The impact of Teaching Short Stories in Learner Centered EFL Classes

The present study investigates the impact of teaching short stories in learner-centered English as a Foreign Language (EFL) class. It also probes the correlation between learning short stories and vocabulary development as well as creativity among the intermediate EFL learners. In order to place the participants in homogenous groups, an Oxford Placement Test (OPT) was administered. As the sample of the study, 60 male and female students out of 120 were selected from Islamic Azad University, Ahvaz, Iran. The sixty homogeneous EFL learners were divided into two equal groups: a) experimental group and b) control group.  The results obtained through a vocabulary pre-test and post-test indicate that teaching short stories in a learner-centered instruction class had a significant impact on the vocabulary development of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Furthermore, teaching short stories could trigger creativity and enhance reading proficiency. Moreover, this study implies that short stories offer the EFL learners abundant opportunities for emotional and linguistic involvement; and well selected stories can be skillfully utilized in the acquisition of vocabulary as well as various other language skills in a learner centered EFL classes.