The effect of literature experience of language education teachers on their professional goals and expectations

This study examines how language teachers in Turkey develop personal and professional relationships with literature and how these relationships influence their teaching goals and classroom practices. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 30 middle school Turkish language teachers in Erzurum, and the data were analyzed using content analysis. The findings show that personal reading habits, perceived literary competence, and cultural orientations shape teachers’ use of literature as an instructional tool. Teachers reported that literary texts support the development of language skills, critical thinking, and creativity, while also noting challenges such as selecting appropriate texts, limited instructional time, and differences in student readiness. The results further indicate that teachers’ cultural backgrounds and personal values significantly influence their text choices and pedagogical orientations. Overall, the study highlights the role of literature in fostering both cognitive and cultural development and recommends that teacher education programs promote regular reading habits and systematic approaches to strengthen literary competence.