The Students’ Perceptions of Using Literary Materials in The Classroom. How Should the Teachers Do It?
Keywords:
Students’ Perception, Literary Material, EFLAbstract
This study explores Indonesian EFL students’ perceptions of literary works as classroom learning materials. While the literature has shown that literature enhances language skills such as reading comprehension, writing, and cultural awareness, limited research has examined students’ views on how literature should be taught. Data were collected from 35 university students through structured interviews and were analyzed thematically. Results indicate that students strongly prefer stories, especially short stories, over poems or drama texts due to their accessibility, familiarity, and engaging narrative format. Reported challenges include difficulties in interpreting implicit meanings, following complex plots, and understanding figurative language. Students emphasized the importance of teacher preparation and suggested structured activities across pre-reading, while-reading, and post-reading stages, including multimedia use, class discussions, role play, and extensive reading. Findings highlight the critical role of teachers in creating enjoyable, culturally relevant, and skill-oriented practices. Integrating stories into EFL classrooms can foster reading habits, critical thinking, and speaking skills.
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