Popular Culture and English: Language Arts in English - Research Paper Example

Popular Culture and English (Language Arts in English) Introduction In the present age of popular culture in language arts and English, there are bound to be a variety of learning materials available online. This study is being conducted in the hope of developing a critical awareness of popular culture as text and as an activity. It shall consider the ways in which commercial and media entertainment inscribe cultural practices and identities. It shall also explore folk and mass cultures and tensions between popular and high culture. Through this study it is hoped that this student will gain an introduction to theorists of popular culture, and pop culture genres including film, popular print media, and advertisements. Discussion 1: Harry Potter Discussions There are various posts discussing Harry Potter as an effective tool for learning. In one post, a classmate discusses how Harry Potter can be used as a teaching tool in order to develop different working tasks. In the post of Chun Fai Lau, he suggests that first and foremost, the audio book is a good application of the theory set forth by Ferdinand de Saussure where he speaks about words and signs in relation to each other. De Saussure speaks of a cat and its meow which are automatically associated with each other. In more or less the same context, the audio book will help the students make a verbal and a written association between the spoken and the written words. It will help them to understand the text better and to remember the words that they read by associating these with signs or with sounds. This method of teaching is a very hands-on technique. It allows the students to enhance, not just their verbal skills, but also their visual and associative skills. The flash cards can be associated with De Saussure’s word-to-sign or visual-to-verbal language elements. Chun Fai Lau’s suggestions can also help enhance the student’s memory; it applies not just in reading books but in studying lessons as well. More often than not, many students find it hard to memorize or remember their lessons. However, by associating images or sounds to the lessons or to their reading materials, it may be easier for the students to remember their lessons. In the second task involving note-taking, Chun Fai Lau also discusses and suggests viable options in teaching students. These options will help students remember important instances and points from the story or scene they just watched. Note-taking in class is a learned skill. One student may find the need to take down anything and everything that the teacher is saying in class, while another may not take down any notes at all. The main point is that a student has to know when to take down and when not to take down notes. This activity will help the student to be discriminating in his note-taking. This task relates very much to the reasons why pop culture is being used as a learning tool. By asking the students to watch a familiar, popular, and exciting story unfold, they are now trained when and what parts of the story they should take note of and which parts they should ignore. By mastering the ‘art’ of note-taking in this activity, they can now apply this technique in class. They can now take note of the ‘exciting’ or the most important parts of the lesson only, and not to take note of everything that the teacher discusses in class. This activity will also help facilitate the learning process of the student in the sense that his time is better spent in class. In the latter part of the second and on the third task suggested by Chun Fai Lau, the process of addressing social issues may be more difficult to dissect or to deconstruct. Social issues or discussions such as the ones mentioned on ‘Harry Potter/witchcraft and Christianity’ and on ‘Harry Potter and homosexuality’ are discussions which cannot be adequately and satisfactorily discussed in this session alone. Perhaps an initial understanding of the issues may indeed be accomplished through these discussions; however, this understanding may be haphazard at best. It may even serve to confuse the students further about the issues being raised in the activity task. Week three of the lessons make mention of a lengthy and thorough process by which students can eventually manage to form their opinions about a certain subject matter. The activity task for said week also made mention of the process of reflection, of making connections, of provoking and resolving confusions, of reconsidering thoughts and feelings, and such other process which eventually enable a more holistic issue evaluation. In the activity task suggested by Chun Fai Lau, the process does not adequately allow for a holistic evaluation of the issue on ‘homosexuality’ and on ‘Harry Potter and Christianity’. Asking the students to comment on the issue does not allow for the students to adequately and fairly explore diversity. The commenting process is not detailed enough and is not organized enough in order to achieve specific goals in the deconstruction of gender and spirituality issues. It is however, important to note that the initial steps suggested by Chun Fai Lau are meritorious. First and foremost, each student is asked to focus on one student and to find out as much information as possible about the character. As each student is allowed to ‘speak out’ in the tone of their chosen character’s voice, the other students are also allowed a glimpse into the other characters and corresponding personalities in the book and in the movie. In the process, the students somehow are placed in the midst of diverse groups of characters and to get to experience how each character might actually ‘feel’ as an outcast or as a part of the crowd. This process needs to be followed up with a discussion on how each student feels like, for a moment, assuming the character in the book – how they would feel like being Harry, or being Dumbledore, or being Draco. As each student voices out his opinion and his feeling, a more engaging discussion can follow – one that is organized, is thorough, and one that is based on valid points that they can actually relate to. Discussion 2: The Bucket List movie Graeme Alexander Hughes McLiesh presents a lesson plan or activity based on the movie ‘The Bucket List’ starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. First