The Role of Literature in Developing English Language Proficiency: Methods and Applications

Abbas Razzaq Hameed  Al-Thabhawee; Ahmed Essam Sultan; Ali Kareem Tobick; Tabarek Fadhil Mohemmed; Halla Haider Muhi; Salam Hasan Makki Mutleb Al-Asadi

doi:10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI.277

Authors

Abbas Razzaq Hameed Al-Thabhawee The General Directorate of Education in Najaf Al-Ashraf Governorate, Najaf, Iraq
Ahmed Essam Sultan University of Kerbala, Kerbala, Iraq
Ali Kareem Tobick Al-Mustaqbal University, Babylon, Hillah, Iraq
Tabarek Fadhil Mohemmed Al-Mustaqbal University, Babylon, Hillah, Iraq https://orcid.org/0009-0000-9920-7957
Halla Haider Muhi Al-Mustaqbal University, Babylon, Hillah, Iraq https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9776-3026
Salam Hasan Makki Mutleb Al-Asadi Al-Mustaqbal University, Babylon, Hillah, Iraq https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2169-2045

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63931/ijchr.v7iSI.277

Keywords:

Cognitive Benefits, English Language Learning, Literature, Proficiency

Abstract

Current trends in teaching language stress the idea of developing communicative competence as the goal of language instruction. This implies a knowledge both of linguistic competence and of culturally appropriate behavior. Literature can make an important contribution to the development of cultural awareness. The value of literature for language learning is supported by numerous studies and more recently by linguistic theories which emphasize that language must be viewed both in context and as interaction. The linguistic, cognitive, and affective role of literature as well as the methodological framework within which it can be used is the subject of this article. The characteristics of authentic and simplified literary texts applicable in academic situations and the procedures of implementing them are described in detail. The future of literature and the importance of teacher education are also considered. The overall purpose of this study is to provide sufficient information to make instructional sequences possible. Literature is a recreation of reality for the reader. As such, it can make a significant contribution to the writer's perception of acts, feelings, and reactions which create the human experience, where primary emphasis on interactions with literary texts. Accordingly, it assists in developing a sociocultural, cognitive dimension to language studies by recreating representative pieces of the experience including social mores and individual behavior.

References

[1] Abelha, M., Fernandes, S., Mesquita, D., Seabra, F., & Ferreira-Oliveira, A. T. (2020). Graduate employability and competence development in higher education—A systematic literature review using PRISMA. Sustainability, 12(15), 5900. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155900 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155900

[2] Ahmed, R. A. (2025). Legal developments in the field of human rights in Jordan: An analytical study of national and analytical mechanisms. Al-Biruni Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1). https://al-biruni-journal.jo/details_paper/24

[3] Amanov, A. (2023). Problems in foreign language teaching and solutions for their solution. Журнал иностранных языков и лингвистики. Retrieved from https://jdpu.uz

[4] Appleman, D. (2023). Critical encounters in secondary English: Teaching literary theory to adolescents. TESL-EJ. https://tesl-ej.org

[5] Azzam, Y. Q. (2025, June). The role of social media in shaping the social identity of Jordanian youth. Al-Biruni Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1). https://al-biruni-journal.jo/details_paper/27

[6] Bizami, N. A., Tasir, Z., & Kew, S. N. (2023). Innovative pedagogical principles and technological tools capabilities for immersive blended learning: A systematic literature review. Education and Information Technologies. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-11806-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-022-11243-w

[7] Chung, E., Crosthwaite, P. R., & Lee, C. (2024). The use of metadiscourse by secondary-level Chinese learners of English in examination scripts: Insights from a corpus-based study. International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 62(2), 977–1008. https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2022-0020 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/iral-2022-0155

[8] Greenleaf, C., Schoenbach, R., Friedrich, L., Murphy, L., & Hogan, N. (2023). Reading for understanding: How reading apprenticeship improves disciplinary learning in secondary and college classrooms. John Wiley & Sons.

