Shima Ghiabi - Tabriz University, Aras Campus, Iran

The study aims to investigate learners’ perceptions on the use of a novel as main material in a college EFL reading course. For this purpose, fifty Iranian EFL students read and received instructions on an unabridged short novel for one semester. A pair of questionnaires was used to measure students’ perceptions and attitudes prior to and after the novel class. In addition, three open questions were offered to obtain gains and obstacles of the novel reading class. T-test analysis were used and findings revealed that there was a significant improvement after reading the novel in students’ attitudes, confidence, interest and their own novel reading ability however, they suggested to read the novels according to the theme that they preferred. The result of this study are of pedagogic significance to EFL teaching in that they present how well a novel was received in an EFL Advanced reading class.

novel, main material, novel reading, college EFL reading