Why literature (still) matters: Finding, adapting and using literary texts in the EFL Classroom
The first session starts with the question why literature is (still) relevant in times of digital multimedia information and entertainment. It reflects on the various functions of literature, e.g. as a medium of identity formation, cultural memory and/or as social criticism, thus underlining the sociocultural significance of fictional narratives.
Having established why literature should be read and studied, the subsequent classes focus on strategies of selection, adaptation and, most importantly, use of literary texts in various teaching contexts. Excerpts from literary pieces ranging from “classics” to multimodal digital texts will be presented so that participants receive guidance and hopefully inspiration for their everyday teaching practice. A clever combination of the written word, visuals and videos might be the key to transforming classrooms into places where literature serves as a source of inspiration and creativity.

By the end of the seminar participants will
• be familiar with arguments in favour of providing a literature-rich learning environment.
• have explored and evaluated strategies of how to pick motivating and possibly multimodal literary texts with a view of using them in blended learning scenarios.
• be supplied with teaching resources aimed at different age groups and levels which they can put into practice right away.

Assessment strategy
-regular participation in class
-submission of best practice samples of work
-a 100 minute in-class assessment