and foremost his suggested activity fits the level of students who would be in their senior secondary (S5 to S7) levels. This group of students would already have a good handle or a mature grasp of death, of mortality, and of setting personal goals. The groupings and subsequent discussions in the groupings would also help manage the deconstruction of the topic. Three sessions would indeed be appropriate for this activity in order to give the topic a chance to sink in and to be more introspective. The activity is a serious, yet relevant activity, which should not be rushed because it would take away the very essence of the experience. The longer and unhurried sessions would also give each student an opportunity to share the contents of his list. Giving each student a chance to speak would empower him and would give equal importance to each student’s role in the class and in the discussion. Each student would gradually reveal a personal and introspective part of himself with his list. Some of the other students may already have experienced the things that a student wishes to experience before he dies. And some students may have deep and sentimental reasons why they have placed some items in their list. In another context, the students may also get some good ideas on other items they would also want to include in their list. In this activity, each student would also have a chance to enhance his/her communication and presentation skills. Simply reading the list aloud in class would defeat the purpose of the activity. However, by encouraging an animated and lively presentation of each item in the list, the imagination of the class may be transported beyond its four walls. Other students may not take the activity seriously as their other classmates might. And through the sharing and communication process, each student would be encouraged and motivated to treat the activity as more than just a frivolous exercise. The interactive discussion would also help the students open up to each other about their goals and about their expectations in life. An out of town trip that a student may place in his list may not seem like an impossible feat or goal for another student; however, the entire point in the exercise is to give that person a chance to express his desires to the rest of the class and to explain each choice. This will help each student explore how financial matters, physical disabilities, and other limitations may limit a student’s list. Each student will also be encouraged to set his goals; to respect each other’s moment, and to respect each other’s objective, especially when they are so different from the rest; and to be more creative and fluent in presenting their ideas in class. This activity would work well among the senior students because in a couple more years, they would be off to either pursue college studies or to apply for work. This activity would help the students reconsider the present course and direction of their lives and somehow look into what they want their future to look like. I believe that in this activity, each student should have more time – about 5 minutes maximum to share the contents of his list. After each student finishes reading the items in his list, the rest of the class may be given a minute or two to ask the student about some of the items the student included in his list. The student may choose to explain his list further or he may opt to keep the details to himself. The option of silence should be allowed each student because he may or may not want to reveal the details of his choices to his classmates. Explanations of each item may indeed be too personal to share with a class of 30; therefore, each student must be aware that he may choose only to reveal what he feels comfortable sharing. I believe that the use of the movie “The Bucket List” is an advantageous learning material because it is material which the students can relate to and can easily comprehend. As was mentioned in the Week One course materials, popular culture is a useful learning material because it is relevant to daily life and experiences, in schools, and in business. The movie is very much relevant to our daily lives because its themes revolve around life, about dreams, goals, and expectations, and more importantly, it revolves around mortality. It is also an attractive and fun learning material because it allows the students to come up with exciting items and goals for their list, and eventually their lives. The list may indeed include such exciting goals as skydiving, driving an expensive car around a race track, climbing Mount Everest, or visiting the pyramids in Egypt. Or they may be as simple as laughing until tears roll down one’s eyes or to kiss a beautiful girl. Nevertheless, the goals for each student still serve as exciting and engaging points of discussion. Consequently, through this activity and through the movie, more lofty and exciting goals for each student may be fulfilled. The familiarity of the movie and the material being used in class is also a plus factor in this instance. Some of the students may already have watched the movie and would be very excited to come up with their own list and to come up with ways on how they can accomplish the items in their list. More often than not, the materials available in popular culture are more relatable to students. They gravitate towards it because it is within their ‘time’; it is contemporary; and it would make them look very ‘hip’ to be identified with the text or the learning materials to be used in class. The media to be used in the class which is basically a video and internet connectivity to view the YouTube clip is very appropriate as a teaching material. In one of the videos, the clip compilation is embellished by the song ‘Live like You Were Dying’ (by Tim McGraw) and it helped put the message of the movie across. The videos are simple and relatable videos; and they summarize the important points of the story, allowing the core message of the story to be understood and to be appreciated by the students. Drawbacks in this type of media mainly revolve around the fact that this type of media is not always well-rounded. It only provides a limited frame by which a person’s list may be developed. It is also a very influential and manipulative tool in instances when this media is used as the main learning tool for students. Videos