From my own observation one of the challenges in the EFL class( English as a foreign language) is connected to teaching reading skill. It is widely acknowledged that reading is an enabling skill that allows access to a whole array of contexts, contents and information. " Teaching of reading in a foreign language environment has been connected to a more or less stable paradigm for the past thirty years. However, with the move to online instruction caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, certain taken-for-granted axioms about the teaching of this skill have come into question." Dr Gabriel Diaz Maggioli ( IATEFL President)
What do we have in the English class? Short artificial texts and dialogues. We mostly use intensive reading, with shorter texts that are followed by grammar and vocabulary tasks. We don't incorporate extensive reading ( reading for pleasure). There is no authentic literature taught because literature is not included in the curriculum, it is not tested in the national exams, teachers are not well equipped with necessary tools to teach reading and thus, students are taken away from the wider opportunities to access the world through texts. This kind of reading deprives students from thinking critically and creatively, thus not developing one of the most important qualities for a person- imagination which in itself helps our students be kind and sympathetic and understanding.
Method and Innovation
I decided to incorporate teaching and learning reading through authentic literature. I bring into the classroom such literary works as "The adventure of Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain, "The Selfish Giant," by Oscar Wild, " Romeo and Juliet," by William Shakespeare, “ Daddy Long Legs" by Jean Webster, “Jane Eyre” by Charlotta Bronte.
I incorporated this approach on all levels of teaching . I incorporated technologies as 21st century student and the classroom is unimaginable without it. I support my teaching through such tools as Padlet, Slido, Canva, mentimeter , rendeforest and Kahoot. And these tools really enhance the motivation and engagement of my students in the learning process and it improves overall productivity . My students love to create the book's characters' social media sites and also create their blogs where they put the so called complex tasks they are assigned for homework, such as podcasts, essays, poems, letters to the authors and so on.
By incorporating extensive reading in the EFL class students really become better readers, learn more vocabulary in a natural way, improve overall language skills and become more motivated to read and develop learner autonomy. Reading authentic texts really improves my students’ imagination and creativity.
Transferability:
By incorporating reading lessons in our school’s curriculum for English as a foreign language , I created a sustainable course for teaching English through authentic literature . We use the same curriculum for various classes, however, I redesign and adapt them to students’ needs and interests. I share this curriculum with other EFL teachers of my school and teachers from other schools, as I conduct workshops and webinars for them about teaching and learning English with extensive reading with the help of authentic literature.
Teaching and Learning Setting
Innovation Dimension
Education Sector