Literature in Language Teaching

Presentation for the Course Literature in
Language Teaching (TEFL-514)
By :Dawit Dibekulu
December, 2017
Debre Markos University
College Of Social Sciences And Humanities
Department Of English Language And
Literature

Objectives
At the end of this my presentation you will be
able to :
• Know the concept of literature in generic and functional
perspectives
• Know the models used for literature in language teaching
• Know the criteria's to select literary text in language
teaching
• See sample evaluation of grade five English text book

Introduction
Literature is abroad subject which is the most
interesting discipline. Literature :
A work of art is primarily concerned with the
creation of beauty.
consumed for pleasure, spiritual edification,
broadening of knowledge, or may be just to pass
time, without anyone forcing us to read them.
creates to help language, create a sense of identity
and community.
considered as a promising tool for language
learning purposes.

Introduction
Scholars in the field have proposed various
advantages for the use of literature in EFL/ESL
classes:
 Literature promotes cultural and intercultural
awareness (Van, 2009)
 Literature is good for extensive and intensive
reading.
 Due to its authenticity; literature can develop
sociolinguistic and pragmatic knowledge as
manifested in communicative competence
models (McKay, 2001).

1.WHAT IS LITERATURE? GENERIC AND FUNCTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
OF LITERATURE?
1.1. GENERAL DEFINITION OF LITERATURE
 In generic sense, the word literature refers to all printed material
herded less of their subject or aesthetic beauty function or
classification.
 Literature is the written record of the race or socio economic and
historical aspect of the society.
 According to oxford dictionary, the term literature, the word
literature derived from the Latin word “littera” which means letter
of alphabet letter of alphabetic letter.
 Encyclopedia Britannica stated that when it classifies literature as
"the best expression of the best thought reduced to writing."
 Etymologically, the term derives from Latin litera "learning,
writing, grammar," originally "writing formed with letters," from
littera "letter". In spite of this, the term has also been applied to

1.2. Specific Meaning Of Literature
 In specific term, literature refers to works that present an
imaginative creation of reality through an artistic use of
language.
 As Gray (1992) cited in Berhanu ( 2009) defines literature
as a term for poetry, novel ,drama, and short stories
 Literature is an artistic record of life .
 “a poem is different from anew story, a novel from a
history, a play from a transcript of a court trial, a short
story from a case study, a literary essay from a technical
report” Brown and Olmsted (1962) as cited in Berhanu
(2009)

1.3. Form(genre) Of Literature
Genre is a French term derived from the Latin
word genus, generis, meaning type, sort, kind.
It designates literary forms
Imaginative literature has two major forms:
1.Oral literature and
2. written literature
1.3.1.Oral literature
refers to the verbal art of traditional culture usually
composed orally transmitted from generation to
generation by word of mouth.

1.3.1.Oral Literature
Oral literature characterized by;
 It is the significance of actual performance:
 For example:
እኛ ያልነው ሌላ፤ What we said was different
እግዜር ያለው ሌላ፤ What God said was different
አስማማውን ድረን ከሰርጉ ልንበላ፡፡ We wanted to wed
Asemamaw and enjoy the feast.
From the above example; the poem an expression of a grief
at the death of a person called Asemamaw, who shoaled,
obviously, be young and ready has a wife.
cont.……….

1.3.1.Oral Literature
The world alone don’t show the degree of grief the actual
enactment of the poem, the emotional situation of the
funeral, the voice of the people in the funeral, the jobs, the
facial effectiveness of the occasion It has variation, like
verbal variability: the performer may introduce variation in
wordings and structure.
It arises from and re used in the context of various
social occasions.
Audience participation e.g. The proverbs in Chinua
Achebe’s Arrow of God are good example of this.
Anonymous author: oral literature has no author.

1.3.1.1.Significance Of Oral Literature
1. Pedagogical function: serves to teach the society
about what is wrong and correct, customs, advice and
warning etc.
2. Ethological /mythological function: related to
man’s attempt to explain natural phenomenon. E.g.
human character.
3. Protest function: a vehicle of social protest.
Example: in the feudal Ethiopia the peasantry
expressed the burden that it had ,saying:
ለምስለኔው ሙክት ለጭቃው ወጠጤ፤
እንዲህ ሆኜ ነው ወይ ባገር መቀመጤ፡፡

1.3.1.2. Genres Of Oral Literature
 Folktale: are simple stories told in poetry or prose.
Fable: are amoral aspects by non-humans/inanimate
things. E.g. Aesop collection of Greek fables.
Fairytale: are children’s story and are stories of
exaggerated characters and events.
Legend: are narratives which lie somewhere between
myth and historical facts and which as a rule is about a
particular person hero of the ban legend.
Myth: are the traditional stories about God and
goodness. a falsehood story which many believe but
which is not true e.g. Greek myths
cont…

