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The role of fiction in TEFL has changed over the last decades. In the 19th century, when the grammar-translation method prevailed, literary texts were at the centre of every foreign language classroom. They were functionalised for the introduction of grammar structures and translation practice. Later methods, however, put less emphasis on literature teaching (O'Sullivan & Rösler, 2008; Surkamp, 2012). Today, two different developments concerning the role of literature in TEFL may be observed. On the one hand, literature is marginalised in the communicative language learning classroom but on the other hand it has regained momentum particularly due to its importance for intercultural learning (O'Sullivan & Rösler, 2008, p. 4).

The communicative turn in the 1970s and 80s which brought about the primary goal of TEFL today, namely communicative competence, led to a marginalisation of literary texts in the foreign language classroom (Nünning, 1997; Surkamp, 2012). In communicative language learning, fiction is mainly used to stimulate discussion or to introduce new vocabulary and grammar structures. Thus, language acquisition is emphasised and a wider study of literary texts is only carried out at higher levels of language learning. This development is manifested in the Bildungsstandards (KMK 2003 and 2005) for the lower and intermediate secondary level (Hauptschulabschluss and Mittlerer Schulabschluss). Here, literature only plays a minor role and its potential is not taken into account further. There is, for example, no connection drawn between cultural learning and literature. Moreover, receptive competences are over-emphasized in this document (Bergfelder, 2007, p. 14). According to Surkamp (2012, p. 491), “educational standards reduce the concept of communicative competence to the demands of everyday communicative situations, so that there is hardly any space for literary reading”. In addition, both the CEFR and the educational standards are mainly competence and output oriented. They indicate that learner achievements have to be measured continuously. Surkamp (ibid., p. 490) criticises that

with regard to teaching literature, this ignores the difference between reading to extract information as it is primarily done with non-fictional texts, and literary reading which includes affective, motivational and attitudinal components which are difficult to measure and evaluate.

Thus, it can be concluded that these documents do not sufficiently take into account the potential of literary texts for foreign language learning.

At the same time, literary texts regained momentum in TEFL in the 1990s due to research that had been done in the field. Brought about by the influence of reader response criticism and subjectivist reading models, the focus in literature teaching shifted from the text to the reader and learner-oriented methods such as creative approaches to texts gained in importance (Bredella & Burwitz-Melzer, 2004; Caspari, 2005). Furthermore, the communicative approach was enhanced by an intercultural dimension and scholars emphasised the opportunities provided by literary texts for changing perspectives, empathising with others and dealing with diversity (Alter, 2015; Bredella, 1993, 1996; Burwitz-Melzer, 2003; Fäcke, 2006; Freitag-Hild, 2010a; Nünning & Surkamp, 2006; Surkamp & Nünning, 2009; Thaler, 2008b). The benefits of literature for cultural and global learning that are discussed in the respective scholarship are elaborated in Chapter 3.2.

Irrespective of these developments, literature still plays a comparably minor role at lower and intermediate levels of TEFL, up to today:

For the most part, language learners are not introduced to full-length texts in the EFL-literature classroom until they reach their final school year, at which point they read, and are examined on, one or two major and complex works. (Bland, 2013, p. 5)

At higher levels (Oberstufe), students mainly read and discuss canonical adult literature such as Fahrenheit 451, Hamlet or, if anything by an African writer, novels like Things Fall Apart. In order to be able to deal with those complex texts and understand them thoroughly, students should be initiated to literature earlier; “postponing the ‘literary shock’ until the very advanced grades does not prove helpful” (Lütge, 2012a, p. 199). An apprenticeship in literary reading from lower levels can help students to gain the competencies they need to understand literary texts in a foreign language but also develop the love for literature and so introduce them to lifelong reading:

This issue of helping our students become lifelong readers by linking literature to their daily lives and world knowledge is not an issue which is only important for L1 learners – it also applies to L2 learners and can be enhanced and adapted from kindergarten onward through all grades and school types. (Burwitz-Melzer 2013, p. 56)

A prerequisite of successful work with literary texts at lower and intermediate levels is the selection of rich and attractive reading material. The majority of students in the teenage years are reluctant readers, particularly in a foreign language. To motivate students and enable them to discover that reading is actually interesting and enjoyable, age appropriateness has to be taken into consideration in the selection process of literary texts (Nünning, 1997, p. 7; Thaler, 2008b, p. 20). Reading literary texts written for adult readers in lower grades in which the students do not yet have the necessary language proficiency to understand complicated sentence structures and are cognitively not ready to deal with abstract themes, can be demotivating and increase students’ inhibitions about reading books in a foreign language.

Therefore, teachers and educators often resort to graded and simplified, i.e. shortened or adapted, reading material at lower and intermediate levels. Such texts are particularly written or adapted for the language class and can be used to introduce children to literature. Because of the simplification or adaptation they have undergone, they directly address the learners’ needs (see Hermes, 2007). However, they also have several drawbacks:

Badly simplified graded readers often lack the patterned language typical of much authentic literature – yet parallelism and easily noticed and memorable metaphorical language support language acquisition. With regard to intensive reading, graded readers are unsuitable as they are most often based on adult literature. Simplifying the language does not make the themes of literature for mature readers accessible to adolescent learners with an immature understanding of the world. (Bland, 2012b, p. 205)

Due to this, various scholars (Bland, 2013; Bland & Lütge, 2013; Hesse, 2009; O'Sullivan & Rösler, 2008, 2013) rather point to ‘authentic’1 children’s fiction as suitable reading material for the foreign language classroom. Authentic children’s texts are aimed at young people and usually deal with topics of childhood or adolescence. Furthermore, the language they make use of is not too elaborate. Therefore, texts of this kind often arouse interests of students at primary and lower secondary level and provide exciting and feasible reading material for them. Nevertheless, it has to be considered that since they are designed for a native speaking audience at a certain age, their linguistic level may be too difficult for the learners at the same age. Therefore, in the foreign language classroom texts are often used that address a slightly younger readership. There is usually a mismatch between the learners’ intellectual development and their linguistic competence in this context. This mismatch requires careful selection decisions in order not to injure the students’ sense of maturity.