The debate over the place and role of literature in language classrooms has long intrigued researchers and teachers’ interests over the years. Although there is an overall consensus that the teaching of literature in English language teaching (ELT) classrooms can help foster L2 learners’ language skills and cognitive abilities, some researchers have suggested that integrating literature in ELT classrooms should be approached with caution due to EFL learners’ limited language proficiency. In this paper, the researcher reviews previous related studies on the place of literature in the English language teaching (ELT) contexts. The aim of this review is to shed light on this researchers/teachers’ ongoing debate over the place of teaching English literature in ELT. In particular, the review examines how researchers perceive the role of literature and its authenticity in ELT classrooms as stimulating learners’ interests and personal engagement with literary texts, fostering L2 learners’ language skills (particularly their reading and creative writing skills), and enhancing their critical thinking skills and strategic processing of texts. Furthermore, the review covers issues related to how the integration of literature in language classrooms should be carefully task-designed and assessed.
Given the scarcity of studies looking into EFL student translators’ difficulties and strategies revealed in tasks involving translation of English idioms, this study inspected both the translation problems and strategies reported by Saudi university students majoring in English translation when translating English culture-bound expressions and idioms into Arabic. To achieve this aim, the researchers recruited a random sample of 90 Saudi female students to complete a 30-item translation test that required written translation, followed by a short self-devised questionnaire. Validity and reliability for both study instruments were established by test-piloting and translation verification checks. The various translation strategies used by the participants were categorized according to existing strategic processing frameworks developed by Baker (1992) and Newmark (1998). This study revealed how the process of translating English idioms posed some difficulties for most of participating student translators. In particular, two main translation problems were observed: unsuccessful attempts to achieve item equivalence into Arabic, and inadequate knowledge of strategic translation. Moreover, the study reported a variety of five main translation strategies (paraphrasing, partial equivalence, omissions, use of precise English expressions, and total equivalence) being used in the test. Drawing on the study findings, some pedagogical implications and recommendations were presented and discussed.
This study aimed to explore the relationship between reading self-efficacy and perceived use of reading strategies among Saudi EFL senior high school female students. With a correlational research design, the study data were collected by administrating two questionnaires: The Reader Self-Perception Scale (RSPS) questionnaire adapted from Henk & Melnick (1995), and the Survey of Reading Strategies (SORS) adapted from Li & Wang (2010). The two instruments were administrated to 90 Saudi senior high school female students randomly selected from three different public schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis to determine the relationship between self-efficacy and EFL learners’ perceived use of reading strategies. The study findings revealed how Saudi senior high school students possessed more low and moderate levels than high levels of reading self-efficacy, and that metacognitive processes were the most frequently used strategies among cognitive and compensation strategies. In addition, a positive relationship between students’ reading self-efficacy and perceived use of reading strategies was detected. Pedagogical implications of the study findings and its recommendations were presented and discussed.
There is no doubt that the rise of the Greek drama, as evident in the classical writings of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, had left a predominant impact on the Elizabethan writings of comedies. However, it was the tragedies that stood supreme. Yet, their appeal to the mass Elizabethan audience for their brutal images displayed on stage would not have been emotionally captivating had it not been for the Roman classic works of Ennuis and Seneca which paved the way for an era ever destined for genius minds in the theatrical world. Imitated by the Italian and French literary works, the Senecan tragedies, in particular, had indeed inspired the Elizabethan theatre, for they were widely modeled by some great Elizabethan dramatists. Hence, this paper is an attempt to revisit the historical writings of Seneca and observe his artistic vision of staging tragedies as adapted and projected in Thomas Kyd's The Spanish Tragedy.
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