Creative Classroom use of Culture

Blog – 1.22.12

When I was reading the article about literacy in India, I just couldn’t believe what I was reading! It is so awesome that two of my loves – music and reading – are coming together to help better lives (probably my third favorite). This same-language subtitling (SLS) has “acted as a catalyst to quadruple the rate at which completely illiterate adults become proficient readers” (Riddhi Shah, online). 

Thinking about how I could use these, since I am hoping many of my students will be able to read by the time they are in middle schools.  It would be a wonderful way for students, or anyone else, to learn a new language.  I remember reading a book about an older Egyptian man who learned English by watching old, British TV shows so he had a really funny accent.  It would be an interesting concept to try out how exactly it would work.

Speaking of pop culture, if people in small villages of India are surrounded by it, how much more so are the middle school students these days? “Their experiences with pop culture texts also support their development as literate individuals, help them better understand themselves, and give them the freedom to try on and enact various identities” (Hall, 297).  As a teacher, I would need my students to read the school assigned work, but it would be very beneficial if they were reading anything, really.

The more adolescents read and think about what they are reading, the better developed their brain will be.  The “Popular Culture Text” explained how much harder reading for school can be, and so why can’t we (teachers) find new ways to present the information?

I remember my high school English teacher taught us different literary devices found in poetry by looking at song lyrics.  It was so exciting and something that was actually relatable to life that I enjoyed learning about the poetic elements! More exercises like this should take place and less of the monotone readings out of dusty old books (not that I don’t LOVE dusty old books, they are some of my favorites too).

I loved getting to read all of the student’s discussions in the “Popular Culture Text” because some of their reasons for things being fake were just hilarious, but it helped them think through the bigger ideas.  Plus, it is always comforting when kids don’t believe everything they see on movies or in video games. 

Another way to try and incorporate pop culture, I would love to have a challenge for my students to see where school and pop culture intersect.  Like if we are reading Hamlet, do they notice all the same themes from Lion King? Or see how historical event will be referenced in rap songs?  Whatever gets them thinking about school topics outside of school is a win in my book! “The findings from this study show that youths can and will draw on pop culture texts to inform their understandings of academic ones, even if such practices are not sanctioned within the classroom” (Hall, 304).

Reference:

Shah, Riddhi. "Watch and learn - The Boston Globe." Boston.com - Boston, MA news, breaking news, sports, video. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Jan. 2012. <http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2010/09/19/watch_and_learn/?page=full>.

Hall, Leigh A. “How Popular Culture Texts Inform and Shape Student’s Discussions of Social Studies Texts.” Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy Dec 2011/Jan 2012. Pp. 296-305.