Teachers's views on the role of literature-in-English in English language teaching : a case study of one senior secondary school in Manzini.

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation into the utilization of Literature in English in the teaching of English as a second language in Swaziland schools. The study makes use of Swaziland’s English teachers’ opinions to gain insight into the role played by Literature in English in the teaching of English as a Second Language, with both being school subjects. After drawing a sample of 10 teachers of English, and using open-ended questions to collect teachers’ views on the stated phenomenon, the study found that Swaziland teachers are for the teaching of English as a Second Language using Literature in English. It also attempted to gain insight into what teachers thought of Literature in English being allocated the status of optional subject, and how prepared the same teachers were with regard to using Literature in English to teach English as a Second Language themselves. The study was framed within an eclectic mode of inquiry, in which Literature was regarded as one of the possible methods of teaching. Based on the eclectic research framework, the study adopted this research approach to find what the concerned teachers thought of the role Literature played in their teaching of language. The findings presented mixed feelings regarding the teachers’ preparedness to use Literature in English in teaching English as a Second Language. The discussion of the findings offered a theoretically oriented discussion of the findings based on a content analysis method to analyse the gathered data. The responses gathered also demonstrated that teachers are reluctant to endorse Literature as an optional subject in schools, thus suggesting, by inference that it may be included as a compulsory subject. Upon drawing conclusions, the study formulated recommendations with regard to the role that Literature may play in the teaching of language, particularly from a teacher perspective. The recommendations culminated with suggestions for further study in related contexts and knowledge fields.