MAKING A WRITING CLASS MORE INTERESTING THROUGH A STORY

The purpose of this presentation is to demonstrate how ELT/ EFL/ESL classes can be made more interesting and thereby more effective to enhance the language skills. Still a decade ago unfortunately language and literature were segregated into two separate areas of study. But the fact is that they are like two sides of a coin. If language is the body, literature is its soul. Both cannot exist without each other. The segregation of literature from language teaching only made it more mechanical, boring and thereby less effective.

Invigorating ELT with literature is possible in multiple ways. The experience of teaching literature and language at University of Sirte for the past five years has formed the basis of the views and proposed paper. Literature is a vast body of texts written in various genres, which have been accepted as having a universal appeal beyond the barriers of time, spaces and cultures. One such genre which has a universal popularity is the short story. The short story is a flexible genre of literature which can be used for teaching various language skills to all levels of students.

Some practical exercises based on a use of a short story will be presented using audio-visual aids. The objectives of teaching regarding language will be the four language skills of Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing to Undergraduate students. The main focus will be on developing the skill of Writing which students find to be most difficult task in EFL/ESL contexts.