The menagerie of literatures: a renovating stance on incorporating literature in EFL classes based on ‘the Paper Menagerie’ by Ken Liu

Abstract

The integration of literature in English Language Teaching (ELT) has been a contentious issue although it is commonly accepted that literature caters to a whole bunch of opportunities for foreign language teaching. The aim of this study is to point to the idea that incorporating literature into ELT classes can direct foreign language classes into more innovative path as it fosters language development with both traditional and digitally-supported communicative activities designed to develop critical thinking abilities, creativity and learner autonomy. In this regard short stories, with their privileges due to their reader-friendly length, creativity in language use encompassing refined literary elements, and the wide range of subjects they deal with offer many opportunities. In this study to link the theory with real life experiences step by step, following the critical considerations about literature, language and meaning construction, text-selection and the methodology, possible applications based on the short story called The Paper Menagerie by Ken Liu are suggested. Activities encompassing all the phases of reading process are developed to help teachers to overcome potential difficulties in collaboration with their students while creating a classroom atmosphere based on negotiation. The article concludes that reflective teachers, starting to develop their own understanding of literature, language, meaning construction and reading, enable their learners to experience the authenticity and creativity of this valuable source when forming an identity as an independent reader of literature in the second language. Literature holds many opportunities to renovate language classrooms to keep up with the 21st century improvements.