The Impact of Short Stories on English Language Learning

Abstract

In a world prevailed by technology and different interactions between individuals and societies in every domain, there is an increasing necessity to acquire and speak foreign languages and chiefly English which is the language of global communication. In order to fulfil this need, different techniques and methods which appear to be based on very different concepts of what language is, and how a language is learned, each one assumed as to be the most efficient, have been implemented. One broadly argued technique is teaching language through literature, because it can play a decisive role in developing the understanding and interpretation of cultures. This present paper focuses on the role of the use of literature as a popular technique for teaching English by stressing the role of short stories in teaching foreign language, and their contribution in enhancing both basic language skills (i.e. listening, speaking, reading, and writing,) and language areas (i.e. vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation). To conduct this research work, two questionnaires were administered; one to first and second year English master literature students, and the other one for literature teachers at the department of letters and English language at Belhadj Bouchaib University Centre in Ain-Temouchent to know the attitude of the learners and teachers toward the use of short stories in teaching and learning English. The results showed that the use of this literary production can be effective in enhancing all aspects of the language, and it is a valuable tool to save time and energy since it is a direct method and does not require any other re