| dc.description.abstract | A wealth of research has been conducted on integrating music into the second language classroom, and most studies have shown that songs positively impact English language learning. Although the effectiveness of songs as language-learning tools has long been recognized, few studies have examined their potential for learning English content. The aim of the present study was to examine Norwegian middle school teachers’ and students’ attitudes and pedagogical beliefs toward the use of songs to teach history, culture, and society in the English subject. Furthermore, a case study using action research techniques was carried out to investigate students’ and teachers’ experiences of using protest songs to learn about the struggle for civil rights in the United States. The classroom research was conducted in two Year 10 middle school English classrooms located in southern Norway and extended over seven lessons during a three-week period. A mixed-methods approach was used in order to answer my research questions, and three primary methods of inquiry were used: (i) individual semi-structured interviews with two English teachers, (ii) text analysis of 50 student journals, and (iii) an online survey completed by 154 middle school English teachers. The results show that both teachers and students believe that songs should be incorporated into the English classroom as a pedagogical practice to enhance student learning. Furthermore, the findings suggest that songs can serve as valuable teaching tools for helping students learn about the history, culture and society of English-speaking countries. Not all students found this method of learning enjoyable or educational, and the thesis also examines the reasons for these reactions. In addition, the results indicate that some English teachers lack competence in using songs and that there is a need to focus more on how songs can be used pedagogically to teach content material in the English subject. | |