1.3.1.2. Genres Of Oral Literature
Proverbs: are a brief saying that expresses a truth
or habit of wisdom. Example: Two blacks don’t
make a white. ( ጉልቻ ቢለወጥ ወጥ አያጣፍጥም)
Riddle: are interrogative or declarative puzzle
involving particular description an object or a
comparison between two things in which only one
is given.
E.g. what moves on four feet in the morning, on two
on noon, and on three in the evening, on?
• Riddle has also the following construction:
• Riddle (challenger): take it.

Genre Of Oral Literature
• Riddler (respondent): I have taken it.
• Riddler : my grandfather blanket is ever wet
• Riddle: (gives wrong answer)
• Riddler: that is not its meaning- give me town since you
have been unable to answer.
• Riddle: I have given you Addis Ababa.
• Riddler: I went there and Addis Ababa people greeted
you.,
• Riddle: I accept their greetings
• Riddler: the answer is Tongue.

1.3.2. Written Literature
 It refers to an imaginative literature committed to writing
or presented in the form of printed words.
 Berhanu (2009) stated that written literature is the artists
convey the message through writings.
It is characterized by;
 It is not transmitted by words of mouth.
 It doesn’t depend on the performer: it realized through the
process of reading.
 There is little or no variation.
 It does not have problem of authorship.
 Its transmission doesn’t require a face to face
confrontation of the writer with his/her reader.

1.3.2.1. Forms/Genres Of Written Literature
Witten literature exists in drama, fiction and poetry.
 Fiction: the word fiction derived from the Latin word
‘ficto’ which means something imagined and invented.
A. Short Fiction: parables, fables, tales, fairy tales, mystery
stories and the modern form of short fiction.
B. Long Fiction: generally refers to the novel. Novel can be
epistolary, historical, pastoral etc.
Element of literature especially for fiction:
1.Setting: refers to the time and the place in which it occurs.
2. Character: the person presented in dramatic or narrative
work, which are interpreted by the readers as being endowed
with moral and dispositional qualities.

Element Of Fiction /Literature
It can be: Major (protagonist), Minor ,Static ,
Dynamic and Virtuous character:
3.Plot: is the arrangement of incidents in a work of fiction.
 It develop through the interaction of characters.
 Exposition/introduction: provide background
information
 Raising action (complication): introduce conflict,
inciting incidents. The conflict is intensified.
 Climax: highpoint of interest in the story
 Falling action (denouement): conflict in a literary work
ends .

Element Of Fiction
4.Conflict: is the struggle between opposing
characters in a work.
• Internal: takes place between two contending
forces in the mind of hero.
• External: takes place between character and
external body/ force.
• Basically conflict has forms : Person Vs person,
Person Vs self, Person vs nature, Person vs society,
Person vs technology.
5.Theme: is the central idea of the story. It is also the
authors insight about the human nature that is
conveyed through characters plot and imagery

Element Of Fiction
6.Style: ways of writing a text.
8. Symbol: a word /object that sounds for another word
or object. Symbol can be
Universal/International e.g. Balance is symbol of
justice and red cross is symbol of first aid ,
Customary Symbol e.g. wearing black dress for
Ethiopian is the symbol of grief where wearing white
cloth is for happiness, individual symbols)
7.Point of view: is an angle in which the given story is
told, who tells the story and how the story is to be told.
 It can be: First person and Third person point of view
(omniscient and limited)

1.3.2.1.Genre Of Written Literature
1.Short story:
 It is a short realistic factious narrative in prose.
 Anecdotes, fables, fairy tales, and parables are all examples of the
oral storytelling tradition that helped to shape the short story
Characteristics of short story:
 Length: Edgar Allen Poe suggested that it takes 30 minutes to two
hours to read.
 Subject: focus on a single subject or theme. Berhanu (2009)
 'In medias res': take place in a single setting and begin 'in medias
res', which means 'into the middle of things' in Latin. Melakneh
(2006) generally stated short stories tend to begin and end abruptly,
with little to no prior information and no major lapses in time.
 Limited number of characters: typically focus on just one or a
couple characters. Examples : 1. 'Canterbury Tales': Geoffrey

