Arkansas Professor Finds Place for Teens’ Music in English Class

Publication: The Colleague
Date: December 4, 2009

Summary: Chris Goering, University of Arkansas assistant professor and site director of the Northwest Arkansas Writing Project, says discussing song lyrics in the classroom can help students connect in multiple, complex levels with traditional literature.

Excerpt from Article

With his experience teaching high school English for five years, Goering began to research the use of music lyrics in teaching literature. In addition to publishing articles and book chapters on his research, he uses the concept in the classes he teaches at the university, his work with teachers in the writing project and in presentations to teachers, including a recent keynote speech in Florida.

Earlier this fall, Goering spoke to about 80 teachers at a summit sponsored by the Florida State University affiliate of the National Writing Project. He also addressed the students and faculty of the English education program at Florida State and spoke to teachers at a nearby middle school.

Discussing song lyrics in the classroom can help students connect in multiple, complex levels with traditional literature, Goering explained. Because of the importance of music to adolescents, the method can engage some students who otherwise would not be interested in literature and challenge the ones who are. For the students in Siloam Springs, he put lyrics on a big screen from the song "Broken Plow" by Chris Knight, who wrote the song after reading John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath, according to Knight's Web site. Then, Goering asked them to compare those lyrics to "Email my Heart" performed by Britney Spears.

Copyright © 2009 University of Arkansas. Reprinted with permission.
Colleague. 2009. "Professor Finds Place for Teens' Music in English Class." Colleague , December.

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