This study explored pedagogical practices in teaching literature in Tanzanian secondary schools, focusing on instructional strategies, materials, and challenges. It involved 352 participants, including 340 students and 12 teachers from six schools in Chalinze district. Data were collected through interviews, focus groups, and observations, analyzed thematically. Findings revealed the use of translanguaging, group discussions, role play, presentations, and narrations. Teachers relied on printed materials and technology. Challenges included a shortage of books, low student motivation, poor English proficiency, and a lack of professional literature teachers. The Tanzanian government provides in-service training to improve teaching practices.
AbdalaJ. (2024a). Perspectives and practices on using Swahili to teach and learn English in Tanzania’s secondary schools. International Journal of Multilingualism, 1–21. https://doi.org/10.1080/14790718.2024.2312887
2.
AbdalaJ. (2024b). A qualitative approach on the instructional materials used in teaching and learning of English Language in Tanzania's secondary schools. Heliyon, 10(14). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e34129
AdhikaryR. P. (2020). Teaching literature for undergraduate students at Tribhuvan University, Nepal. International Journal on Studies in English Language and Literature, 8(4), 26–30. https://doi.org/10.20431/2347-3134.0804004
5.
AlblolyA. M. (2020). Implications of oral presentation for fostering learners’ autonomy: A case study with Saudi learners majoring in English as a foreign language. International Journal of English Language Teaching, 8(2), 1–12.
AlterG.RatheiserU. (2019). A new model of literary competences and the revised CEFR descriptors. ELT Journal, 73(4), 377–386. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccz024
8.
AryD.JacobsL. C.SorensenC.RazaviehA. (2010). Introduction to research in education (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.
9.
AtekE. S. E.IsyakuH.NazriL. A. M.HazliY. M.JijianaA. N. (2021). Approaches to the teaching of English literature preferred by students in selected Malaysian secondary schools. ЖурналСибирскогофедеральногоуниверситета.Гуманитарныенауки, 14(3), 396–407. https://doi.org/10.17516/1997–1370–0729
10.
BloemertJ.JansenE.van de GriftW. (2016). Exploring EFL literature approaches in Dutch secondary education. Language, Culture and Curriculum, 29(2), 169–188. https://doi.org/10.1080/07908318.2015.1136324
11.
BobkinaJ.RomeroE. D.Sastre-MerinoS. (2021). Literature and language education: Exploring teachers’ views on teaching foreign language through literature in bilingual secondary schools in Madrid (Spain). AILA Review, 34(2), 145–186. 40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.system.2023.103034
BraunV.ClarkeV. (2019). Reflecting on reflexive thematic analysis. Qualitative Research in Sport, Exercise and Health, 11(4), 589–597. https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676X.2019.1628806
15.
CalafatoR. (2024). Literature in language education: Exploring teachers’ beliefs, practices, creativity, and literary competence. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 19(1), 80–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/1554480X.2022.2164500
16.
CalafatoR.GudimF. (2022). Comics as a multimodal resource and students’ willingness to communicate in Russian. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 13(2), 270–286. https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2021.1951788
17.
CalafatoR.HunstadbråtenS. (2024). Literature in language education: Exploring EFL learners’ literary competence profiles. English Teaching & Learning, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42321-024-00193-w
18.
CalafatoR.SimmondsK. (2022). Linkages between literary response, aesthetic competence, and literary competence in the EFL classroom. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 75, 101214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2022.101214
19.
CharambaE.ZanoK. (2019). Effects of translanguaging as an intervention strategy in a South African chemistry classroom. Bilingual Research Journal, 42(3), 291–307. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2019.1631229
20.
ChooS. S. (2013). Reading the world, the globe, and the cosmos: Approaches to teaching literature for the twenty-first century. Peter Lang. https://doi.org/10.3726/978-1-4539-1153-2
21.
ChoudharyS. (2016). A literary approach to teaching English language in a multi-cultural classroom. Higher Learning Research Communications, 6(4). https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/hlrc/vol6/iss4/8/ https://doi.org/10.18870/hlrc.v6i4.352
22.