Genre Of Written Literature
2.Novel: “ it is a ficitious narrative in prose usually of
sufficient length to fill a volune, protying characters and
situations from real life.” Castel’s Eng. Dictionary as cited
in Melakenh (2006) it can be:
• Epistolary novel eg. Balu girma’s novel “Oromaye” ,
Detective novel: stories elate the solving of a crime,
Science novel: “Dertogada” and “Rhamataharwa” by
Yesmake Worku , Psychological novel: love affairs
culture and historical novel, Detective novel, Spy novel
and Bibliographical novel etc.
Examples; “KILL ME QUICK” by Ngugi 1963

Novel
2.“THINGS FALL APART “ by CHIUA ACHBE
 the fundamental concept of beginning of African Literature.
A. Characters and Characterization
• Okonkwo: the hero and major character of the story of things fall
apart.
• Unoka: Okokwo’s father died with no take tile, and heavily in debt
man
• Okoye: Okokow’s father best friends.
• Ogubefiudo: a respected elder in the village of Umofia.
• Ojiugo: Okonkwo’s second wife
• Ezeudu: an old man in the village
• Ekwefi: Okonkwo’s daughter whom he loves very much than his

Novel
Obierirka: Okonkwo’s truthful friend and a foil
character in the story.
Uchendu: Okonkwo’s mother’s younger brother lives
Mbanta and welcome Okonkwo’s from his exile to
mother relatives land and now the eldest surviving
member of the family.
The missionaries: Mr. Brown, and Mr.Smith
B. Setting: Nigeria,1958,Igbo,Eastern Nigeria
C. Conflict:
 Nigerian traditional government and the British
government
Okonkwo and his culture society is also another
conflict.

Novel
D. Themes:
Part one: states introduce the unity of Umufia’s ,with their social,
cultural and political organizations, religious festivities etc.
and the growth of a tragic man called Okonwo.
Part two: deals Okonkwo’s exile to another land because this
crime committed against his god and society.
Part three: deals with Oknkwo’s return from exile to his original
home land and the charge done by whites bin his land.
The major themes: the struggle between change and tradition and
varying interpretation of masculinity, and language as a sign of
cultural difference.
The minor themes: Alienation and loneliness, change and
transformation, fear, family life in Africa, sin , religion, and
gender.

3. Poetry:
 It derived from the Greek word ‘’ poiein’’ meaning to make.
 Poetry is” the best words in the best order” S.t. Colerdige
 “It is the spontaneous overflow of powerful fillings” William
Wordths Worth
Type of poetry
 Written poetry is lyric and narrative poetry and poetry also can be
oral and written.
 Oral poetry : Milig poems, school poems, funeral poems, hunting
and collecting poems, harvesting oral poems, friends etc.
 Written poetry : A. Lyric : a fairly poem dealing with thoughts
and feelings of a single speaker.
B. Narrative: a poem tells a story

• In general narrative and lyric poems are:
• Epic: is an extended narrative poem, which a heroic subject matter
and them, and an exalted tone. E.g. the divine comedy by Dante
1320
• Romance: love affairs poem, ballades , Humerious
• Elegy : is any poem using the elegiac couplet. E.g. Thomas Gray’s
“A country church yard”
• Didactic: educational poems , Hymn: to praise God , psalms
• Ode: a poem with an elevated, dignified style usually of some
length. e.g. Ode to the Night Gale BY John Keat
• Sonnet : uses systems of metrical structure and verse composition
usually consist of 14 lines, arranged in a set rhyme scheme, and can
be Italian and Shakespearean sonnet/ English sonnet)

Characteristic Element Of Poetry
Berhanu (2009) & Melakenh (2006) stated that poetry as follow:
• Rhyme: is the similarity of vowels or consonants in a poem.
• Rhythm: the regular ness of stress in poem
• Diction: choice of word
• Rhyme scheme: a pattern of rhyme used in poem.
• Figure of speech
• Meter: account of stress when we found rhythm of the poem.
• Syntax: order of word structure.
• Style: the way in which the given poem written.
• Sound effect: exploration of sound that make the poem word
like music.

Characteristic Element Of Poetry
• Alliteration : the repetition of the same consonant sounds in
words together in a poem.
• Example: open here I flug the shutter, when
With many a flirt and flutter from The Raven by Edgar
Allan Poe
• In this extracted poem the sound ‘fl’, ‘t’, ‘n’, and ‘w’ are repeated
in the line one and in line two ‘s’.
• Assonances: the repetition of similar vowel sounds followed by
different consonant sounds.
• Example :the word ‘base’ and ‘fade’ and the word ‘young’ and
‘love’ are example of assonance. This line is especially musical
because of its assonance:
• Thou foster child of silence and slow fire. From Ode on a
Grecian urn by Jhon Keat

