USING VINTAGE POP CULTURE IN THE ESL CLASSROOM

This paper makes the philosophical case for using vintage pop culture materials in the ESL classroom, and suggests some practical guidelines for doing so. First, it examines the pedagogical value of pop culture generally: it is motivational, and it promotes L2 cultural literacy, hence reading and listening fluency. The authors consider and reject the claim that pop culture imposes a foreign, "American" culture on learners. They highlight, however, one important problem with using the most current pop culture materials: the latest fashion stale dates almost instantly, and the students already know it. In light of this and other concerns, the paper argues for using vintage or classic materials rather than the most current and "relevant" artifacts. It suggests specific criteria for selecting such materials, offers a list of useful sites on the Internet for finding suitable media, and suggests how these materials might be presented in the classroom.