ClarkA. (2020). Cultural relevance and linguistic flexibility in literature discussions with emergent bilingual children. Bilingual Research Journal, 43(1), 50–70. https://doi.org/10.1080/15235882.2020.1722974
23.
ClarkA. (2024). Flexible co-construction of meaning: Facilitating emergent bi/multilingual children’s emergent exploratory talk in Spanish literature discussions. International Multilingual Research Journal, 18(1), 67–92. https://doi.org/10.1080/19313152.2023.2228563
24.
CohenL.ManionL.MorrisonK. (2018). Research methods in education (8th ed.). Routledge.
25.
CreswellJ. W. (2018). Research design: A qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method approaches (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
26.
CreswellJ. W.PothC. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage.
27.
DenzinN. K.LincolnY. S. (Eds.). (2018). The Sage handbook of qualitative research (5th ed.). Sage.
28.
DivsarH. (2014). A survey of the approaches employed in teaching literature in an EFL context. Modern Journal of Language Teaching Methods, 4(1), 74–85.
FogalG. G. (2015). Pedagogical stylistics in multiple foreign language and second language contexts: A synthesis of empirical research. Language and Literature, 24(1), 54–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963947014555450
31.
Gómez-RodríguezL. F. (2018). English learners’ literary competence development through critical thinking tasks in a Colombian EFL classroom. International Journal of Applied Linguistics and English Literature, 7(7), 90–100. https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.7n.7p.90
32.
GwajimaE. S. K. (2011). Gender representations in English literature texts in Tanzanian secondary schools [Unpublished Doctoral Thesis]. University of Edinburgh. https://era.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/5991
33.
IhejirikaR. C. (2014). Literature and English language teaching and learning: A symbiotic relationship. English Language Teaching, 7(3), 85–90. https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v7n3p85
34.
IşıklıC.TarakciogluAÖ (2017). Investigating problems of English literature teaching to EFL high school students in Turkey with focus on language proficiency. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 82–95.
35.
IthindiS. N. (2015). Investigating the teaching and assessment methods of English literature as a second language in the junior phase: A case study of three schools in Windhoek, Namibia [Doctoral Dissertation]. https://repository.unam.edu.na/handle/11070/1477
36.
JabeenR.SarifaN. (2022). Probing the approaches to teaching literature to EFL students-graduate learners’ perspective. Journal of Arts and Humanities, 11(02), 01–08. https://doi.org/10.18533/jah.v11i02.2236
KimS. J.ParkS.AnS. (2018). “You can’t be rich only doing good deeds”: Bilingual kindergarteners’ discussions about poverty and wealth. International Journal of Early Childhood, 50(1), 101–119. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-018-0209-9
39.
KingN.HorrocksC. (2010). Interviews in qualitative research. Sage.
40.
KruegerR. A.CaseyM. A. (2015). Focus groups: A practical guide for applied research (5th ed.). Sage Publications.
41.
KvaleS.BrinkmannS. (2015). Interviews: Learning the craft of qualitative research interviewing (3rd ed.). Sage.
42.
LinaD.ArshadS. M. B. M. (2024). The role of literature in enhancing language proficiency and cultural awareness in the EFL classroom. Fan, Ta'lim, MadaniyatvaInnovatsiyaJurnali| Journal of Science, Education, Culture and Innovation, 3(4), 20–27.
43.
LøvstuhagenA. T. (2012). Teaching literature in lower secondary school: Is the teaching of literature in the 9th grade based on the personal-response approach, or the reader-response approach to literature? [Master's Thesis]. https://www.duo.uio.no/handle/10852/34120
44.
LuukkaE. (2019). Using literature in English language education: Challenging Reading for 8–18 year olds. ELT Journal, 73(4), 486–488. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccz032
45.
MerriamS. B.TisdellE. J. (2016). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation (4th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
46.
MkontaP.OloyedeO. I. (2020). Teachers’ use of the personal response approach for teaching the Swaziland general certificate of secondary education siSwati poetry. Uneswa Journal of Education, 2(2), 84–104.
47.
MorganD. L. (1997). Focus groups as qualitative research (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.
48.