Example of Poetry With Analysis
Mother –to-sun
Well,so I will tell you:
Life for me ain’t not been crystal
stair
It’s had tacks in it
And splinters
And board turn up,
And places with no carpent on the
floor bare
But all the time
I’se been A climb in ‘on
And reach in land in’s
And turn’s in corners,
And sometimes going in the
dark
Where there ain’t been no tight
So boy, don’t kinder hard.
Don’t you fall now
For I’se still climb
And life for me ain’t been no
crystal stair

• Example for poetry with analysis:
Mother –to-sun By : Longston Hughes
• The poem implies biological connection and love affection. And it is
about mother and her son and a mother give advice for her son. In
The 1st line is a command and instruction is used, Line 2 shows life
form has difficulty, line 3 shows life is full of challenge, line 6
indicates null empty, economical status, line 8 indicates she was
working hard ,line 10 show in every direction she was working( she
did not choose a job),line 11depicts sometimes life is dark,line12
she is veer, line 13 indicates that she said to her son please be
hopeful and be strong ,line16 and 17 even though I have a bad
experience I am working hard. The structure of the poem is
conversational ( the conversation b/n mother and son.
• it is free verse because it is written by vernacular language/ every
day speech. The message of mother advise her son and life is full of
challenge/easy.

4. Drama:
• Drama is a story without teller; in its character act out
directly
• Aristotle called it is “imitate such action as we find in
life”.
• It is the form of art that is meant to be performed before
an audience.
• Dram is form of literary work tells a story through the
words and actions of characters.
• According to John Dryden as cited in Melakneh (2006)
drama is a lively image of human nature representing its
passions and humors and change in the fortune to which it
is subjected for delight and instruction of mankind.

• Tragedy
• Comedy
• Tragic-
comedy
• Melody
• The presence of
spectators
• Performance through
dialogue and action
• Immediacy effect
• Appeal to both the
literate and the illiterate
• Impersonation of
characters and action
Drama
Feature Of Drama Type of drama

A. Tragedy: is a complex long history of art depicts
the real life of the society connected with many
obstacles.
Aristotle divided tragedy drama in to three:
• Ancient: plots structure: beginning, middle, and
end)
• Elizabethan (Shakespearean) : existed in 16th -19th
C, has a tight plot, and the main focus is on the
major character.
• Modern: it is emerged in 19th C , social,
economic, and political realty of the society display
Type Of Drama

Basic feature of tragedy drama
• Focuses on serious issues of the society
• Action incident are done in the play are
serious attached or connected to the society
and long consistent.
• Has the ability of exploring human society
• Tragic flow of the story
Example: Othello by William Shakespeare

Types Of Drama
B. Comedy: happy ending play and humor.
 A less serious kind of drama than tragedy by trivially
inclined poet.
 It is not always funny, nor do things always end absolutely
happily, but the resolution is brighter than in tragedies.
Feature of comedy :
• Focus issues that have no immediate solution
• Characters involved less adventurous action
• Concentrated culture and customs
• Has variation and Lose plot
• Use simple language and Characters doesn’t fight last.

C. Tragic comedy: its is the mixture of the two ,combines both
serious and comic moods. e.g. THE BEAR by Chekhor.
D. Melody Drama: A dramatic form that does not observe the laws of
cause and effect and that exaggerates emotion and emphasizes plot or
action at the expense of characterization. It broadcasts programming
from Melody Drama as well as local Canadian content.
Example of drama: “Bones”
Characters are: BUTCHER: meat seller, Kanubhai: a Hindu trader,
DONGO: health inspector, A woman and girl
• Setting: the action is takes place in Kenya, Nairobi, specifically in
the butcher shop. The drama is east African play.
• Theme: licensing is the not guarantee the quality of service.
• Major theme: Corruption damages the health of
society/community.
Types of Drama

1.4. Functions of literature
Literature:
• reflects the various experiences, ideas, passions of
human beings
• develop human’s feelings, ideas, and interests.( Khatib,
Rezaci,&Derakhshen, 2011).
• give significant contribution for students’ development
and knowledge.
• Literature of power: means that literature as power to
move the heart and mind of the readers. (Berhanu,2009)
• Literature of knowledge: has function to teach. It means
that literature gives particular values, messages, and
themes to the readers.

Functions Of Literature
• The contribution of literature in education covers intrinsic values
and extrinsic values.
 The intrinsic values are the reward of a lifetime of wide reading
recognizable in the truly literate person while
 the extrinsic values facilitate the development of language skills
and knowledge (Van, 2009).
• It is used as an innovative technique of teaching and even some
institutions of education design a literature program and put the
literature as compulsory subject
• It helps to attain pleasure and knowledge.
• It fosters student’s personal development.
• Help to know other disciplines because in literature there is
culture, philosophy, language, sociology, gender,
advertisement, science, politics, ideology psychology , and
social reform.

