Literature has the potential of fostering emotional intelligence by providing vicarious emotional experiences that shape the brain circuits for empathy and help the child gain insight into human behavior. Literature also promotes language learning by enriching learners’ vocabulary and modeling new language structures. Moreover, literature can provide a motivating and low-anxiety context for language learning.

Children develop emotional intelligence during the first 15 years of life as they mature. According to Goleman (1995), emotional intelligence is a more reliable predictor of academic achievement than is the IQ. Emotionally intelligent children apparently perform better in academic tasks than other children. One can relate this to the ELT class and argue that emotional intelligence is also a factor in second language learning.

Goleman (1995:9) defines emotional intelligence as "knowing what one’s feelings are and using that knowledge to make good decisions." It includes the ability to maintain hope and an optimistic outlook in the face of disappointments and difficulties. He also defines emotional intelligence as empathy, which is awareness of the feelings of others. According to him, empathy develops as a result of experience and interaction with others. Referring to recent brain research, Goleman further suggests that "repeated emotional lessons of a child’s life literally shape the brain circuits for that response" (O’Neil 1996). Empathy can thus become a lifelong skill through appropriate learning experiences.

Today’s children, however, seem to lack the ability to empathize, negotiate and cooperate, and they often cannot feel optimistic and hopeful about the future. This void has potentially negative consequences, first on their academic achievement and second on their interpersonal relationships. These two factors together will influence children’s psychosocial development and can lead to behavior problems, alienation, and perhaps even aggression and violence.

There are a number of good reasons for using literature in a language class, in particular the potential of literature to nurture emotional intelligence and caring communication.

I have argued elsewhere that literature can nurture emotional intelligence by providing vicarious emotional experiences that may help shape the brain circuits for empathy (Ghosn 1998, 1999). A child who lacks personal experiences with empathy may, through repeated vicarious experiences provided by literature, develop some readiness for empathy. Carefully selected literature can also introduce the immigrant child to the language of empathy and caring in the new language and thus facilitate recognition and expression of empathic feelings. Pinsent (1996) has argued that lack of exposure to stories may actually limit the development of empathy in children.

Quality literature can also help the child gain insight into human behavior, and it can demonstrate that there is always hope and that one can overcome even seemingly insurmountable obstacles (Vandergrift 1990; Sutherland and Arbuthnot 1991; Bettelheim 1976). Literature will also promote language learning by enriching a learner’s vocabulary and modeling new structures (Crystal 1987; Hill 1986). Most importantly, quality literature provides models for rich, natural language and a variety of different registers. To quote Bassnett and Grundy (1993:7), "Literature is a high point of language usage; arguably it marks the greatest skill a language user can demonstrate. Anyone who wants to acquire a profound knowledge of language that goes beyond the utilitarian will read literary texts in that language."

Bassnett, S., and P. Grundy. 1993. Language through literature. London: Longman.

Bettelheim, B. 1976. The uses of enchantment. New York: Alfred Knopf.

Crystal, D. 1987. Child language, learning and linguistics: An overview for the teaching and therapeutic professions. London: Edward Arnold.

Ghosn, I. 1998. New directions in EFL: Literature for language and change in the primary school. 32nd Annual TESOL Convention, Seattle, March 1998.

———. 1999. Caring kids: Social responsibility through literature. Beirut: Dar El-Ilm Lilmalayin.

Goleman, D. 1995. Emotional intelligence. New York: Bantam Books.

Hill, J. 1986. Using literature in language teaching. London: Macmillan.

Johnson, T., and D. R. Louis. 1987. Literacy through literature. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, Inc.

O’Neil, J. 1996. On emotional intelligence: A conversation with David Goleman. Educational Leadership, 54, 1, pp. 2–11.

Pinsent, P. 1996. Children’s literature and the politics of equality. London: David Fulton.

Sutherland, Z., and M. H. Arbuthnot. 1991. Children and books. New York: Harper Collins.

Vandergrift, K. 1990. Children’s literature: Theory, research and teaching. Englewood, CO: Libraries Unlimited.

Viorst, J. 1972. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. New York: Aladdin Books.