MoshaM. A. (2018). Students’ attitudes and motivation towards learning literature in English in Zanzibar secondary schools. International Journal of Educational Studies, 1(3), 206–220. https://doi.org/10.53935/2641-533x.v1i3.89
49.
MoustafaA.AhmedB. MNaimaG. (2022). An affective approach to teaching literature: I feel therefore I am. Arab World English Journal, 13(2), 253–266. https://doi.org/10.24093/awej/vol13no2.17
50.
MubitaE. S. A. (2020). Factors contributing to poor performance of grade 12 pupils in literature in English examinations in western province of Zambia [Doctoral Dissertation]. The University of Zambia. https://dspace.unza.zm/
51.
MubitaE. S. A.MwanzaD. S. (2020). Factors contributing to pupils’ poor performance in literature in English. International Journal of Humanities Social Sciences and Education, 7(3), 55–65. https://doi.org/10.20431/2349-0381.0703007
52.
NECTA-National Examinations Council of Tanzania. (2016). Candidates item response analysis report for 2020 certificate of secondary education examination (CSEE) English language. National Examinations Council of Tanzania.
53.
NECTA-National Examinations Council of Tanzania. (2017). Candidates item response analysis report for 2020 certificate of secondary education examination (CSEE) English language. National Examinations Council of Tanzania.
54.
NECTA-National Examinations Council of Tanzania. (2018). Candidates item response analysis report for 2020 certificate of secondary education examination (CSEE) English language. National Examinations Council of Tanzania.
55.
NECTA-National Examinations Council of Tanzania. (2019). Candidates item response analysis report for 2020 certificate of secondary education examination (CSEE) English language. National Examinations Council of Tanzania.
56.
NECTA-National Examinations Council of Tanzania. (2020). Candidates item response analysis report for 2020 certificate of secondary education examination (CSEE) English language. National Examinations Council of Tanzania.
57.
OmariJ. A. (2020). Role of secondary school English language teachers in communicative language teaching (CLT) in Tanzania: visual methodological study. Papers in Educationand Development, 37(2), 90–111.
58.
OrifeB. E. (2017). The role of literature in improving English language teaching and learning in secondary school. Multidisciplinary Journal of Academic Excellence, 17(1), 1–11.
59.
ParanA. (2008). The role of literature in instructed foreign language learning and teaching: An evidence-based survey. Language Teaching, 41(4), 465–496. https://doi.org/10.1017/S026144480800520X
QutubM. (2018). Assessing literature for the classroom among female learners of English in an EFL context in Saudi Arabia. In S. Hidri (Ed.), Revisiting the assessment of second language abilities: From theory to practice (pp. 217–237). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62884-4_11
62.
RødA. J.CalafatoR. (2023). Exploring the relationship between extramural English, self-efficacy, gender, and learning outcomes: A mixed-methods study in a Norwegian upper-secondary school. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 79, 101302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.stueduc.2023.101302
63.
RomanowskiP. (2019). Translanguaging in the Polish educational context: Lessons learnt from IB schools. Bellaterra Journal of Teaching and Learning Language and Literature, 12(1), 0005–0024. https://doi.org/10.5565/rev/jtl3.795
64.
Romero KarlssonG.BarahonaM. A. (2024). Exploring literary competences in EFL preservice teachers’ pedagogical proposals. Cogent Education, 11(1), 2406140. https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2024.2406140
65.
RubinH. J.RubinI. S. (2012). Qualitative interviewing: The art of hearing data (3rd ed.). Sage.
66.
SahP. K.LiG. (2022). Translanguaging or unequal languaging? Unfolding the plurilingual discourse of English medium instruction policy in Nepal’s public schools. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, 25(6), 2075–2094. https://doi.org/10.1080/13670050.2020.1849011
67.
SaharaS.ZulaikahZ.JelitaJ. (2021). Students’ speaking problems in English presentation. Channing: Journal of English Language Education and Literature, 6(1), 18–23.
68.
SanotoD. V. (2017). Teaching literature in to English second language learners in Botswana primary schools: exploring in-service education and training teachers’ classroom practices [Doctoral Dissertation]. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University. https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/101080
69.