• Literature is the ultimate enabler, the ability to
communicate, interact and be understood and plays a
critical role in children's lives now and in their future
• Lazar (1993) stated the following reasons for using
literature in language class room: literature :
 exposes students to complex themes and fresh,
unexpected uses of language
 is inherently authentic and provides authentic input for
language learning ,
 promotes cultural and intercultural ,and
 Expanding students’ language awareness,

• is good for extensive and intensive reading
• can develop sociolinguistic and pragmatic
knowledge as manifested in communicative
competence models.
• is rich with innumerable authentic tokens of
language for the development of reading, writing,
speaking and listening skills ,
• is a good medium for critical thinking
enhancement among language learners. (Lazar
1993; Ghosn 2002; Langer ,1997; & McKay,
2001).

2. Describe The Models Useful For Literature In
Language Teaching?
Using literature in language classroom is one
basic need for the benefit of the students:
to understand another culture,
 is stimulus for language acquisition,
 develop students’ interpretative abilities, and
 enjoy it and it is fun, highly valued and has high value,
expand language awareness and encourage to talk about
their opinions and feelings. ( Lazar,1993).
• So, Different models suggested on the teaching of
literature to ESL/EFL students : Language, cultural and
personal growth model.

2.1.Cultural Model
• Cultural model is seen as a means of transmitting
important ideas and feelings, also sometimes universal, in
the target language, and as a way in which students
encounter a wide variety of words and expressions.
• Students learn about their culture and ideology.
• Carter &Long (1991) stated that, within this
model, the focus is on language as a cultural
artifact, requiring learners to investigate a literary
text from social, political, literary and historical
perspectives.
• Literary texts provide a very real sense the vehicle for
culture.

Cultural Model
• The settings, characterizations, situations, and
assumptions which literary texts embody offer the
students with manifold opportunities for raising
awareness of difference and for developing
tolerance and understanding.
• Literature is “one of the most obvious and valuable
means of attaining cultural insights” (Scott, 1964
as cited in Khatib, Rezaci &Derakhshen, 2011).
• Literature keeps cultural and artistic heritage.
• This approach tends to be quiet teacher-centred
and is very traditional.

Cultural Model
• Literature can be viewed as a product of historical
and social circumstance, as a representative and
revealing artifact.
• Texts can thus be used to engage and motivate
learners and provide more ready and deeper
connections with target cultures. (Lazar, 1993)
• In the EFL class, a selection of texts may thus be
employed as an integral part of a cultural course, to
aid intercultural understanding, or the cultural
analysis may conversely be derived from the
chosen text(s).

Cultural Model
• In this model, literature is an ideal vehicle for
presenting the cultural notions of the language such
as the history, literary theories, theory of genres,
biography of the authors (Carter & Long, 1991;
Lazar, 1993)
• Literature enables students to understand and
appreciate cultures different from their own.

Cultural Model
• Through this model students learn about a culture
and ideology other than their own.
• it helps to the students go beyond the lexis to
other components of a nation .( Padurean ,2015)
For example: if there is an extract text from the love
until grave ( ፍቅር እስከ መቃብር) in a student text book
a certain grade level. They will learn about the
culture of Gojjam people, the culture of the church,
and the monastery.

2.2.The Language Model
• The focus of the language model is psycholinguistic.
• Teachers may choose to focus on how language is
used within a given text.
• A literary text may be used to provide exemplars of
particular grammatical points and/or lexical items.
• Teachers may ask students to engage in stylistic
analysis of the text, though this may be best reserved
for more advanced students.
• It is based on the idea that literature provides a rich
repertoire of contextualized linguistic features.

THE LANGUAGE MODEL
• Among the suggested benefits of the language model
are :
the expansion of vocabulary;
increased reading fluency;
enhanced interpretive and inferential skills (due to
dealing with texts of increased complexity and
sophistication); and
 exposure to a greater variety of language (lexis and
syntax) due to the use of ungraded, authentic texts
(Widdowson, 1979).

The Language Model
• In selecting a given text, it is of then the language
teachers’ wish to reveal what was thought but so
well expressed, or in other words to confront
students with example of good use of language.
• The focus is the way language is used, how
linguistic forms conveyed literary meaning, and
going beyond the literary interpretation of the
lines.
• In The language model Students are supposed to
develop their language through some of the varied
creative uses of the literature language.

