Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume 13. Number1. March 2022 Pp. 211-239
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no1.14
Educators’ Attitudes toward Teaching Western Literature to Saudi University Students
Huda B. Al-Matrafi
Department of Foreign Languages, College of Arts,
Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
Email: dr.hudamatrafi2014@hotmail.com
Received: 11/18/2021 Accepted: 2/16/2022 Published: 3/24/2022
Abstract:
Numerous studies have investigated the issue of teaching in EFL classrooms and the relationship between educators and students; some focus on the pedagogy used to teach English, while others center on students’ attitudes. This study fills an existing gap in the literature on educators’ attitudes toward teaching Western literature in non-Western settings. It surveys educators’ backgrounds and perspectives toward teaching Western cultural, social, and religious issues in Saudi Arabia and identifies which variables influence their attitudes toward teaching Western literature. It examines educators’ goals in teaching Western literature within the Saudi context, in line with the progressive Vision 2030 and the ongoing process of globalization. It investigates the present state of teaching Western literature in the English departments of eight Saudi universities through a mixed-methods approach, analyzing data from a questionnaire completed by 99 educators. This study highlights the significance of teaching Western literary texts in Saudi bachelor (BA) teaching programs. The results yield some valuable pedagogical implications on what Western literature can offer English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) students in Saudi universities. They demonstrate the educators’ positive attitudes toward teaching Western literature in EFL classrooms, believing that it can achieve objectives that transcend the boundaries of language and text. These findings are rewarding in a broader sense and particularly so in this globalized era. Accordingly, this study recommends the teaching of Western literature as a means of bridging the East/West divide, a matter of increasing significance in the current era.
Keywords: EFL classrooms, Saudi Arabia, educators’ attitudes, Western literature
Cite as: Al-Matrafi, H. B. (2022). Educators’ Attitudes toward Teaching Western Literature to Saudi University Students
Arab World English Journal, 13 (1) 211-239.
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no1.14
References
Ahmad, S., Sathi Abdullah, F., & Yunus Ibrahim, M. (2018, August). A Rose by Any Other Name…: Exploiting Any Literary Text in the ESL/EFL Classroom. In Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Proceedings of 1st MEC TESOL Conference.
Alshammari, H. A., Ahmed, A. E., & Shouk, M. A. A. (2020). Challenges to studying English literature by the Saudi undergraduate EFL students as perceived by instructors. English Language Teaching, 13 (3), 8–19. DOI: 10.5539/elt.v13n3p8
Baird, A. (1969). Literature overseas: the question of linguistics competence. ELT Journal, 23 (3), 279–283. DOI: 10.1093/elt/XXIII.3.279
Basnet, & Mounfold. (1993). Literature Reading and Teaching Strategies. London: Macmillan.
Benton, M., & Fox, G. (1985). Teaching Literature: Nine to Fourteen. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bobkina, J., & Dominguez, E. (2014). The use of literature and literary texts in the EFL classroom: between consensus and controversy. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 3(2), 248–260. DOI: 10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.3n.2p.248
Brumfit, C., & Carter, R. (Eds.) (1986). Literature and Language Teaching. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Carter, R., & Long, M. (1991). Teaching Literature. London: Longman.
Clandfield, L., & Duncan, F. (2004). Teaching materials: using literature in the EFL/ESL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, 10(12), 12.
Collie, J., & Slater, S. (1990). Literature in the Language Classroom: A Resource Book of Ideas and Activities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hall, G. (2003). Poetry, pleasure, and second language learning classrooms. Applied Linguistics, 24(3), 395–399. DOI: 10.1093/applin/24.3.395.
Harris, V. (Ed.) (1992). Teaching Multicultural Literature in Grades K–8. Norwood: Christopher-Gordon.
Hussein, E., & Al-Emami, A. (2016). Challenges to teaching English literature at the University of Hail: instructors’ perspectives. Arab World English Journal, 7(4), 125–138. DOI: 10.2139/ssrn.2898620
Khan, M., & Alasmari, A. (2018). Literary Texts in the EFL Classrooms: Applications, Benefits, and Approaches. International Journal of Applied Linguists & English Literature, 7(5), 167–179. www.ijalel.aiac.org.au
Klarer, M. (1999). An Introduction to Literary Studies. Abingdon: Routledge.
Lazar, G. (1993). Literature and Language Teaching. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Lima, C. (2005). Is the rest silent? IATEFL Voices, (186), 4–5. Retrieved from https://associates.iatefl.org/pages/materials/voicespdf/ltskills11.pdf
Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners (2002). New York: Macmillan.
McKay, S. (1982). Literature in the ESL classroom, TESOL Quarterly. 16(4), 529–536. DOI: 10.2307/3586470
McKay, S. (2001). Literature as content for ESL/EFL. In M. Celce-Murcia (Ed.), Teaching English as a Second or Foreign Language (pp. 319–333). Boston: Heinle and Heinle.
McRae, J. (1991). Applying the buzzwords: Literature for language learners. British Book News, 4, 32–437.
Mohanty, A. K. (1992). Bilingualism and cognitive development of Kond tribal children: Studies on metalinguistic hypothesis. Pharmacopsychoecologia. 5(1–2), 57–66.
Moskovsky, C., & Picard, M. (Eds.) (2018). English as a Foreign Language in Saudi Arabia: New Insights into Teaching and Learning English (1st ed.). Abingdon: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315688466
Parkinson, B., & Reid Thomas, H. (2000). Teaching Literature in a Second Language. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
Raithby, K., & Taylor, A. (2019). Teaching Literature in the A-Level Modern Languages Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide to Success. Abindgon: Routledge.
Rovang, P. (1991). [Review of the book Incorporating Literature in ESL Instruction, by H. Sage] Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 13(3), 415. DOI: 10.1017/S0272263100010159
Sage, H. (1987). Incorporating Literature in ESL Instruction. Language in Education: Theory and Practice, No. 66. Prentice-Hall: West Nyack, NY.
Savvidou, C. (2004). An integrated approach to the teaching of literature in the EFL classroom. The Internet TESL Journal, 10(12), 1–6. Retrieved from http://iteslj.org/Techniques/Savvidou-Literature.html.
Scott, V. (2004). Cloze windows and aesthetic discoveries: opening visions for teaching literature. The French Review, 78(2), 278–286. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/25479768
Spack, R. (1985). Literature, reading, writing, and ESL: bridging the gaps. TESOL Quarterly, 19(4), 703–725. DOI: 10.2307/3586672
Tayebipour, F. (2009). In defense of teaching literature to EFL students in the era of globalization. In Zhang, L.J., Ruby, R., & Alsagoff, L. (Eds.) Englishes and Literature-in-English in a Globalised World: Proceeding of the 13th International Conference on English in Southeast Asia (pp. 213–219). Singapore: National Institute of Education.
Taylor, A., & Raithby, K. (2020). Teaching Literature in the A-Level Modern Languages Classroom. Abingdon: Routledge. DOI: 10.4324/9780203731024