Investigation of Teachers’and Students’Views towards the Role of Using Literary Texts in Developing Cultural Awareness in the EFL Classroom

Abstract

Owing to a remarkable revival of interest in literature as one fundamental area of language, the present study aimed at investigating the use of literary texts from the perspectives of both English foreign language teachers and learners and the key role they play in developing cultural understanding. The present research work focused on two assumptions. First, it is assumed that literary texts can play a major role in developing learners’ cultural awareness. Secondly, teachers of literature target developing learners’ analysis skills together with vocabulary. To this end, the data are collected by means of two research instruments, namely a questionnaire and an interview. Out of a population of 254 students, the questionnaire was handed to 50 LMD students of English at Mohammed Seddik ben – Yahia, Jijel University. However, the interview was conducted with a teacher of literature. The analysis of the research findings confirmed the afore-stated assumptions of the current study. Based on the results obtained, pedagogical implications and recommendations for further research are suggested