Difficulties of Japanese university EFL learners reading literary narratives

Abstract

This study investigates the difficulties that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners encounter when reading literary narrative texts in class. Eighteen low-intermediate Japanese university EFL learners identified parts of the texts where difficulties emerged and reported whether these were resolved during instruction. Analysis of learner-reported data revealed five types of difficulty: insufficient knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar; problems with reference; difficulty understanding characters’ or the narrator’s intentions and actions; lack of topic-related knowledge; and uncertainty about relationships among characters and the narrative world. The findings suggest that learners experience varying types and degrees of difficulty across texts, highlighting the multifaceted nature of literary narrative reading in EFL contexts.