's a movie I also show a trailer. By picking out the name of certain chapters for example that we can talk about.