Self-learning a Foreign Language Through Literature: A case-study of a self-learner's socialisation into Czech through Czech literature

Approaches to language teaching in institutionalised language learning settings have changed a lot over the past 50 years (Martín 2005). Yet in all these approaches there is a tendency to teach grammar rules and vocabulary units in isolation from real world examples of the target language (Mickan 2013). In recent years the possibility of self-teaching a language has improved because of the Internet. There are many language learning websites and apps, not to mention the large range of native content which can be found online in a number of different languages. Despite the leap in technology, many of these apps are still based on the grammar rule and vocabulary unit methods of language learning. Despite greater access to resources in foreign languages, in general language learning approaches have not changed much. The study presented in this chapter is a case study of a self-learner teaching herself the Czech language using a text-based approach. Czech literature is used as the vehicle for acquisition of the Czech language. Throughout the study the learner read texts, conversed with a native Czech speaker and wrote micro stories using her newly gained knowledge in the language.