Utilizing Folktales as Culture-Specific Schemata to Promote English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) Reading Fluency

Selecting materials that can promote ESL/EFL reading fluency and can provide reading lessons that are dynamic, motivating and meaningful are problems that language teachers often face.As a result, teachers are pressed to resort to monotonous activities found on teaching resources which oftentimes make the students discouraged to actively participate.One under-utilized teaching concept in the field of foreign language teaching is the use of folktales in reading class.Folktales contain and convey thematic elements that are profound for all humanity (Kuroda, 2013).The thematic nature of folktales which includes moral lessons, values, misconduct, admonition, deceit and similar things are significant for all, consequently making folktales suitable materials in promoting ESL/EFL reading fluency (Taylor, 2000).This paper will present the rationale for utilizing folktales as culture-specific schemata to promote ESL/EFL reading fluency.The paper will also show how folktales drawn from the students' own culture are utilized in getting them familiar with extensive reading, thus resulting to fluency in reading other types of fictional materials.