An Investigation into the Integration of the EFL Literary Component in Algerian Secondary School Education: Realities and Perspectives

Abstract

Literature is widely recognized as a rich source of authentic material that can be used by language teachers at all learning levels and for several intents. Despite its potential, this resource is still relegated to oblivion in some educational settings, mainly in English as Foreign Language (henceforth, EFL) secondary school classrooms. Many researchers attribute the marginalization of the literary component in language classrooms to the scarcity of studies on its effectiveness. Accordingly, the present study seeks to investigate the incorporation of the literary component of the English language in the Algerian Secondary School education. More precisely, it aims to assess both the quantity and the quality of the literary texts within the secondary school English textbooks and to determine the theoretical orientations of the tasks accompanying these texts. Moreover, it seeks to gauge stakeholders’ perspectives towards integrating literature in the secondary school education. The study adopts the interpretive research paradigm, using three distinct research instruments, namely: textbooks analysis, questionnaires and interviews. For the analysis of results, a mixed methods approach was employed. The findings indicate that the literary component is underutilized in the secondary school education. This is evident from the limited number of the literary texts present in the three English textbooks, which feature outdated topics, restricted objectives, and stagnant language that do not align with the learners’ language aptitudes. Moreover, the majority of secondary school educators and inspectors hold positive perspectives towards the integration of the EFL literary component, signaling a consensus that supports moving forward with incorporating more literature. The study; therefore, suggests incorporating suitable literature into the curriculum, balanced with cognitive and affective learning goals, as a strategic bridge to more complex literary works at the university level.