The role of literary texts in enhancing lexical competence

Аннотация

This article explores the benefits and strategies of using literary texts as a tool for improving lexical competence. Developing and expanding lexical competence is an essential component of language learning and can lead to improve reading comprehension, writing proficiency, and overall communication skills. Key words: lexical competence, language teaching, literature, literary texts, strategies Language is a vital tool that allows people to communicate and interact with one another in their everyday lives as a communication medium. As English is used in every part of contemporary society, mastering the language has become essential. In the main spheres of the twenty-first century, English is therefore utilized as a worldwide language. In order to help language learners in developing the four abilities of speaking, reading, writing, and listening, English language instructors use a wide range of strategies. Literature has been frequently used by English teachers to support their students’ vocabulary growth and educational goals. In this regard, using literary texts to teach and acquire vocabulary is an effective tool for both vocabulary acquisition and instruction. Literary text is one of the most important source of information and is considered the main type speech activities, contributing to foreign language learning. It is a potentially worthwhile source to help learners with language development, cultural improvement and personal growth. Carter defines literature as “a body of written texts, produced by a culture and highly valued within that culture over a period of time” [1]. The incorporation of literature in the language classroom has always been debated because of its linguistic difficulty. However, the integration of literature into language classrooms dates back to over two decades. Since the late 1970s, literature has gained popularity as a tool to assist language learners in making significant improvements in their development of language ability. On the one hand a number of researchers postpone using literature in language learning because they are of the opinion that literary texts cannot be understood unless learners become linguistically competent. On the other hand, several researchers support the inclusion of literature in language learning at all levels for fostering linguistic fluency. According to Ellis and Brewster, literary texts allow teachers to introduce or revise new sentence structures and vocabulary [2]. Teaching vocabulary should serve the development of the four language skills. Ghanbari and Marzban mention that vocabulary can lead the learners to be more confident in utilizing the language [3]. Vocabulary plays a significant role in language learning, and lexical competence is an important component of language proficiency. Limited lexical knowledge can lead to 85 XXI CENTURY RENAISSANCE IN THE PARADIGM OF SCIENCE, EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS frustration and demotivation in language learners. Vocabulary acquisition is a core element in language mastery and is essential for developing communicative competence. Research has shown that vocabulary is a stepping stone to high-level language skills and that a lack of vocabulary knowledge can be an obstacle to language learning. Lexical competence refers to the ability to understand and produce words in a language. It is an essential aspect of both linguistic competence and communicative competence, as it enables individuals to effectively convey their thoughts and ideas through language. Lexical competence includes not only knowing the meaning of individual words but also understanding how to use them in context. Literary texts are imaginative and creative writings. The invented language in these works opens unlimited opportunities for language instructors to choose suitable materials for their students. Mart explains that “literature is a rich source of meaningful input for language learners, and it is useful to enhance language proficiency” [4]. Teachers can benefit from the ‘rich source of meaningful input’ of literature in their material adaptation. Lao and Krashen present the results of a comparison between a group of students that read literary texts and a second group that read non-literary texts at a university in Hong Kong [5]. The group who read literary texts showed improvement in vocabulary and reading. Three activities can be added to “The Wisdom of Solomon,” to help students to acquire more vocabulary. These activities are related to form, meaning and use respectively. A. Complete the word form chart below. The first word has been done for you. Remember that some words do not have all forms. Participle Adjective Noun Verb speaking speakable speaker speak There can be as many words as the instructor thinks necessary but not too many so as not to make students lose interest in the activity that should be included in every story. This activity helps students to learn more vocabulary, and it also teaches them