The Language Model
• this model mainly considers literature for language
development and awareness purposes.
• The main aims are based more on learners and
activities.
• In this model the aesthetic aspect of literature is
achieved only through the linguistic and dis-
coursal quality of literature (Lazar, 1993
For example: if there is a poem in a certain text book
the students will able to develop different language
aspects like vocabulary skills, reading skills and also
the able to develop speaking skills.

2.3. Personal Growth Model
• It is more student center.
• It is model has the potential to meet the aims of the first
two models.
• Its aim is to motivate the students: to read by selecting
themes, to a large extent, related to their own personal
experience.
• It is sometimes anti-analytical and many describe its
purpose as alone of reading literature in order to make
the text their own.
• Students are also encouraged what they read for
themselves and distinguish the merits of the works they

Personal Growth Model
• The personal growth model offers a more student-
centered approach to literature study.
• The purpose is:
 to use literature as a vehicle to educate,
to promote critical awareness, and
to have students assess, evaluate, and discuss issues
within the text and provoked by the text.
• Examples could include reader-response activities
(Rosenblatt, 1938) that personalize the reading
experience, or reactions to a text that help connect
reading to students’ lives (Showalter, 2003).

Personal Growth Model
• This model is used in different contexts, but is
particularly well suited to :
the developing language learner reflecting on
development through childhood and adolescence, and
the high school and undergraduate university classroom.
• When the students interact with a literary text, it usually
involves a deeper level of mental processing, a greater
personal involvement and response.
• It is based on students' engagement with literary texts.
Students learn via literature how to appreciate and
evaluate cultural artifacts.

3. The Major Criteria Used During Selecting Creative
Text For Language
Lazar (1993) stated the following reasons for using
literature in language class room:
• It is vary motivating
• It is authentic material
• Cultural/Intercultural Awareness and Globalization
• Expanding students’ language awareness
• Intensive/Extensive Reading Practice
cont..

• Sociolinguistic/Pragmatic Knowledge
• Grammar and Vocabulary Knowledge
• Generally, helps in Language Skills፡ literature is rich
with innumerable authentic tokens of language for the
development of reading, writing, speaking and
listening skills .

Ways of using Literature in the language classroom
(Hill ,1986 ; Lazar ,1993) suggest the following
ways:
• A language-based approach: integrate the
language and literature syllabuses more closely.
• Literature as content: literature itself is the content
of the course, the social, political and historical
backgrounds to a text; literary genres and
rhetorical devices, etc.
cont…….

Ways Of Using Literature In The Language Classroom
• Literature for personal enrichment: Literature
encourages students to reflect on their own
personal experiences, feelings and opinions.
• Stylistics in the classroom: Stylistics has two main
objectives:
• firstly, to enable student’s to make meaningful
interpretations of the text itself;
• secondly, to expand students’ knowledge and
awareness of the language in general.

Criteria Used During Selecting Creative Text For Language
Lazar (1993) said that texts are selected for their
importance as a part of a literary canon or traditions.
• Selecting and evaluating a text/ material focuses three
area:
• The type of the course you are teaching(the linguistic
and stylistic level of the text)
• The type of students who are doing the course(the need
and the ability of the students)
Certain factors connected with the text itself.
cont….

Criteria Used During Selecting Creative Text For Language
• Selecting a literary text for a language classroom requires
a number of considerations.
The major Criteria’s for choosing a creative text:
• Light of the text
• Exploitability of the
text
• Fit with syllabus
• Length of the text.
• The students cultural background
• The students linguistic background
• The students literary competence
• Availability of the text
• The texts should have intellectual
merit

Criteria For Selecting Creative Text
1. The students’ Cultural Background :
the student’s cultural background and their social and
political expectations will help or hinder their
understanding of a text (Lazar 1993).
Many students may have a strong sense of curiosity
about another culture and enjoy studying its literature
because they believe it reveals key insights about the
society.
When we considering this factor, think about how far the
students’ cultural background and the social and political
experience will help to hinder their understanding of a

2. The Students’ Linguistic Proficiency:
 a study of literature indicates also contributes
greatly to development of linguistics competence.
 Hill (1986) sated that it is grammatical and lexical
ability of a reader.it embarrasses four major skills
involved in language process and two sub-skills.
 Teachers should select the text of literary works
with in students’ language proficiencies

2. The Students’ Linguistic Proficiency:
Lazar (1993) stated that you might need to ask yourself
questions like:
• Are students sufficiently familiar with the usual norms of
language use to recognize when these are subverted?
• How much of the language in the text will students be able
to infer?
• Will students find it useful and enjoyable to study the text,
or will they feel demotivated by the difficulties of the
language?
• Even if the language is difficult, will students be
motivated by other factors to study the text?
• Finally, ask whether the text is to specialized in its

