Exploring Language and Literature: promoting Reading in the EFL Classroom through Young Adult Novels

Abstract

[eng] This Master's dissertation explores the potential of incorporating engaging literature into the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom in Spanish secondary school contexts. The initial sections discuss the significance of literature in language learning due to its connection to culture to improve students’ cultural awareness and critical thinking. The proposal intends to engage in the use of authentic literature in contrast to adapted literary texts through three specific Young Adult (YA) novels: R.J. Palacio's Wonder (2012), Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (2005) and Stephen Chbosky's The Perks of Being a Wallflower (1999). Each novel is introduced, read and analysed in the assigned school term implementing a Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) approach based on putting together a final project. The content of it mainly focuses on the novels' themes of self-discovery and belonging, which resonate with teenagers. Moreover, the essay culminates on diversity and how to address it in the classroom. By the use of engaging texts, this paper intends to improve the overall learning experience fostering not only language development but also personal growth