This book proposes the study of literary texts as a vital component of L2 linguistic and cultural knowledge. The research, conducted with students of Italian in Australia, is situated in the wider L2 context, and compared to studies on students' perceptions of English and French literary texts in countries such as Canada, Italy, Australia, Germany and the Ukraine. The first part of the book takes the debate on the inclusion of literature in language education as a springboard for posing crucial questions about how students, and educators, view literature. The theoretical framework draws from educational, linguistic, philosophical and literary theories, and focuses on the role of awareness in learning and the role of the learner's experience. The second part of the book evaluates an innovative approach to teaching and learning L2 literature, and discusses the application of this to the language classroom. Containing a balance of theoretical and practical concerns, this book will be invaluable reading for researchers of applied linguistics and second language acquisition.

A state of the art critical review of research into literature in language education of interest to teachers of English and of modern foreign languages. There are prompts and principles for those who wish to improve their own practice or to engage in projects or research in this area. The primary focus is on language of literature, reading of literature, literature as culture, and literature in education.

Bringing together leading scholars and teacher educators from across the world, from Europe and the USA to Asia, this book presents the latest research and new perspectives into the uses of children's literature in second language teaching for children and young adults. Children's Literature in Second Language Education covers such topics as extensive reading, creative writing in the language classroom, the use of picturebooks and graphic novels in second language teaching and the potential of children's literature in promoting intercultural education. The focus throughout the book is on creative approaches to language teaching, from early years through to young adult learners, making this book an essential read for those studying or embarking on second language teaching at all levels.

Innovation has replaced stereotypical and old methods as an attempt to make English language teaching and learning appealing, effective, and simple. However, teaching a second language through literature may be a paramount tool to consolidate not only students’ lexical and grammatical competences, but also for the development of their cultural awareness and broadening of their knowledge through interaction and collaboration that foster collective learning. Despite past difficulties, literature’s position in relation to language teaching can be revendicated and revalued. Using Literature to Teach English as a Second Language is an essential research publication that exposes the current state of this methodological approach and observes its reverberations, usefulness, strengths, and weaknesses when used in a classroom where English is taught as a second language. In this way, this book will provide updated tools to explore teaching and learning through the most creative and enriching manifestations of one language – literature. Featuring a range of topics such as diversity, language learning, and plurilingualism, this book is ideal for academicians, curriculum designers, administrators, education professionals, researchers, and students.

Anglophone Literature in Second Language Teacher Education proposes new ways that literature, and more generally culture, can be used to educate future teachers of English as a second language. Arguing that the way literature is used in language teacher education can be transformed, the book foregrounds transnational approaches and shows how these can be applied in literature and cultural instruction to encourage intercultural awareness in future language educators. It draws on theoretical discussions from literary and cultural studies as well as applied linguistics and is an example how these cross-discipline conversations can take place, and thus help make Second-language teacher education (SLTE) programs more responsive to the challenges faced by future English-language teachers. Written in the idiom of literary scholarship, the book uses ideas of intercultural studies that have gained widespread support at research level, yet have not affected literature–cultural curricula in SLTE. As the first interdisciplinary study to suggest how SLTE programs can respond with curricula, this book will be of great interest for academics, scholars and post graduate students in the fields of applied linguistics, L2 and foreign language education, teacher education and post-graduate TESOL. It has universal appeal, addressing teaching faculty in any third-level institution that prepares language teachers and includes literary studies in their curriculum, as well as administrators in such organizations.

Explores how literature is used as a model of spoken language and to develop speaking skills in second language learning.

Intended for current and future foreign language teaching professionals, volumes in the Theory and Practice in Second Language Classroom Instruction series examine issues in teaching and learning in language classrooms. The topics selected and the discussions of them draw in principled ways on theory and practice in a range of fields, including second language acquisition, foreign language education, educational policy, language policy, linguistics, and other areas of applied linguistics. Teaching Literature in the Languages delves into the various aspects of teaching literature successfully from planning to engaging students.