Prose fiction in language teaching

Journal of Education and Practice www.iiste.org
ISSN 2222-1735 (Paper) ISSN 2222-288X (Online)
Vol.5, No.25, 2014
Prose Fiction in Language Teaching
Shittu Kelani Okunade Ph.D
General Studies/Communication Education Department,
Federal University of Technology,Minna, Niger State
Abstract
Literature is language in use and is generally seen to play a vital role in language teaching. Literary texts provide
us with much aesthetic, intellectual and emotional pleasure in that the writer often seeks to delineate their vision
of human experience through a creative, emotive use of language. In essence literature serves to enhance the
students’ language competence. This paper examines the relationships between language and literature. This is
demonstrated with several prose texts with a view to show their pedagogical relevance to students’ language
needs. In the conclusion, it is emphasized that the link between language and literature which had been ignored
in the past should now be exploited for the development of students’ performances in the target language.
100
Introduction
In recent years there has been an upsurge of interest in the use of literature in the language classroom.
Many writers stress the benefits of using literary texts as the basis for imaginative, interactive and discussion
activities. But the unfortunate thing about the assertion above is aptly expressed by Williams (1990:5);
The common ground between literature and language teaching has not been sufficiently exploited. The
learner’s mastery of the sound system can be enhanced through practice with the stress, rhythm, and
rhyme in poetry, and with dialogue in drama. His use of vocabulary, idioms, and syntactic structure can
be improved through exposure to the best model of contemporary prose, fiction and non-fiction.
Contemporary language teachers have note exploited the interrelationship between language and
literature because of their erroneous impression that language teaching method is designed to promote the correct
and appropriate use of language in a variety of situations through the practice of one kind of language skill or
another. Their belief is that English should be taught using “authentic texts” for specific purposes. Even today
most English language teachers’ use “content-based instruction”, which means primarily that texts used to teach
language come from fields other than literature. Perhaps, language teachers are not mindful of the fact that
literature can be linked for purpose of mutual reinforcement is necessary to stem the trend of poor performance
in English in Nigeria today. This trend of unsatisfactory level of English language performance in the country,
coupled with the increasing importance of English language in the nation’s day-to-day activities has been noted
with concern by scholars (Jubril & Freeman, 1984; Williams, 1990). With this situation, all those concerned with
the education task need to find means of solving the problem. The need for an eclectic approach to the teaching
of English has therefore been suggested by Williams (1990). Williams believes that alternative choices rather
rigid adherence to one particular method will go a long way in improving learners’ performance in the language.
In a second language situation in which an integrative approach is to be adopted, the task of choosing a
text is basically of crucial importance to the success of any attempt to utilize literature for acquisition and
development of language skills. Several criteria must be taken into consideration during the selection of text to
be read. Crucial among the criteria is readability of the text especially if prose fiction is the genre to be used as in
this attempt. Included in the things to look for under readability are the nature of syllables of words in the text,
familiarity of words, sentence length, grammatical complexity, multiple meaning of words and so on. This
particular criterion would be used depending on the level of attainment of the learners. Another important
consideration is the learner’s background. The content of the text should reflect the culture and experience of the
learners. This will enable the learners to bring their experience to bear on what is to be read and consequently be
able to respond actively to the text in class. In addition, the literary quality of the text should be taken into
consideration. By this, we mean that the text selected should have literary qualities such as the use of figure of
speech, folklores of the people, and all other element of literary work.
Prose Fiction in the Language Classroom
Literature (poetry, drama and prose) essentially focuses on human experience expressed in language but
the obvious link between language and literature is the fact that whatever experience or idea that is expressed in
first or second language. Literature is expressed in what Williams (1990) described as “exemplary language”.
This gives literature the quality or practical value of enabling the learner to see language in its best use, learn
about it as well as use it. To offer learner this opportunity, literature teachers should not ignore the link between
the two subjects. They should be mindful of the fact that prose fiction, like poetry or drama, is an avenue that
provides examples and models of language in a variety of situations. Care, however, should be taken in the
selection of texts to be used for the teaching of language as not all prose texts have much to offer.

