Teaching English as a foreign language in Spanish secondary schools: The value of literature

Abstract

Although it is generally accepted that literature plays a critical role in our lives by helping us reflect on ourselves and the world, still it is one the most underrated subjects of study in schools, especially when it comes to its use as a tool for the teaching of English language in the EFL context. In spite of the references to literature in the curriculum of the different courses of the Spanish ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education) and Bachillerato (Baccalaureate) included in the BOE (Official State Gazette), reality in the classroom shows that literature is relegated to a nearly non-presence. The main goal of this classroom narrative is thus to reflect upon the current situation, as well as to underline the relevance of literature as a tool to teach EFL in Spanish secondary schools.