Developing reading sub-skills: 15 lesson plans adapted from "the canterbury tales” for teenagers

Abstract

This work emphasizesthe importance of using literature in EFL classes. This is used as a technique for teaching the four basic skills: reading, listening, writing and speaking. It also provides tools to improve the students’ vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar structures. The practice of reading literature provides benefits listed in this paper. However, some disadvantages are presented too. The lack of training of some professors, the lack of interest by the students and the lack of proper reading material, make the introduction of literature a difficult task to complete. Selecting the correct material for reading in EFL classes is the most important aspect to generate reading interest in students. In this case, teenage students are the objective of this study. “The Canterbury Tales” by Geoffrey Chaucer, is the work this project will be based on. Geoffrey Chaucer’s literature, “The Canterbury Tales,” gives the reader the opportunity to imagine a different culture, people’s behavior, feelings, fun and morals with which people identify. Fifteen lesson plans adapted from “The Canterbury Tales” is the best tool to cultivate the interest in reading literature. The most important reading sub-skills are showed in these lesson plans. Each of these sub-skills demonstrates suggested activities that can be practiced in the classroom. Incorporating reading in EFL classes facilitates the teacher’s work for teenage students who will find that Reading can be easy and fun.