Orientations in Literature Teaching: Content Digitalization, Homophily, and Statements’ Analysis

Abstract

Teaching Literature to EFL students is a complex problematic. Beyond instruction difficulties, teachers need to account for the global decay of reading. The situation is prevailing worldwide, and Algeria is not exempt from this phenomena. A review of literature teaching approaches, in Algeria, revealed a focus on formal methods that are devoid of in-depth treatment of the problem – despite their originality. For the sake of enhancing the teaching of literature and the reading skill, we elaborated a set of theoretical propositions based on reader response theory, homophily and digital tutorials. We assumed that rare and non-readers’ would change their condition when they are peered with more regular ones. On the ground of the theoretical set, a one shot case study was designed. An experimental course made of lectures and tutorials accounted for learners’ needs and points of interests. The course was followed by a statement analysis test which aims at verifying whether non readers enhanced their reading activities. On homophily, the results were not conclusive: regular readers did not affect significantly the behaviors of non-readers. Nevertheless, an encouraging involvement in online assignments was observed.