The use of literary adaptations in teaching foreign languages

Authors

  • Romina Cariaga Universidad del Comahue, Centro Universitario Regional Zona Atlántica (CURZA), Monseñor Esandi y Ayacucho - Viedma - Rio Negro (8500)

Abstract

This paper analyzes the dilemma of whether or not to use adaptations of literary texts as pedagogical resources in EFL teaching at the secondary level. This presentation stems from a theoretical framework, which describes some of the various forms of rewriting and analyzes, from both a social and literary perspective, the most frequently used mechanisms of adaptation; as well as the informative function it plays in the field of education. In particular, this work takes Genette´s, Soriano´s and Lefevere´s contributions. Secondly, it shows the results of a survey to a group of teachers on the place of literature in their classes and the reasons for that place. The results of the survey led to a debate initiated at the forum of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language on adapting or not literary texts for their use in the EFL class. The conclusion proposes breaking with the elitism based on the supposed quality of readings and comes up with the using of adaptations as the possible starting point of the path towards reading the original text.

Keywords:

rewriting, adaptation, hypertextuality, education