and sometimes movies only show what the makers want to present; but beyond that, the truths may be buried and inconveniently left out of the discussion or of the picture. Discussion 3: Sound of Music In a post by Choi Ping Martha, she proposes a lesson plan capitalizing on music and on the Sound of Music. The class level of her students is appropriate for this activity because the students would have enough comprehension and appreciation for the activity. The activity would engage their interest because it is a very dynamic and inspiring movie. The music in the movie carries simple tunes which easily invite the students to sing along. By applying the same elements to a different time setting, the imagination and the creativity of the students would also be improved. The new setting would also allow the students to learn about the scenarios which exist in other time settings and why these time settings are the way they are. It would allow them to understand the historical and cultural landscape that may have been existent during the Stone Age or during the Second World War and to explore the elements which shape such time period. In this activity, the participation of all the members of the class or the group is necessary. With the various elements needed in order to recreate different time settings, all students would likely have a role to play in this activity. And each role would be essential to its success. In this activity, Choi Ping Martha is not quite specific on how music would be used in each time setting. Although she mentions elements of music and of different time periods, there is no definite or clear link between these two elements. Such details need to be specified by Choi in order to allow an adequate assessment of this activity. The concepts behind it however, are sound and are very much based on theories laid down in this course. Adding in characters like Michael Jackson and Susan Boyle to the story would help in making the story even more contemporary and engaging. Michael Jackson is one of the most popular pop artists in the world. His popularity has even soared recently because of his tragic death. By injecting his character into the activity, the possibility of drawing in the interest of more students into the activity is now a greater possibility. Susan Boyle is an inspirational element which may be added into the story. The clip of her audition alone is a powerful and inspiring video to watch. It is also universal because, even to those who may not understand English, Susan Boyle’s voice is a beautiful message on its own. This makes music a universal element in this activity. Changes in the plot of the story would then impact greatly on the activity and in the learning process of the students. The use of the YouTube videos in this activity is appropriate because it is very much contemporary. It makes the activity more relatable to the students because the video is easily accessible and available to a diverse group of people. Leaving copies of the movie available in the library and in other media resources would also help simplify the learning process of the students. Allowing e-learning and blogging to be a part of this activity will also help facilitate a contemporary medium of learning. It allows a healthy and academic interaction between and among the different members of the class. It is a process which, presently, most students are familiar and comfortable with. Many students blog all the time about anything and anyone, so why not give them something educational and academically interactive to blog about? This medium of learning is yet again another innovative learning technique borne out of the various technological advancements present in our world today. The drawback however in using blogging and the YouTube videos as tools in this learning activity is that there is no current filter available which would ensure that the students only view what they are asked to view in the class. There is also no guarantee that the blogging activities of the students would be healthy interactions with other students, not attempts to unproductively criticize other students’ work. There may also be instances when the blogging process may be counterproductive and may only seek to confuse the students more about the topic at hand. Conclusion I have learned from the e-learning approach and from doing the homework materials for this course that allowing other people to comment on the activities that we post is an effective way of improving our activities. E-learning is another convenient and interactive way of learning because it is accessible to other students. The homework materials also suggest contemporary learning tools which are assisted by contemporary examples such as popular movies and popular books. I learned throughout this learning process that teaching and learning has to evolve in order to be effective tools. For teachers and for learners who do not attempt to keep up with these changes, they would be overwhelmed by the learning tasks and activities which may be assigned to them. Popular culture has to be learned and mastered in the contemporary sense. It cannot be evaluated in a void or in the vacuum of an outdated learning context. I have learned that in order to be an effective teacher and learner, I have to be more open to change; I have to allow suggestions to improve my ideas; and to be more dynamic in my outlook and in my understanding of the learning process. Appendix Harry Potter Tasks: Discussion 1 Message no. 95 Author: Chun Fai LAU (09682999g) Date: Saturday, September 26, 2009 01:20 Hi everyone About using Harry Potter as teaching tool and develop different working tasks, the following 3 tasks are my brainstormed ideas. To let students have a chance to study all-round knowledge, I will use audio book, movie and novel to teach listening, writing and social awareness. Task 1) Media: Audio book Task: Describe the personality of the character Method: First, instruct students to write their characters name in the centre of the paper. Second, distribute them a pile of flash cards with descriptive adjective written on them. Then, play the audio book on a particular scene. After that, encourage students to think careful and stick the suitable flash cards around the character’s name which describe them best. Finally ask the students to find one strong quotation from