Abstract (eng)
In the present time of technology, it seems that reading literature is no longer a motivating extracurricular activity for children and young adults. Additionally, teaching literature is neither a focal point in the language classroom for most school types in Austria, nor is it currently part of the school leaving examination, the centralized Matura. In other words, language teachers are faced with challenges both on the side of their pupils’ in the way of reading motivations and attitudes, as well as on the side of the law, when they want to concentrate part of their teaching material on the reading of literature. Moreover, these new developments in the Austrian educational system influence the syllabus of teacher training programs at university, where Literature seems to be more and more marginalized with each new implementation.
There is currently an abundance of theory on the positive influences reading literature can have on pupils as well as on the various factors affecting reading motivation and reading attitudes. However, so far no studies have been conducted
focusing on language teachers in Austria faced with the aforementioned challenges and their beliefs and opinions regarding these issues.
In order to address these problems, a small scale qualitative study was carried out by conducting a series of expert interviews with English teachers at various stages of their professional career in and around Vienna. This data was then analyzed to formulate suggestions for language teachers to counteract the seeming downward trend currently affecting the teaching of literature in Austria.