Abstract:
With ten years of learning English as a second language at schools it
has not become a reality for the university undergraduates in Sri Lanka that they
become proficient in English. The exam-oriented studies of the present Sri Lankan
educational system which was derived from the British colonial rulers encourages
and also develops a textbook culture which would promote communication in
English. In order to maintain international contacts, to use it in education,
science, medicine, engineering, technology and business, and to lead a modern
life, there was a need for Sri Lankans to study English. Therefore, experts of
English language teaching have to find possible methods to teach it successfully in
order to make the students perform their activities well in English. There was a
time when it was felt that teaching of any language cannot be divorced from its
literature. It is assumed that literature would arouse interest among the adult
learners of English. The present study is to find out the possibilities of using
literary texts to promote effective language learning at university level focusing on
developing writing skills. The paper analyses how pieces taken from English
literature and literature in English could be used in classrooms teaching English
for Specific Purposes in order to motivate adult learners to become proficient in
General English in the first phase. The study was conducted using questionnaires,
interviews with the students, lecturers and administrators. Five workshop sessions
were conducted at different intervals during the three-month study. The researcher
was able to record the students’ involvement in the learning process from their
written performance. The paper analyses and proves qualitatively how the students
improved in their proficiency through teaching of literature.
