Teaching English for Advanced Learners through Select Novels of David Gemmell

Authors

  • Ng Miew Luan

    Faculty of Education and Liberal Arts, INTI International University, Nilai 71800, Malaysia

  • Megala Rajendran

    Research & Innovation, Turan International University, Namangan 160106, Kazakhstan

  • S. Janneker Lawrence Daniel

    Department of English, St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu 627002, India

  • Keerthana R

    Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu 600062, India

  • Tan Tiam Lai

    Faculty of Languages and Communication, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI), Perak 35950, Malaysia

  • Parthasarathy S

    Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu 600062, India

  • Prakash A

    Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu 600062, India

  • J. Sathish Kumar

    Department of English, Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu 600062, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.9943
Received: 19 May 2025 | Revised: 12 June 2025 | Accepted: 19 June 2025 | Published Online: 15 October 2025

Abstract

The nature of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) makes teaching a challenge simply because students are varied in their English background and learning skills. The spread of English beyond nations where it is a first or even an official language also means that language teachers now need to find ways to teach it to a diverse group of learners. This paper reflects upon the relevance of literature in this case, by using David Gemmell’s novels in language teaching. These stories are full of rich descriptive language, differing and complicated sentence structures and complex story lines that make them excellent for ‘higher order language’ skills. This article explores how his writings can be used to teach vital language competencies such as vocabulary building, reading comprehension, and storytelling. It also underscores the essential need to provide teachers with effective teaching tools to address the needs of all learners, especially those at an advanced level. The contextual and interactive properties of literary texts provide an engaging process of learning and understanding languages with deeper meaning, as well as fostering engagement with linguistic and thematic content. The finding demonstrates how a challenging medium, such as literature, can be customized to accommodate different learner profiles, which in turn can make English teaching more inclusive and efficient. In the end, this study recommends including literary texts in advanced language courses, arguing that such literature will contribute not only to developing the language abilities of the students but also to deepening their culture and critical habits.

Keywords:

Advanced Learners; English Learning; Language; Vocabulary; Literature; School Education; Quality Education; Gender Equality

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How to Cite

Luan, N. M., Rajendran, M., Lawrence Daniel, S. J., R, K., Tiam Lai, T., S, P., A, P., & Kumar, J. S. (2025). Teaching English for Advanced Learners through Select Novels of David Gemmell. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(10), 1198–1210. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i10.9943

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