Singing English: songs and songs lyrics in the Norwegian EFL Classroom. A qualitative research project on whether, how and why teachers use songs and song lyrics as a method for teaching English in lower secondary schools in Norway

Abstract

This study investigates the use of songs and song lyrics in the EFL classroom in Norway. The thesis is a qualitative research project, discussing six semi-structured interviews with teachers from three different schools; a Steiner school, an international school and a public lower secondary school. The research question is divided into three main sub- questions. The first concern is whether songs and song lyrics are used in the EFL classroom at all. The second deals with the way in which songs and song lyrics are being used. This sub- question has been investigated with a focus on methods the teachers use in their EFL classrooms, what topics they teach with the use of songs and song lyrics in the English curriculum, and what kind of actual classroom exercises the teachers use in their EFL classroom linked to songs and song lyrics. The discussion on how songs and song lyrics can be used in the three main areas of the English curriculum in Norway focus on the different the ways of using songs and song lyrics within the three fields of grammar, culture and literature. The third and final part of the research question is why songs and song lyrics should be used in the classroom. This question will not be objectively answered, but previous research and the results of the data gathered in this research will help support the idea that songs and song lyrics should be used. This includes the general theoretical benefits of using such tools in discussion with the justifications that the participants offer. Disadvantages of the use of songs and song lyrics is discussed with a special focus on how teachers who are inexperienced with the use of them sometimes find songs and song lyrics to be a deviation from the curriculum and a distraction from other forms of education. The main findings in the research show differences between the three pairs of teachers from the three different schools, but the reasons for the differences between the schools might lie deeper than just the school type. The focus in the different types of schools make this research different from other research within the field.