Vol.5, No.25, 2014
101
Demonstrations
Attempt shall now be made in how prose can be brought into the teaching of fluency, summary writing,
vocabulary development, punctuation, comprehension, adjectives, figurative use of language, etc. Passages (texts)
shall be carefully selected from familiar texts like Achebe’s Things Fall Apart; Okpweho’s The Last Duty and
Elechi Amadi’s The Concubine.
Demonstration I: A text from Okpewho’s The Last Duty – pp 4-5
The text is extracted as shown below and copies made available to learners:
Every town must have a few people whose name lend respect to the community. They should be the
town’s foremost citizens, men of some distinction. It isn’t that these are the first men to be called to
arms when a fight ensures between their towns and another – no that’s a thing of past. There are
occasions when credit or endowments are to be bestowed on towns, when what a town gets depends
who its foremost citizens are, so that when the name of such and such a place comes up, it is generally
asked, “who is there”? A town is worth nothing if it has no names on whom its very credit hangs. I am
one of those very few names that mean anything here in Urukpe. Everybody knows that – or should.
When the federal troops liberated this town over three years ago, the first thing that the commander
wanted to know was who the elders were. Of course my name could not have been left out after that of
the Ototo of Urukpe, our big chief. When the present commander took over about two years ago, he did
the same thing. They were both certain that the success of their commands here depended on their being
accepted by people like me without whom this town would be nothing. I am a big man, and there is no
question about it even if I am a big man, and there is no question about it even if I have to say so over
and over. I have made my mark in the rubber business in this town and in this State. This town has
people like me to thank for whatever notice it has achieved today, and if any army commander knows
what’s good for him and for his army, he had better get well attached to me. Recognition must be given
where it is due, and that goes without any question if therefore anything happens to people like me that
might detract from the position in which we are held; no sacrifice should be too great from any body in
this town to ensure that we keep our place, that we maintain our position. Every citizen has to pay, and
even the army commander has to recognize that he should do something to ensure that the very
foundation on which his success here rests is not undermined. Great names are rare, and must not be
wasted that is why I have not hesitated to recommend a citizen here for detention on charges of
collaboration with the rebels, and then suborned another citizen to draw up the details of the indictment.
For I felt that Mukoro Oshevire stood in my way. And that again is why I have not hesitated to seek
carnal pleasure with his forlorn wife.
The above can be used for various language activities by the literature teacher.
a. Students are asked to read the extract carefully and to decide what the attitude of the speaker is
b. Group discussion of the character’s attitude or opinion of himself is made
c. Teacher and the class examine the extract to pick out ways of expressing attitude.
d. Teacher tells the students to read the extract again and then write an essay about the character’s
opinion about himself.
e. The teacher tells the students to write about their attitudes to the character etc.
Activities (a-c) involve reading and discussion; (d-e) reading leading to writing.
Questions may be formed to test students’ understanding of the extract and some words may be
underlined and students asked to substitute for them in the passage. Such words may include: foremost,
distinction, bestowed, liberated, detracts, rare, collaboration, suborned, etc. While doing this, the teachers may
also seize the opportunity to teach the use of the dictionary.
Demonstration II: An extract from Achebe’s Things Fall Apart – p. 1
Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid
personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen, he had brought honour to his village by throwing
Amalinze the cat. Amalinze was the great wrestler who for seven years was unbeaten, from Umuofia to
Mbiano. He was called the cat because his back would never touch the earth. It was this man that
Okonkwo threw in a fight which the old men agreed was one of the fiercest since the founder of their
town engaged a spirit of the wild for seven days and seven nights. The drums beat and the flutes sang
and the spectators held their breath. Amalinze was a wily craftsman, but Okonkwo was as slippery as a
fish in water. Every nerve and every muscle stood out on their arms, on their backs and their thighs, and
one almost heard them stretching to breaking point. In the end, Okonkwo threw the cat. That was many
years ago, twety years or more, and during this time Okonkwo’s fame had grown like a bush fire in the
harmathan. He was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave him a very severe look.
He breathed heavily, and it was said that, when he slept, his wives and children in their out houses
could hear him breathe. When he walked, his heals hardly touched the ground and he seemed to walk

Vol.5, No.25, 2014
on springs, as if he was going to pounce on somebody. And he did pounce on people quite often. He
had a slight stammer and whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough, he
would use his fists. He had no patience with unsuccessful men. He had no patience with his father.
The extract above is chosen because it presents learners with a particular aspect/skill of written English.
This is similar to Tominson’s modeling approach. The extract demonstrates vivid description of a popular
cultural even common in the setting of the novel from which the extract is taken.
102
Activities
a. Students are given copies of the extract and are asked to read it.
b. They are asked to say whether they engage in similar activities in their own areas of the country.
Students are given the opportunity to say how wrestling is organized in their own areas.
c. Teacher together with students discuss Achebe’s style of description, how he has created a vivid
image of the contest in the mind of readers.
d. Students are asked to write a description of the duel between Amalinze the cat and Okonkwo in
their own words. They should avoid copying the extract.
e. Adjective used aptly for the description of people and incidents in the extract could be pulled out
and taught. Examples include: young/old, great, fiercest, wily, tall and huge, bushy, wide, severe,
slight, unsuccessful. Some of the adjectives could be used to teach antonyms young/old. Some
others could be used to teach comparison of adjectives: great, fiercest, tall, wide, young, old, etc.
great, greater, greatest
fierce, fiercer, fiercest
wide, wider, widest
young, younger, youngest
old, older, oldest etc
f. Use of figure of speech could be taught with the extract: metaphor (Amalinze the cat, walk on
springs, etc); simile (… as slippery as a fish….. grown like a bush fire) and personification (…
drums beat and the flutes sang…).
g. Students are then asked to write a description of wrestling contest in their own areas making use of
relevant adjectives to make their description vivid.
The type of approaches stated above are within the reach of senior secondary students, write-ups can be
compared with the original and the differences in relation to spellings, punctuation, forms of words, can be used
as basis for the discussion of students’ problems in oral or spoken English.
Conclusion
The paper has tried to argue that despite the fact that literature deals with matters of human concern, it could also
be used to teach students about the second language and its uses. The paper does not advocate that the essence of
literary studies, which is shared experimental value between the creative artist and the reader, should be
relegated for language teaching but the link between language and literature which had been ignored in the past
should now be exploited for the development of students’ performance in the target language.
References
Abdul, S. (1998). “Exploiting poetry texts in English language teaching”. In FAIS Journal of Humanities. Vol. 1,
No. 1. Aug.
Achebe, C. (1958). Things Fall Apart . London: Heinemann Educational Books Ltd.
Freeman, R. & Jubril, M. (1984). English language teaching in Nigeria higher education. London: British
Council.
Okpewho, I. (1976). The Last Duty. Essex: Longman Group Ltd.
Shittu, K. (1997). “Developing communicative competence in students: the place of classroom discussion in
literature”. In TAMBARI, Kano Journal of Education, vol. 4, No. 1.
Tomlinson, B. (1983). “An Approach to the teaching of continuous writing in ESL classes”. ELT Journal 37(1).
Williams, D. (1990). English Language Teaching. Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd.

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