The selection of English literary works takes into account the primary stage of education, specifically Forms 5 and 6. In Georgia, three hours per week are allocated to foreign language instruction at this level. One additional lesson is devoted to supplementary materials. The material is introduced and explored gradually, following a series of preparatory stages. These include an initial assessment of the students’ general level of English through various types of tests, oral communication, and independent activities, as well as active communication and collaboration with the class teacher and parents regarding students’ socio-emotional development and any other individual needs. Following an assessment of the students’ proficiency levels, particular attention is paid to the selection of materials that are accessible, appropriate, and manageable for all learners. As the material is introduced, any general or specific difficulties encountered by students are addressed systematically and progressively.
The selection of literary works is carried out in collaboration with the students. For example, a clip from a film or animated adaptation of a work by an English or American author may be shown, together with an interesting illustration from the book, the original edition, and relevant information about the author. Reading materials are primarily selected through a question-and-answer process. Students may be asked, for instance, which book their favourite film, comic, or animated production was based on. Selection may also be conducted through a majority vote or other participatory methods. The selected works, as authentic materials, are made available to students both electronically and in printed form, ensuring that all learners have access to supplementary reading resources.
The study of a selected author’s work is conducted progressively and incorporates a range of activities, including the viewing of audio-visual materials, brainstorming, role-play, puppet theatre, and other interactive tasks. In many cases, students themselves propose and develop creative activities. For example, they may create crosswords incorporating newly learned vocabulary and organize competitions based on these activities. They may also prepare visual resources and describe and characterize them using newly acquired lexical and grammatical structures. With the support of artificial intelligence, students create video resources based on specific passages from the selected works and combine them with their own pre-recorded audio materials, among other activities.
It is important that all activities are designed to foster critical and creative thinking, expand students’ vocabulary, facilitate the acquisition of grammatical structures in a natural context, develop reading and listening skills, enhance creativity and awareness of the English language, and familiarise students with the culture, traditions, and history of the respective country. At the end of each unit, students create a learning resource, with parental involvement also encouraged. Examples include creating an illustrated foreign-language dictionary, illustrating a story they have read, producing a comic strip, or developing an online resource. In this context, particular attention is also given to opportunities for intercultural dialogue.
The material covered and the newly acquired vocabulary are consolidated and assessed through individual, pair, and group work, primarily in a question-and-answer format, as well as through online resources such as Quizlet and digital flashcards. A range of teaching strategies and interactive methods is also employed, including ‘Exit Tickets’, ‘Bloom’s Flower’ , ‘Flipped Classroom’, ‘Reader’s Theatre’ , the ‘Segmented Method’, and ‘Comics’ , among others. Depending on the learning objectives and students’ needs, these methods are incorporated at different stages of the teaching and learning process.
Thus, the incorporation of English literature as supplementary material into the teaching and learning process, with the aim of enhancing language acquisition, while remaining within the requirements of the National Curriculum and maintaining an appropriate level of difficulty in accordance with the materials used at school, contributes not only to students’ linguistic development but also to their interest in additional reading. More specifically, it fosters an appreciation of literature and encourages the development of a lasting interest in literary works.
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