Incorporating Hip-hop and Black Popular Culture in Korean Primary School English Teacher Training

Abstract

This study illustrates how hip-hop and black popular culture can be integrated into primary school English teacher education and explores Korean teachers’ reactions to these elements. Within an intensive teacher training program where hip-hop and black popular culture were introduced and adapted for Korean ELT, the study analyzed Korean primary school English teachers’ responses to the pedagogical values of these elements within Korean context. The findings reveal mixed attitudes toward the inclusion of hip-hop and black popular culture. From the perspective of “teacher as learner,” there were positive responses in terms of interest in African American English features and the value of hip-hop and black popular culture as educational resources and their trendiness in literacy education. However, their practicality was viewed negatively. Within the “discourse of schooling” in Korea, the positive aspects included the value of teaching American culture through hip-hop and black popular culture, while doubts about their effectiveness in Korean ELT prompted a negative response. Regarding “teaching activities,” positive reactions emerged when teachers contextualized racial issues in the U.S. in relation to Korean multiculturalism, but concerns arose about the appropriateness of the language and imagery in hip-hop. This study encourages further discussion on this topic.