A slumber did my spirit seal,
I had no human fear,
She seemed a thing that could not feel,
The touch of earthy years,
Nomination has she now, no force,
She neither hear nor sees,
Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course;
With rocks, and stones, and trees
By William Words Worth
• The above extracted poem, consist of two stanzas. There is an
overall meaning beyond what the linguistic structures simply. This
deep or literary meaning drives from how the poet controls the
language creatively. The poem also has a powerful emotion impact,

Criteria For Selecting A Creative Text
3. Light of the Text: how the text is easily
understand by the student.
4. Exploitability of the Text: how the text is exploit
by the learners. Lazar (1993) stated the following
questions:
• What kinds of tasks and activities can you devised
to exploit the text?
• Are the resources available to help you exploit the
text ? Like films, recorded material (poem and
plays etc.

Criteria Fore Selecting A Creative Text
5. Fit with syllabus: the texts must have correlation with
the literary text in it.
Lazar (1993) ask the following questions to check whether
the text fit with syllabus or not:
• How does the text link with the rest of syllabus?
Thematically? In terms of vocabulary, grammar or
discourse?
• Can you devised tasks and activities for exploiting the
text which link methodology you have used elsewhere in
the syllabus?

Criteria For Selecting A Text
6. Length of the text: the other is length of the text
matters most for choosing a text to mean a text has short
literary aspect can easily understand by the students.
In length of text Hill (1986) points the basic criteria to be
kept in mind while choosing a literary text as follow:
• The needs and abilities of the students
• The linguistic and stylistic level of the text, and
• The amount of background information required for a true
appreciation
• The vocabulary and sentence structure of the short to be
studied must be suitable to the level of the students.

Criteria for Selecting Creative Text
Lazar (1993) stated that in length of text we should ask
ourselves:
• Do you have enough time to available to work on the text
in class?
• How much time do students have to work on the text at
home?
• Could you use only part of a text, or an abridge version of
it? if so how much background information will you need
give students to make the text intelligible?
7. Availability of the text: is the text beneficial or available
to the text book and the students. According to Lazar (1993)
we must focused on: The kinds of the book and texts are
available from the text we choose.

4. Choose Text Containing Stories Of Literature To Teach The
Basic Skills And Sub-skills Of Language, There By Evaluate It In
Terms Of Approporacy And Relevance.
4.1. Quick book evaluation
• Title of the book: English for Ethiopia student
text
• Author(s): Wagaba William(PhD), Tarekegn
Mekonnen, Fekadu Mulugeta, and Baruli Magoba
Matia
• Publisher: Published By Federal Democratic
Republic Ministry of Ethiopia
• Level: Grade five

Quick book evaluation
Title of the book English for Ethiopia student text
Author(s) Wagaba William(PhD), Tarekegn Mekonnen, Fekadu Mulugeta, and Baruli
Magoba Matia
Publisher Published By Federal Democratic Republic Ministry of Ethiopia
Level Grade five
Overall aims/approach Language based approach use in this book
Type of text used Poems Short stories Pictures
Skills/language area
which book will help
to improve
Reading, vocabulary,
writing
Reading , writing,
vocabulary
Listening and speaking,
and some images
develop writing and
reading skill
Strength of material Cultural, literary, and
linguistically and other
aspects fit with student
background, fit with
skills, the light and
length is also good.
Cultural, literary, and
linguistically and
other aspects fit with
student background,
fit with skills, the
length, light and
themes of the text is
More descriptive and
able to visuals the
text.
Present in more
understandable
manner.

Poetry Short stories Pictures
Weakness of material Lacks speaking and
listening skill
related with literary
texts , some lacks
vocabulary skills, it
has also shortage of
the resource to
exploit the text.
To some extent it
Lacks speaking and
listening skill, and
some texts are
challenge students
capacity
The book lacks
stories since the text
include only images
separately.
Some of the texts
are not visual
easily.
Suitability for my
students? Yes/no
(please give reasons
It is suitable to the
student b/c it is
short and
thematically fit with
them. The student
can do the activities
genuinely since
there is clear
instruction
student b/c most of
the stories are
fables, and some
are also narrates
good story and fit
with their linguistic
, cultural,
student because it
teach by picture.
Attractive pictures
and understand
clearly
Quick Evaluation Of The Book