different characters and explain in front of the class why that quotation fits them. This task can improve not only their listening skills, but also the observation skills and the adjective vocabulary. They have to determine the character’s personality by hearing their voice. Students can imagine a virtual image with temper according to characters’ speaking tone, intonation and the vocabulary used. Also, they have a chance to relax since they have to walk around the classroom and discuss with classmates. Task 2) Media: Harry Potter “WITCH” video clip from YouTube Task: Performing a Harry Potter scene of WITCH I will play a Harry Potter scene with WITCH and WITCH’s SPELLS on Youtube. Then, instruct the students to form a group and jot down some important meanings, conversations, storyline, and even blocking, but no need to recite the whole stuff! After the video playing, ask the groups of students to restructure the whole scene by their imagination and perform in front of the class. Finally, they even have to create and compose their own “What’s Next” during the last 3-5 minutes of their performance. This task can train up their note-taking skills and creativity. There is also a room for them to create their Harry Potter scene. In order to emphasize the WITCH topic, they have to think of their own style of witch and perform in class. Students can even vote for the best WITCH among the class. There will be a follow-up discussion on social issue which is the main focus of the task. Many critics, especially those Christian parties, argued that Harry Potter story emphasize the beauty of the WITCH, which totally oppose to Christian point of view. We can give them a topic about “A novel that opposing GOD?” They can widely discuss and give opinions freely. Here’s the link of a article reference from Last Trumpet Ministries International: Harry Potter? What Does God Have To Say? By Pastor David J. Meyer http://www.lasttrumpetministries.org/tracts/tract7.html Task 3) Media: Harry Potter novel (probably the 1st novel/episode) Task: Letters to the characters First, divide the students into 2 groups and assign their roles into “Students” and “Characters” whom appeared in Harry Potter novel. Second, ask all the students to read the 1st novel/episode. Then the students who belong to “Students” need to write a letter to any characters appeared in Harry Potter, such as asking about their lives, and also the story ending as well! Teacher then collect all the letters and randomly deliver to the “characters” group. Students from “Characters” have to reply the letter with their own character’s tone. All the letters will be posted on the board afterwards. After the activity, I will raise out one social issue called sex and gender. I will distribute a news article about “Dumledore is Gay” and ask them to comment on this. Also they will discuss the difference between Sex and Gender. And finally ask them what Diversity is. Obviously, this task includes 2 big elements, writing and social issues. Students will improve their writing and critical thinking skills. Referring back to the above case, it is great to discuss gender issue and it is good for them to know the importance of diversity. The following link is a news article about the topic: JK Rowling outs Dumbledore as gay from BBC News Entertainment on 20 October 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7053982.stm Apart from the above, there are also a number of criticisms about Harry Potter, Since this great novel usually links with different current social issues such as Plagiarism; it is good to use Harry Potter as a tool to discuss the social problem and the current culture. Another great example is about reflecting the main characters into country leaders. Some found that the characters in Harry Potter are similar to those countries leaders, such as Voldemort reflects George W. Bush and Fudge is similar to Tony Blair. Please find the film article from Reel Life, BBC on 28 July 2003 http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/07/28/reel_life_july_28_2003_article.shtml Regards Lau Chun Fai, Trevor 09682999G MAELA Yr 1 Reply  Reply privately  Quote  Download Message no. 213 Author: Hiu Fu YEUNG (09671580g) Date: Friday, October 16, 2009 00:33 Hi Trevor, I love your idea, especially the first activity. Its really interesting. I am sure the students will enjoy the task. Also, Your teaching objectives are very clear. Very good work =]But for the part related to the social issues. I think you may need to give them more input first such as some more opinions of different viewpoints. Sometimes, students dont know where to start with. Therefore, it would be better to give them more instruction of this part. Anyway, your plan is really excellent. Thanks for your sharing!! Regards, Apple Discussion 2: The Bucket List Message no. 176 Author: Graeme Alexander Hughes MCLIESH (09689478g) Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009 03:51 The movie “The Bucket List” (2007) stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman Teacher to read this introduction before watching the clips. “The Bucket List” is a movie about 2 men who are forced to share a room together in hospital. They are both dying and given less than a year to live. They decide to set their priorities in order. Then they get out of hospital and they get the opportunity to do the things they have always wanted to do. This is the list of things that they want to do before they kick the bucket... this is a polite way of saying before you die. This attitude is the basis for the song in the clip titled, “Live like you are dying”. We are going to watch two video clips from the movie and then write a list of the things that they want to do. They go skydiving; they see great things in the world; they put relationships right In this world of pressure to be successful in life and study we often neglect to do the things that are most important. We seek to get ahead in material things and can often forget the most important things in life.. as the movie says “find the joy in life” In this class I want you each to list the 10 things that you most want to do before you die. You are free to discuss your ideas with those close to you after the video clips but I want each of you to come up with individual lists. Let your imagination run wild. Do not limit yourself because you dont have the money to do it now. In our next few classes everyone is required to come up the front and read the 10 most important items on their bucket list. Show trailer of movie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNWg5DlWVa8 and the last 2 minutes of the movie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2RlFIg0micw&feature=related Activity Plan Level of Students: Senior Secondary S5 to S7 Classroom Setting: This activity does not require any special classroom although these are necessary: 1. the ability to play video clips 2. a good area to present final work to the class. 