[9] Grimm, N. M. (2024). Retheorizing writing center work to transform a system of advantage based on race. In Landmark essays in contemporary writing center studies (pp. 119–138). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003571940-11

[10] Herrero-Curiel, E., & La-Rosa, L. (2022). Secondary education students and media literacy in the age of disinformation. Comunicar: Media Education Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.3916/C71-2022-06 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3916/C73-2022-08

[11] Hiver, P., Whiteside, Z., Sanchez Solarte, A. C., & Kim, C. J. (2021). Language teacher metacognition: Beyond the mirror. Innovation in Language Learning and Teaching, 15(1), 52–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1704700 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17501229.2019.1675666

[12] Hussien, A. A. (2025, June). International commercial arbitration in Jordan: Legal framework and practical challenges. Al-Biruni Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1). https://al-biruni-journal.jo/details_paper/25

[13] Karakoç, A. I., Ruegg, R., & Gu, P. (2022). Beyond comprehension: Reading requirements in first-year undergraduate courses. Journal of English for Academic Purposes. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101204 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeap.2022.101204

[14] Korkmaz, S., & Öz, H. (2021). Using Kahoot to improve reading comprehension of English as a foreign language learners. International Online Journal of Education and Teaching, 8(2), 113–130.

[15] Ma, J. (2022). Challenges and strategies facing international students and faculty in US higher education: A comprehensive literature review. GATESOL Journal, 32(1). Retrieved from https://georgiatesoljournal.org DOI: https://doi.org/10.52242/gatesol.122

[16] Membrive, V., & Armie, M. (2020). Using literature to teach English as a second language. International Journal of Education and Social Science Research, 3(5). https://www.researchgate.net DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-4670-3

[17] Murtatha, A. (2025, June). Legislative transformations in the Jordanian Penal Code and their impact on criminal justice. Al-Biruni Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1). https://al-biruni-journal.jo/details_paper/26

[18] Muftah, M. (2024). Impact of social media on learning English language during the COVID-19 pandemic. PSU Research Review. https://doi.org/10.1108/PRR-03-2023-0012

[19] Mystakidis, S., Berki, E., & Valtanen, J. P. (2021). Deep and meaningful e-learning with social virtual reality environments in higher education: A systematic literature review. Applied Sciences, 11(5), 2412. https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052412 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/app11052412

[20] Naveed, H., Khan, A. U., Qiu, S., Saqib, M., Anwar, S., Usman, M., … & Mian, A. (2023). A comprehensive overview of large language models. arXiv preprint arXiv:2307.06435. https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.06435

[21] Nazarov, R. I. (2022). Teaching a foreign language in a technical university. Ученый XXI века. Retrieved from https://cyberleninka.ru DOI: https://doi.org/10.15350/24103586.2022.6.50-53

[22] Roth, J., Sant’Anna, P. H. C., Bilinski, A., & Poe, J. (2023). What’s trending in difference-in-differences? A synthesis of the recent econometrics literature. Journal of Econometrics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconom.2023.105542 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeconom.2023.03.008

[23] Shortt, M., Tilak, S., Kuznetcova, I., Martens, B., & Akinkuolie, B. (2023). Gamification in mobile-assisted language learning: A systematic review of Duolingo literature from public release of 2012 to early 2020. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 36(3), 517–554. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1949720 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2021.1933540

[24] Tawfiq, S. (2025, June). The role of the Great Arab Revolt in shaping Jordanian national identity. Al-Biruni Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1). https://al-biruni-journal.jo/details_paper/31 DOI: https://doi.org/10.64440/BIRUNI/BIR002

[25] Wallace, M. P. (2022). Individual differences in second language listening: Examining the role of knowledge, metacognitive awareness, memory, and attention. Language Learning, 72(3), 745–783. https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12504 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/lang.12504

[26] Watroba, K. (2022). Mann’s Magic Mountain: World literature and closer reading. Modern Languages Open, 1(1), 20–34. https://doi.org/10.3828/mlo.v0i0.352 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780192871794.003.0001

[27] Weiss, L. C. (2024). Using a decision-making process to determine where to relocate a newer dual language program. Journal of Multilingual Education Research, 14(1), 83–102.

[28] Yang, X., Kuo, L. J., Eslami, Z. R., & Moody, S. M. (2021). Theoretical trends of research on technology and L2 vocabulary learning: A systematic review. Journal of Computers in Education, 8(4), 465–483. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-021-00189-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40692-021-00187-8