This research was limited to teaching short stories to a group of 39 tenth-grade female students spanning six weeks. As the sample size is relatively small, the findings cannot be generalized to all senior high school students in Taiwan. It is therefore suggested that more studies like this be conducted on a larger scale. Also, the study was carried out in a girls’ school, so the findings may not be applicable to other students such as male students. Further research of this kind could involve different combination of students, such as a class consisting of only male students and a class with a combination of both genders. Furthermore, since the instruction merely lasted for six weeks, the effects of this approach on the four language skills cannot be clearly identified. In the present study, many students thought they made
improvement in their reading and speaking ability, but not many considered their listening and writing ability have been enhanced. A longer period of time on this kind of study is advised to investigate its effects on the four skills. Lastly, in this study, only simplified literary novels were used, other genres of literary works, such as poetry, drama and fictions could also be experimented to see how students respond to different literary works.
In sum, literary works are a very beneficial resource in the language classroom.
If selected meticulously, literature makes students’ English class more motivating, interesting and encouraging. When literature is taught in a response-based mode, it not only enhances students’ linguistic competence, but also broadens their horizons to
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view the world from different perspectives. Also, this approach promotes students’
personal development because it is concerned with the students’ independent interpretation of text and making of meaning. Furthermore, by its emphasis on students’ responses and interpretations, the reader response approach on literature instruction contributes to some of the major goals of the 12-year compulsory education.
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