Self-Study Guides in the Foreign Language Classroom

The present work, which has been specially designed for advanced learners of EFL, offers language practice through self-study guides. Novels, short stories and films provide learners with a fertile source from which they can enlarge their vocabulary, background knowledge and use of the language. It is the main aim of the authors to encourage students to exhaust these resources and transfer the analysis done in each of these works to other instances of language learning. Both the reading and the film guides are organized following three well-marked steps: pre-reading or watching activities, while reading or watching activities and post-reading or viewing activities. The guides are meant to provide a stimulus for students to enter into lively discussions, which center on the main themes and issues that stem from the novels, short stories or films. It is also expected that such materials will provide students with opportunities of being exposed to language input and carrying out in-depth analyses of the target language with the ultimate goal of developing their critical thinking skills, speaking and writing competence, as well as their language awareness.