Poems and song lyrics

This project focuses on the use of poetry and song lyrics in the English language classroom. For this purpose, we have developed a questionnaire targeting university students of English. The survey investigates participants’ experiences at school on the one hand, both when they were students and during internships. On the other hand, with many of them being future teachers of English, the survey examines the perceived potential of using lyrical texts for teaching English. Finally, the survey determines the role that poems and songs play in students’ spare time. Overall, we are particularly interested in the relations between school experiences, attitudes, and spare time activities.

In slightly modified versions, we have so far conducted the survey with two different groups of participants: First, it was introduced in the context of an interdisciplinary seminar at the University of Bamberg, which took place in the winter semester of 2021/22. Second, the survey was expanded to a larger project and included students of English throughout Germany.

Project partners: PD Dr. Valentin Werner & Dr. Lukas Sönning

Talks:

Summer, T., Grund, R., & Zirkel, M. “Songs in ELT: A survey on university students’ beliefs and their experiences in English lessons”. Anglistentag 2022, University of Mainz. 02.-05.09.2022.

Publications:

Summer, T., Werner, V., Krug, M., & Zirkel, M. (in preparation). Teaching pre-service English teachers about poems and songs in an interdisciplinary seminar: Opportunities and hurdles. In P. Fischer & T. Summer (Eds.), From Poetry to Song Lyrics: Analysing and Teaching Verse. Winter.