SHORT STORIES AS AN EFFECTIVE TOOL FOR TEACHING READING COMPREHENSION IN ESL/EFL CONTEXTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17810368Keywords:
short stories, ESL/EFL pedagogy, reading comprehension development, narrative approach, learner engagement, cultural literacy, vocabulary acquisition, literature in language teachingAbstract
This article provides an in-depth analysis of the pedagogical value of short stories in fostering reading comprehension among learners in ESL/EFL environments. It explains how short fiction serves as an accessible and authentic language resource that enhances students’ lexical development, grammatical awareness, and inferential reasoning. The study highlights that the brevity and narrative coherence of short stories make them effective for scaffolding reading tasks, encouraging learner engagement, and supporting differentiated learning needs. Furthermore, short stories expose students to cultural elements, narrative techniques, and diverse perspectives, contributing to holistic language development. The article discusses classroom practices such as pre-reading activities, guided reading, vocabulary exercises, post-reading tasks, and literature circles.
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