SauroS.SundmarkB. (2016). Report from middle-earth: Fan fiction tasks in the EFL classroom. ELT Journal, 70(4), 414–423. https://doi.org/10.1093/elt/ccv075
70.
SimataaA.NyathiS. F. (2016). The study of literature as a resource for second language acquisition. Journal of University of Namibia Language Centre, 1(1), 87–98. http://hdl.handle.net/11070/1924
71.
SimuchimbaJ. (2016). Factors contributing to poor performance of grade 12 learners at the national examination in literature in English in secondary schools of Kafue district, Zambia [Unpublished Master Dissertation]. University of Zambia. https://www.multiresearch.net/cms/publications/CFP10002018.pdf
72.
SiricoD. (2021). Using literature for language learning: Students’ and teachers’ views. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
73.
SkelaJ. (2014). The quest for literature in EFL textbooks—a quest for Camelot?ELOPE: English Language Overseas Perspectives and Enquiries, 11(1), 113–136. https://doi.org/10.4312/elope.11.1.113-136
74.
Souto-ManningM.MartellJ.PérezA. Y.PiónP. (2021). Translanguaging as norm: Rejecting narrow and restrictive notions of Reading. The Reading Teacher, 75(3), 339–350. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.2022
SunX.YeW.LiX. (2024, March). Literature-based instruction and language learner autonomy: A case study of a tertiary EFL Reading course. ELT Forum: Journal of English Language Teaching, 13(1), 32–47. https://doi.org/10.15294/elt.v13i1.78370
TastanbekS. (2024). Translanguaging pedagogy in EAP writing: A multilingual Qazaq instructor’s perspective. Journal of Second Language Writing, 63, 101075. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jslw.2023.101075
79.
ThompsonR.McIlnayM. (2019). Nobody wants to read anymore! Using a multimodal approach to make literature engaging. Journal of English Language and Literature, 7(1), 21–40.
80.
ThunnithetP. (2011). Approaches to criticality development in English literature education: A second language case study in a Thai university [Doctoral Dissertation]. University of Southampton. https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/175103/1/THESIS_P.Thunnithet.pdf
81.
TIE-Tanzania Institute of Education. (2019). Literature in English syllabus for secondary schools; form III-IV. Ministry of Education, Science and Technology.
82.
Torrano-GuillamónL.CascalesMartínezA.Carillo GarcíaM. E. (2019). Use of literature, resources and innovative methodologies in the English classroom. PortaLinguarum, 32, 53–70. http://hdl.handle.net/10481/58565
83.
UgwuE. O. (2021). Classroom process and causes of worsening high school Students’ performance in literature-in-English in Nigeria. African Journal of Teacher Education, 10(1), 282–306. https://doi.org/10.21083/ajote.v10i1.6637
84.
UgwuE. O. (2022). The challenges facing effective teaching of literature-in-English in Nigerian secondary schools. Journal of Educational Research and Practice, 12(1), 160–178.
85.
WilliamsC. (1996). Secondary education: Teaching in the bilingual situation. In WilliamsC.LewisG.BakerC. (Eds.), The language policy: Taking stock (Vol. 12(2), pp. 193–211). CAI.
86.
WondimtegegnF. (2020). Efficacy of audio-visual teaching materials in EFL classes: The case of two elementary schools in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications (IJSRP), 10(1), 481–488. https://doi.org/10.29322/IJSRP.10.01.2020.p9774
87.
WoodruffA. H.GriffinR. A. (2017). Reader response in secondary settings: Increasing comprehension through meaningful interactions with literary texts. Texas Journal of Literacy Education, 5(2), 108–116.
88.
WraggE. C. (2012). An introduction to classroom observation (Classic ed.). Routledge.
89.
YinR. K. (2015). Qualitative research from start to finish. Guilford Publications.
90.
ZhouX.MannS. (2021). Translanguaging in a Chinese university CLIL classroom: Teacher strategies and student attitudes. Studies in Second Language Learning and Teaching, 11(2), 265–289. https://doi.org/10.14746/ssllt.2021.11.2.5
