Impediments to cultural teaching in EFL programmes at a Saudi University

Literature in a given language is the ultimate culmination of cultural expression. However, in Saudi universities, the literature of the English language, mainly British and American, is meagrely taught due to dogmatic religious considerations. This study reviews relevant research on culture and literature teaching in EFL, and further delves into an exploration of the perceptions and attitudes of faculty and students with regard to why literature should or should not be taught in the Saudi EFL context. Employing descriptive research techniques, i.e., questionnaires and interviews, this study aims at investigating the perceptions of faculty and students involved in the EFL programme provisioned in the English Department, College of Languages and Translation, King Khalid University (KKU), and their attitudes towards literature teaching and exposure to the culture of a language. Implications for pedagogy and curriculum development will form part of the conclusions.