Evaluated Texts
Evaluated the Poems in the Text,
A.Title: Game and Fame page: 14
B.Title: “ The Sun is High up in the Sky” Page :64
C.Title : Life page 157
Evaluated of Short Stories and Fables/ fairytale's
A.Title : The Animal Leader page 26
B.Miau the Shoplifter page 48
C.Title : The Gate Casher page 64
D.Title: Antelope and the Lion page 85

EVALUATED TEXTS
E.Title: Ahemed’s Day page 127
F.Title: A Boy Falls Sick page 159
G.Title: Why Ostrich Cannot Fly page 171
H. Title: Fenaye and the Hyenas page 174
I.Title: Why Cock Crows page 177
4.4. Evaluation of Pictures
• The pictures in this text book are attractive
and the students can able to understand
simply and the activities from the picture are
able to improve speaking and listening skills.

4.2. Over All Evaluation Of The Book
Criteria Level
Excellent V.Good Good adequate Poor
Suitability of approach for your students 
Suitability of level for your students 
Relevance and interest of text chosen 
Variety and appropriateness of tasks and
activities

Staging and grading of tasks and
activities

Opportunities for student participation
and personalization


Over All Evaluation Of The Book
Excellent v. good Good Adequate Poor
Linguistics guidance (glossaries,
exercise etc.)

Cultural /literary/historical
background provided

Clarity of instructions 
Fit with syllabus 
Exploitability of the text
Length of the text 
Availability of the text 
Intellectual Merit of the text 
Layouts and designs 

1.Aim and Organization
• The overall aim of the books is to teach grade five students about
language skills and sub-skills.
• The approach mainly used : language to text and language is used
and it is also suitable for the situation.
• The general outlook on this book in terms of organization: the text
organized by order of difficulty it starts from very difficult and it
starts with simple to complex from the beginning to the end
chapter.
• Thematically, it is good that is literary texts in the book teaches
about different things etiologically, socially and educationally and
the language in literary text as well as the fit students linguist
competence.
• We can say that the units develop self-confidence but it lacks
something because most of the activities are lack speaking skills
tasks.

2.Materials and Activities
• The text generally used pictures, short story and poem.
• In my view this text are interesting and relevant to the student but
in terms of variation that is not extremely good. The tasks and
activities sufficiently varied, interesting and relevant to students.
• The students given sufficient linguistic guidance with the
language of the text, for example, vocabulary exercises, glossaries,
etc. And the activities are varied but those are not that much
enough and have similarity specially focus on reading, vocabulary
and writing skills.
• Students given adequate cultural ,historical or literary background
information to make sense of the texts : the students have cultural,
historical and literary background to make sense to understand it
easily but the text does not extremely attached the culture of
Ethiopia at all.
• The text helps to encourage to related material with their own lives

3.Instructions and Layouts
• The instructions are put in clear and precise manner that
are easily understandable to the students.
• The layout is good and color full that makes the student
attracted in the book and clear to understand.
• There are pictures, photos, diagrams, etc. to supplement
the texts. When we see the picture, diagrams and the
colors of the text are well organized and put in more
understandable manner. But , in some of the literary texts
in the book ,there is no image.

4.Accompanying Resources
• Teacher also has a chance to give sufficient guidance in
how to use the book when the students do the activities in
both the book itself and in a teacher’s book.
• Recorded materials are available to accompany the book
especially on teachers’ text which helps to support
students’ text book to do the activities(listening).
• The book is used by students working on their own by
putting a sample examples to help them.
5. Suitability for Class/Group
• As a teacher, the teacher use this book with your students
in different context and it is suitable to teaching grade five
student.

GENERALLY,
• grade five text book is circumstance different
literary texts (poems, short stories and literary
pictures) in it.
• Linguistically the text is based on the student’s
language background except some few texts,
• literary it is focuses on literary background of the
students literary competence all the stories are fables
so fables are children’s story and the poems are also
childish stories,
• culturally that is not highly related Ethiopian student
culture(school culture) but they have a relation too (
but the text have a chance to be presented different
cultures of Ethiopia),

• when we see the light, exploitability and the length of the
text it is good and the literary texts are also fit with
syllabus of the curriculum of the text book.
• The text generally devised different tasks to improve and
develop students’ language skills; the vocabulary activities
are also capable by students’ capacity.
• But in my opinion the text have a chance to incorporate
different cultural aspects of the country to make the
students cultural idealist of their country, the literary text
in the text special poems suitable to teach speaking skills
and listening skills interchangeably.
• And the text should have a chance to incorporate literary
text (proverbs, riddles, extract from children stories,

Literature is a mirror of life !

Literature in Language Teaching

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