ABSTRACT
Literature provides students with valuable authentic material which speaks to fundamental human issues that transcend time and culture. Through reading rich literature, students gain familiarity with different linguistic forms, uses, and conventions of the written mode. Furthermore, literature incorporates a great deal of cultural information and can give learners insight into the country of the target language. Extensive reading increases learners' receptive vocabulary and facilitates transfer to active forms of knowledge. Literature also provides a rich context in which to study lexical and syntactic structures and serves as an excellent prompt for oral work. Finally, literature engages students on a personal level. Connecting with literature enables learners to shift the focus of their attention beyond the more mechanical aspects of the language system and inhabit the world of fiction. The study of literature is one of the main activities of the secondary ELA classroom; however, most teachers feel unprepared to teach these challenging texts to ELLs. This chapter will provide activities that will allow ELL students to engage in the study of literature.
