The Use of Pop Songs in the EFL Classroom

Diplomarbeit von Ornerová Lenka

Introduction:

I have chosen the topic of using pop songs in the EFL classroom because I strongly believe that working with pop songs is a highly motivational device. When I was a student at a lower and upper secondary school, listening to songs in English classes was my favourite activity. I have always wanted to be able to understand the lyrics of songs I listened to. Later, I realized that I have learned a lot from listening to pop songs and analyzing their lyrics. Therefore, in my diploma project, I would like to prove that using pop songs is a highly motivational device in teaching English with instructional value, and that students enjoy working with pop songs.

The theoretical part of this diploma project is based on relevant sources of background literature. In the first two chapters, the use of songs is described with regard to motivation and the Multiple Intelligences Theory. The third and fourth chapter deal with the reasons for using songs and their classification. In the last two chapters of the theoretical part, pedagogical principles of using pop songs in class, as well as the pros and cons of teaching through pop songs are presented.

The practical part is based on the findings of three surveys I have conducted in the field of using songs in the EFL classroom. In the first part of the research, I present an analysis of questionnaires which I distributed among English teachers at lower and upper secondary schools and grammar schools. In the second part of the research, I describe students´ attitudes to pop song based lessons which I taught during my teaching practice at grammar schools. In the third part of the research, I analyze the types of songs presented in commonly used textbooks at lower and upper secondary schools. In addition, I present a self-developed teaching material containing a list of pop songs suitable for the EFL classroom. In the last part of the practical part, I answer the research questions and provide some implications for my own teaching.

Table of Contents:

	ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS
	ABSTRACT
	INTRODUCTION	9
	THEORETICAL PART
1.	MOTIVATION	10
1.1	Definition of motivation	10
1.2	Different kinds of motivation	11
1.3	Motivation in second language acquisition/learning vs. foreign language learning	12
1.4	Sources of motivation in the EFL classroom	14
2.	MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES	16
2.1	The categories of intelligence	17
2.2	The implications of MI theory for ELT	19
2.3	Musical intelligence	20
2.4	Musical intelligence and the use of songs in the classroom	21
3.	THE CASE FOR USING MUSIC AND SONGS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM	22
3.1	Music in life and music in the classroom	23
3.2	Research on using music and songs in language learning	24
3.3	Reasons for using songs in the EFL classroom	26
4.	THE USE OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SONGS IN THE EFL CLASSROOM	28
4.1	Definition of songs	28
4.2	Classification of songs	29
4.3	Using popular songs with teenagers	30
5.	PEDAGOGIC PRINCIPLES FOR USING POPULAR SONGS IN CLASS	31
5.1	Criteria of song selection	31
5.2	Transforming songs into a learning task	33
5.2.1	Listening	34
5.2.2	Language	35
5.2.3	Topic	37
5.3	Introduction/ Pre-listening activities	39
5.4	Listening/ While-listening activities	39
5.5	Follow-up/ Post-listening activities	40
6.	PROS AND CONS OF TEACHING THROUGH POP SONGS	41
6.1	Advantages of using pop songs	41
6.2	Disadvantages of using pop songs	42
	PRACTICAL PART
1.	INTRODUCTION	44
1.1	Research questions	44
2.	RESEARCH PART ONE: SURVEY AMONG TEACHERS	45
2.1	Analysis of returned questionnaires	46
2.2	Overview of research results	51
2.2.1	List of available resource books dealing with songs	52
3.	RESEARCH PART TWO: SURVEY AMONG STUDENTS	53
3.1	Analysis of returned questionnaires	54
3.2	Overview of research results	58
3.3	List of popular songs suitable for teaching EFL	59
3.3.1	Grammar-based popular songs	59
3.3.2	Vocabulary-based popular songs	60
3.3.3	Pronunciation-based popular songs	61
3.3.4	Topic-based popular songs	61
3.3.5	Popular songs with comprehensible and easy lyrics	63
4.	RESEARCH PART THREE: TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS	64
4.1	Analysis of different Project editions (diachronic approach)	64
4.2	Analysis of contemporary textbooks (synchronic approach)	67
4.2.1	Analysis of textbooks used at lower secondary schools	68
4.2.2	Analysis of textbooks used at upper secondary schools	68
4.3	Research results	71
5.	CONCLUSIONS AND CLASSROOM IMPLICATIONS	72
	BIBLIOGRAPHY	74
	APPENDICES
	RÉSUMÉ
	ANNOTATION

