Using ICTs to Enhance Students Motivation in Reading English Literature

Yaqot Elbechir

doi:10.11648/j.allc.20180302.12

Abstract

Teaching English has become more challenging than ever. A storm of change is moving in the pedagogy of English language teaching (E. L. T). The new Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have played a great role in promoting ELT. This paper aims to investigate to what extent the use of visual aids, for example (animation videos, pictures, films, audio clips and projectors) can be a motivational tool in enhancing students’ interest in reading literary texts in order to improve their motivation and language skills. To achieve the aim of the study, a mixed-method approach consisted of observation and questionnaire was used to collect the required data. Therefore, an experiment was carried out with a sample group of 60 Master 1 students at Chlef university where two groups were taught in different ways. The analysis of the data indicated that majority of students had positive attitudes for the use of visual aids to read literary texts. Also, observation by the researcher showed the use of visual aids during the lecture was effective. The use of the ICT tools enhanced the students’ motivation to enjoy the lecture processes better and to achieve the lecture goals higher. The study concludes that the use of visual aids enables the students to engage closely with literary texts. That suggests that literature taught by visual aids helps to enhance students’ creative and critical thinking skills. Therefore, this study proclaims that teachers changed their attitudes as well as the students had positive attitudes for the use of visual aids, the lecture processes would be more interesting and creative.

Highlights

Considering the increasing difficulty teachers of literature encounter today, following a decreasing interest in reading books, there is a need to motivate students, which Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) resources can help accomplish
The participants in group A were taught a literary text with the use of ICTs while group B were taught the same literary text without the use of ICT tools in order to answer the research questions
The teacher put up on screen the poem through slide shows accompanied by its corresponding painting. This widely simplified the poem for the learners who seemed more interested in learning such literary text. Another ICT tool used by the teacher was an audio version which was played where the poem was recited by the native speaker

Summary

Introduction

Considering the increasing difficulty teachers of literature encounter today, following a decreasing interest in reading books, there is a need to motivate students, which ICT resources can help accomplish. In the Algerian English context, where English is officially stated and taught as a foreign language learning English, leaning literature is not easy This difficulty arises because learning literature in English as a foreign language class always poses many language and cultural obstacles. Learners find it difficult to comprehend literary texts well. In the present context of technology and information era, traditional mode of teaching seems monotonous and in most of the universities across the country, literature is taught traditionally where the teacher is the only one involved in explaining and talking for one hour or more leaves the class.

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion