EFL TEACHERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE LITERATURE COURSES TAUGHT AT THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT OF KASDI MERBAH UNIVERSITY- OUARGLA

Abstract

A number of studies were carried out to investigate the impact of using literature in English language teaching. These studies reached some significant findings that can be used to deal with the possible impact of literature. In the Algerian context of EFL, teachers have got their worries about teaching literature. Among these worries were whether Algerian students are equipped to handle literature and whether EFL teachers are capable of managing such a course. The present paper comes to shed light on EFL teachers’ attitudes towards literature and their perception of the used strategies. Most teachers at Algerian universities were optimistic about the effort put forward by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, and were willing to contribute towards the success of the new LMD curriculum. To continue the efforts made so far, this study is seen as a vital step to revisit and evaluate the situation of the literature courses taught at the English Language Department of Kasdi Merbah University. This is an important effort as a follow-up to see how teachers are currently adapting to the literature courses after the new LMD syllabi of literature were first introduced. Through a twenty-four item questionnaire designed by the researchers and in the light of the data gathered from the respondents, the Department’s teachers support the use of literature in the EFL curriculum and emphasize that literature has a great role in enhancing the teaching learning process. As the findings of the questionnaire suggest, teachers of literature at the English Language Department have showed their willingness to help their students in understanding and interpreting literary texts. The questionnaire has also revealed that some aspects in the new syllabi of the literature courses could be reconsidered and reviewed in order to introduce new teaching approaches.