Teaching English in secondary education through adapted literary texts: The Case of Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Abstract

The integration of literary texts into English language teaching has gained increasing attention as an effective means of promoting meaningful language learning and learner engagement. This study explores the impact of using adapted versions of Mark Twain’s renowned novels, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), in secondary school English classes. A quasi-experimental mixed-methods design was employed involving 30 fifth- and sixth-grade students from Secondary School No.19 in Margilan, Uzbekistan. Over a six-week instructional period, students participated in literature-based lessons designed to develop vocabulary knowledge, reading comprehension, and communicative competence. Data were collected through pre- and post-tests, classroom observations, and student questionnaires. The findings revealed significant improvements in learners’ language performance, motivation, and classroom participation. The study demonstrates that carefully adapted literary texts can provide comprehensible input, stimulate critical thinking, and create an engaging learning environment. The results support the broader integration of literary texts into EFL instruction for young learners.