The Impact of Teaching English Literature on EFL Sudanese Secondary School Students

Abstract

The present study aims to investigate the impact of teaching English literature on secondary schools in improving the students standards in English language. The study is carried in Kosti Municipality at the White Nile State. The data were obtained by two instruments; a questionnaire for teachers and a test for students. The test was given to two classes from the second level in Kosti AlGadida secondary school for girls and their number is (80) students for the academic year (2016/2017), while (30) English language teachers from secondary schools in Kosti Municipality responded to the questionnaire. From among them (20) were males and (10) were females. The researchers adopted the descriptive analytical and the experimental methods so as to show the impact of teaching literature in enhancing the standards of secondary school students in English language and in developing reading and writing skills. The data were analyzed by using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The basic hypothesis was that teaching literature in secondary schools helps in developing the students' standards in English language. The results of the study confirmed that teaching English literature in secondary schools leads to the development of students' standards in English language. Also it enhances their mastering of both reading and writing skills. Thus, the study recommends that teaching English literature should be started from the basic stage. It is also recommended that students of secondary schools should be encouraged to read English literature inside and outside classrooms. Moreover, literature books should be available in all libraries of secondary schools.