3. A floor plan where group discussion can be easily carried out. Duration (No. of Sessions): This task touches on some serious issues of setting personal priorities and would be better if it were not rushed. I recommend it takes at least 3 sessions. The first session is watching the video clips and the second and third sessions would give enough time for 30 students to spend 2 to 3 minutes going through their list. If time permits a further session could be added where students discuss why they have chosen the list they have.  Number of Students: A class of 30 students would be ideal. Larger classes can be undertaken with appropriate time adjustments. Learning Objectives: 1. Provide a fun context for students to think about what things are important in life. In listening to the ideas of other students it is hoped the class could broaden their horizons and think beyond their experience. Also it is hoped that the students will learn to think about the priorities one has in life. As they say life is often wasted on youth. 2. Develop students’ presentation and communication skills; 3. Allow students to construct their own learning environment using their skills of imagination. 4. Develop students’ critical analysis skills and get them to thinkseriously about life choices and priorities. 5. Offer students a chance to work on the delivery and comprehension/understanding of natural, fluent English. Output Required: 1. Each individual students needs to prepare and read their bucket list of 10 items to the class. 2. Each presentation should must be minimum 2 minutes long.(Max: 4 minutes) 3. If time permits each student could ask others why each item is important. This would mean students should also be prepared to have at least a limited level of explanation they can give for each choice they make. It is of course important that all students are respectful of other students wishes. Graeme McLiesh 09689478G Discussion: The Sound of Music Message no. 177 Author: Choi Ping Martha NG (08532441g) Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009 10:21 Group member: Martha Ng, Jodie Tong, Leanne Chan, Debbie Class level: F4 DSE student (immediate - advanced level) Session required: 1 single-lesson session + 1 double-lesson session Objectives: - to develop students imagination + creativity + logical thinking - to get students work in group to interact with each other - to allow students apply presentation skills - to give students opportunity to act - to create an opportunity for students to work on e-format assignment Before class: - students are requested to gain general knowledge of the movie (copies of the movie may be left at the library / media resources room for students to watch as pre-lesson work a week before the class) - teachers may give background information (about the writer, the historical events at that period of time etc) before the class - an e-platform should be ready for students to post and share their blog entries Activities: Activity 1 (time: 1 single-lesson session) - To Play around with the new time setting - Group discussion - Presentation from each group at the end of session Mechanism: - Ask students to pick another time interval for the new time setting (students can pick any time period from the Stone Age to the future, but not any time in the 40s (the WWII)) - Teachers may guide students to pick the significant time period rather than just any period they like) - Ask students to discuss on the change of the following due to the change of time setting of the story a. environment (setting) b. clothing c. how people speak (tone / manner / topic) d. how people act (way the walk / social or family status ) - Each group has to give a presentation on their new setting. Assessment: - From teachers: group participation (on interaction) + presentation skill + logical thinking - From students: peer assessment for other groups (on creativity / funniness maybe :p) Activity 2 + Activity 3 (time: 1 double-lesson session) Activity 2 (time: 1 double-lesson session) - To create new characters to the old story - Group work - To act the scene Mechanism: - Students will be given a list of celebrity to be added on to their story - Students will need to pick 2 new characters to their story, one from each column column A column B Michael Jackson William Hung (from Americas got talent) Susan Boyle (from Britains got talent) Mr Bean Snow White Shrek - Teachers may provide students video clips from Youtube to show who these people are if class has no knowledge on them - Students needs to discuss the change of plot with the new people added to it. - Each group has to act a short scene to the class with the 2 newbies joining the group. Assessment: - From teachers: creativity + body language + logical thinking + language aspects - From students: peer assessment for other groups (on funniness + creativity) Activity 3 - To work on e-platform - Individual work (with peers interaction) Mechanism: - Students have to pick one of the ORIGINAL characters and pretend he is he. - Students have to go onto the e-platform and submit blog entries (3-5) telling how they spent their days / how life was / anything they can include in their blog, when the new members from Activity 2 are added in. - Other students / teachers can leave comments to their blog entries. (like real life example) - Teachers may spend a some time to give evaluation to students in general (individual feedback should be posted to the students blog as comments) Assessment: From teachers: language-wise (the language / grammar / vocab used in their blog) + creativity + logical thinking From students: leave comments to their classmates and ask questions Time allocation may change according to the class size / class level / the length of the feedback period. Thanks :D Read More