Using fiction in foreign language learning

Abstract

The abstract examines critical integration of fiction into foreign language learning, addressing the limitations of purely pragmatic and utilitarian communicative approaches. While modern language education often focuses strictly on everyday verbal communication, our study highlights the profound aesthetic, cognitive, and psychophysiological impact of literary texts on language learners. A comprehensive, multi-layered framework is proposed to analyze fiction far beyond a simple mathematical list of lexical units. By examining the dynamic interplay between linguistic shells, plot patterns, and deep ideological-aesthetic content, the research demonstrates how literature evokes advanced cognitive activation. Additionally, the paper explores linguodidactic strategies and specific cognitive technologies, such as synonymization, to help non-native readers decode complex verbal images, archaisms, and cultural nuances. Ultimately, this approach successfully synthesizes linguistic, literary, and psychological aspects, transforming reading into an engaging process that enhances communicative competence, cultural awareness, and emotional intelligence.