Iatefl Literature SIG

And that's a wrap! The LitSig committee would like to say an enormous thank you to everyone who presented at and attended our PCE and showcase day! We had a great time and are bursting with new ideas for teaching literature in the EFL classroom.

And as they say, after the conference, is before the conference. See you all next year in Birmingham – it's going to be amazing!!

What should materials for using literature in the EFL classroom really look like? 📚
In this thought-provoking session, Amos Paran explores powerful frameworks that bridge theory and practice, helping teachers rethink how literature can be used meaningfully in language teaching. From school editions of novels to coursebooks and teacher handbooks, this talk dives into what has shaped materials in the past decade, and what we can learn from it.
He offered five principles for turning our materials for using literature into meaningful and purposeful resources.

An insightful session at the LitSIG showcase 2026 delivered by Aikaterini Artemis Tsatsak
📚 “The wor(l)ds we see on the page: Extensive Reading’s effects on Social-Emotional Learning” explores how combining Extensive Reading with SEL can help learners build empathy, awareness, and imagination; going beyond language learning to develop the whole person.
Can reading shape not just skills, but hearts and minds too? This talk dived into exactly that.

LitSIG showcase continues with Geoff Hardy-Gould who shares insights from experienced C2-level readers who’ve tackled 20+ novels in English within a “book club”. We discovered how reading shapes language growth, and where it can help or hinder.

🎶 How can Black music, film, and literature transform the EFL classroom?
At LItSIG Showcase 2026, Martin Moling explores creative ways to teach Black culture, drawing on everything from blues to hip hop, to spark critical thinking and deeper language learning.

Reimagining the EFL classroom through feminist perspectives ✨📖
Eugenia Carrión Canton’s session explores how feminist literature can spark language development, intercultural awareness, and critical citizenship. By engaging with inclusive, dialogue-driven approaches, it shows how classrooms can become spaces for reflection, connection, and socially engaged learning.
Because language teaching isn’t just about communication, it’s about empowering voices.

Barbara Lapornik explores the power of literature to unpack today’s complex social realities 🌍📚
LitSIG showcase 2026 begins with this session which dives into how contemporary postcolonial novels can help learners engage with cultural complexity, critical thinking, and intercultural communication. Through close reading and interactive tasks, it connects theory with classroom practice in meaningful ways.
A great reminder that stories don’t just reflect the world, they help us understand it.

Our Voices, Our Future 🎤✨
We closed out the LitSIG PCE with a high-energy "Voices from the Audience" session, expertly led by Laura Hadwin.
Instead of just listening, we got moving! We rotated through four interactive stations, tackling everything from our "Crystal Ball" predictions to practical strategies for overcoming the fears surrounding AI in the classroom.
The Highlight: Seeing the poster papers fill up with innovative ideas gathered after a day full of learning. There is so much collective wisdom in this community!
It’s clear: AI and digital media aren't just tools; they are catalysts for a new era of literary engagement. 🚀📚

Russell Stannard delivered the third talk at the IATEFL LitSIG PCE, a masterclass in practical EdTech for the literature classroom. Here’s the quick rundown:
🛠️ The Toolkit
* Google Storybooks: Collaborative, AI-enhanced storytelling to help students visualize narratives.
* Vibe Coding: Designing custom apps and tools specifically tailored to your unique classroom needs.
* NotebookLM: A powerhouse for synthesizing research, generating content, and prepping presentations in record time.
💡 The Goal
The session moved beyond theory into hands-on implementation, showing how teachers can use AI as a creative scaffold rather than just a shortcut.

The Iatefl LITSIG PCE continues!

Rebecca Flämig shares a fascinating talk on immersive storytelling, thinking about how picturebooks and VR both create powerful multimodal narrative experiences.
Picturebooks may seem simple, but through the interplay of text and image, they invite a kind of “deep reading” (as explored by Janice Bland) that encourages readers to slow down, interpret, and emotionally engage. They build presence in subtle, imaginative ways.
VR, on the other hand, takes that sense of presence further, placing the user inside the story world. With interactive environments and embodied perspectives, VR narratives shift us from observers to participants.
The “VR story world” approach allow us to design narrative spaces that users don’t just follow, but inhabit. It raises interesting questions about agency, attention, and how stories are experienced across media.
From page to headset, both forms show that immersion isn’t just about technology, it’s about how stories invite us to see, feel, and be present.

Take a look!

Inspiring sessions exploring literature in the EFL classroom and beyond! 🔍 Highlights include: 📖 Teaching social and cultural complexities through postcolonial novels 🧠 Exploring Frankenstein through brain-based interdisciplinary approaches 🌸 Feminist literature in the EFL classroom 🎬 Teaching Black culture through music, film, and literature 📊 Insights into advanced learners’ reading beliefs 📚 The impact of extensive reading on social-emotional learning ️ Practical ideas for using EFL.

️Featuring speakers such as Barbara Lapornik, Sodia Lakovidou, Eugenia Carrión Canton, Martin Muling, Geoff Hardy-Gould, Aikaterini Artemis Tsatsaki, and Amos Paran.

☕ And don’t miss the open forum at the end of the day: a great chance to connect, reflect, and share ideas with fellow educators!

Check out the flyer for times and rooms, and start planning your day ⬆️




# ExtensiveReading