Text Sample:

CHAPTER 6, PROS AND CONS OF TEACHING THROUGH POP SONGS:

In this last chapter of the theoretical part, the pros and cons of using pop songs in the EFL classroom will be discussed.

6.1, Advantages of using pop songs:

Domoney and Harris argue that listening to popular music is students´ most frequent exposure to English outside their three or four hours a week of classes. Therefore, ‘more time and attention to popular music in an EFL curriculum would increase student motivation because classroom activities would use their knowledge, their music and their language’.

Popular music is one way of involving students and their teacher in meaningful, enjoyable and collaborative learning tasks. Songs can be used for a variety of activities promoting all language skills – listening, speaking, reading, writing - and language systems – vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation and possibly also spelling (for example British and American spelling in lyrics). Songs give insight into the cultural background and values, not only of the English speaking countries, but also of the whole world because English language music is no longer restricted to English speaking countries. Popular songs mostly reflect on topics which are relevant to teenagers and with which they can identify. Therefore, it is more natural and authentic for students to talk to each other about pop music than many other topics. Students might be also more willing to do some creative writing resulting from the lyrics of a song because it will be a part of their interest or experience as well.

To sum up, dealing with popular music in the EFL classroom has a high added value, in terms of both successful learning and motivation. The fact that songs belong to the real lives of the students allows the teacher to support the idea that the language the students are learning can be used in the real world.

6.2, Disadvantages of using pop songs:

As Murphey describes in his book Music and Song, there are some common concerns teachers express about using pop songs and problems they have experienced while working with them in the EFL classroom.

‘Pop songs have poor vocabulary; there is too much slang and bad grammar.’ Of course, bad pop songs exist. However, it is the teacher´s task to choose the good ones with rich vocabulary, good grammar examples and strong messages. There are plenty of good songs. (A list of pop songs suitable for the EFL classroom will be presented in the practical part of this diploma project.) ‘Songs go out of date very quickly.’ That is a matter of opinion. In comparison with traditional songs, pop songs really do go out of date very quickly, but some popular songs are played on the radio for many years. Nevertheless, if teachers want to use contemporary songs they have to be always on the search for new songs.

‘Students will not sing.’ They do not have to sing. There are plenty of other activities which can be done with songs. The teacher can encourage students to sing along to the songs which most students enjoy. It does not matter if students neither want to sing along nor speak to it because the song will probably ‘stick in their heads’ anyway.

‘Students do not like the songs the teacher chooses.’ Sometimes, it might be a real challenge for the teacher to choose a song which students will enjoy. In such case, let students give you tips on songs they like. This can be done, for example, in form of a brainstorming activity or questionnaire about their favourite singers, bands and songs.

‘Teachers cannot sing.’ They do not have to sing the song if they do not want to sing.

Students think songs are a waste of time. Many students, especially older ones, feel that they only learn from serious-looking activities. In such cases, teachers should explain the aims of the song-based activity carefully. Very motivated students need to know why they are doing a task before starting the activity.

‘It takes away from the normal syllabus and time is lost.’ Teachers need to incorporate pop songs into the syllabus, plan the work carefully and be sure about their aims and objectives. Furthermore, teachers need to be convinced about the positive effect of pop songs on students´ motivation. If so, time spent on working with song cannot be regarded as a lost time.

To sum up, there are many concerns among teachers about using pop songs. The above presented list of possible disadvantages is far from being complete. When working with pop songs, teachers need to be enthusiastic about the songs themselves so that they can pass on their enthusiasm to students. However, as with any other teaching method, some activities work well with one class and do not work with another class and vice versa. Therefore, it is important to know the class and their musical tastes and choose the right songs.