"They can cut out the world as it is, and just move to the world of ideas." : A Qualitative Study on How Upper Secondary Teachers of English in Sweden Introduce Learners to Different Genres of Fiction.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to explore ways in which ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers introduce different forms of literary writing such as poems, plays, fiction, genres and fantasy in the ESL classroom. The main method used was semi-structured interviews with six upper secondary ESL teachers in the South of Sweden. The interview questions were analyzed taking into account current research within the area, and further based on our own experience. The benefits of using the fantasy genre in teaching was one of the main focuses for this study. The compiled results showed varying strategies to teaching fiction in general. Only fifty percent of the interviewed teachers would actively have chosen the fantasy genre in their teaching practice. However, the interviewees saw potential beneficial outcomes from using the fantasy genre. All but one would consider incorporating the fantasy genre in their future teaching. Despite the negative view on fantasy being an unhealthy escapism, the positive effects outweigh the negative. In conclusion, the results and the analysis are in line with the established author Lloyd Alexander who states the following: “Fantasy is hardly an escape from reality. It’s a way of understanding it.”