The Influence of Literary Texts on Intercultural Competence in the EFL Classroom. A Literature Review

Abstract

Due to the growing status of English as a global language of communication, cultural studies have become an increasingly important aspect of English as a foreign language (EFL) education. Many scholars argue that there is now a need to deviate from merely focusing on Anglo-Saxon cultures and to embrace an intercultural perspective in education, a view that is also reflected in the Swedish educational frameworks. This literature review investigates the current state of research in the field of intercultural competence development in EFL contexts. Specifically focusing on research using fictional texts and classroom activities for this purpose, we examine what researchers within this field argue to be important themes within EFL cultural education; what their rationale is behind the choice of using literary texts; as well as what classroom activities and outcomes they report on. The results of this paper shed light on specific cultural themes used in intercultural education. The review also suggests that fiction, implemented with appropriate classroom activities, could be a beneficial tool to enhance students’ intercultural (communicative) competence. However, there is still a need for further empirical research, particularly within a Swedish context.