English is strengthening its status as an international language. Linguistics professor David Crystal calculates that non-native speakers of English now outnumber native speakers by a ratio of 3 to 1.

The language is also evolving rapidly in order to facilitate those who are learning it as a second language. Linguistically, it is welcoming the influx of new concepts in language teaching; therefore, a continuous input of fresh teaching techniques is required by the language teachers.

Literary pieces had always been present in textbooks of every level but they were restricted to be used as comprehension passages. The idea of using literature as a resource to attain a precise linguistic goal in the language class is relatively new. It was developed during the last decades of the 20th century but it failed to flourish due to the unavailability of resources to be practically used in an English language class. However, its proponents kept working on it.

In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in the area of language teaching. New methods of using literary texts have emerged to use literature as a language tool. The success of the method can be judged through the fact that the leading universities in the UK, e.g. Oxford and Cambridge, are endorsing this method for their students of English language throughout the world. Cambridge checkpoint tests are one example of this where literary texts in the reading section are used as primers for the creative task given to students in the writing section of the same paper.

Literature is the sine qua non of language. It is beyond any speculation that a masterpiece of literature is produced when the best language skills are combined together with an appealing storyline. A good fiction writer uses his/her exceptional linguistics skills to produce a good piece of writing. Successful writers attract their readers not only with their story but also with a full display of their expertise in the use of many different language techniques. From classics like Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde and Charles Dickens to the modern writers like Roald Dahl, Rick Riordan and J.K. Rowling all have displayed an array of linguistic devices. The mastery in the use of language speaks volumes of the art and skill of these authors and the material selected from these writers’ provides a good base to raise the structure of students’ language. Besides, literature is for all times as Ezra Pound puts it, “Good literature is news that stays news.”

In the education system of Pakistan where we teach English as a second language, the use of this method can be really beneficial. Teaching a language that is detached from its literature is the root of our students’ limited knowledge of English language. Here, we either teach language or we teach literature - both separate from each other, ignoring the fact that both compliment each other.

In addition, our examination system (both in public and private schools/colleges) only tests a student’s rote learning ability. For most of our students, a VERB remains ‘an action word’ and an ADJECTIVE ‘a describing word’. Except for a random guess, they cannot pick out these parts of speech out of a text passage because they are never told that these are very much there in literature they read. Since no linguistic features are highlighted in a text, students may know the names of Laurie Lee or Mark Twain but they never get to know what made their writing so impressive.

A teacher’s main concern, while using this method, is the choice of right literary texts and the related activities. The most frequently voiced objection to the use of this method is the lack of resources as teachers find it difficult to find appropriate texts for specific language tasks. During the past couple of years, a number of books have appeared in our local bookstores that have been written specifically for this purpose and counter this objection. We should also realise that using literary texts as a language teaching resource does not imply that literature is being taught or promoted instead of language. It only means that literature is being used as a resource of making easy the process of language learning.

The selection of literary texts for specific language tasks is all a teacher needs for this method. Well chosen texts are motivating and thus stimulate learning. A good piece of writing will not only serve as a model of good writing but will also inspire students for its linguistic merits. As they say, “Good writing is the offshoot of good reading.”