A Case for Literature in the Malaysian ESL Programme

Abstract

Literature in the ESL classroom is a much talked about subject. There is evidence that ESL teachers are looking for new ways and means (perhaps using old materials in the case of literature) to add a ‘dimension of depth’ (editorial ETF Vol. XXIII No. 1 January 1985) to ESL programmes in many parts of the world. No fewer than six articles published in the above mentioned issue of the ETF deal with the use of literature in the classroom. Three of them discuss the use of poetry, two talk about teaching literature to ESL students at the tertiary level, and one discusses using children’s literature to teach ESL to young learners. This alone shows the great potential there is in literature; it is an inexhaustible resource which can be used in almost any ESL programme.