The Coalescent World of Literature and English Language Teaching

The focuses of the current study was to assess what is literature and why literature isimportant to study and the effects of literature on teaching English for second language.Bearing this in mind, the emphasize will be placed on the use of literary texts as a way ofachieving meaningful learning and enhancing students’ knowledge of English as a foreignlanguage and on how textbooks do not support this perspective nor recognize itsimportance, because they follow a communicative perspective of learning a language. Aclose look at literature and language showed that the two are closely related. This closerelationship is obvious because from all indications, literature presupposes language. Thispaper posited that the relationship between literature and language is symbiotic. Therefore,suggested that the relationship should be explored and exploited in order to enhanceeffective teaching and learning of Literature and English Language at the secondary schoollevel, so that the learners would possess high level of proficiency in the use of EnglishLanguage. Alternative suggestions for effective teaching and learning of Literature andEnglish Language were made.

Keywords:

literature , English language , language teaching and learning , symbiotic relationship , foreign language , syllabus , literature