Korean language teachers have to be able to provide learners with practical language materials that simulate real life situations. They also give opportunities to practice language skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing based on the knowledge of Korean grammar.
This study is intended to understand the characteristics of communication made through various media and to suggest a class model to utilize Korean popular songs based on the Seventh Revised Curriculum for the Korean language. Its objective is to creatively converse, critically analyze the language use of media and increase the ability to use Korean.
As audio-vidual materials, popular songs convey messages through a combination of various methods. Thus they enable learners to use all their senses synthetically and to perceive grammar as practically exercised, not as detached from real life situations. This promotes class understanding and the conveyance of grammar knowledge, so media language is found to have value as a material for language acquisition.
Firstly, the utilization of popular songs in Korean language classes is found to make students more attentive. Popular songs contribute greatly to students' motivation and their understanding of grammar.
Secondly, popular songs increase the frequency of students' volunteering for presentation. Students regard popular songs as part of their culture, and are more likely to show their desire to express themselves in classes, and pay more attention to classes.
Thirdly, as students' commitment to, interest in, and participation in classes increases, the results of their formative evaluation are found to be better.
Fourthly, students become more interested in classes. The utilization of media language has resulted in heightened student interest in tough grammar class.
These results mentioned above can be interpreted as showing positive possibilities of utilizing media language in classes. The most challenging is the lack of students' interest and participation in class, which leads to the fact that students have little ardour in classes. In such a situation, the role that media language could play is not negligible, because it could remove the barrier that students have in their minds, and make them advance without hesitation over the barrier. Therefore, popular songs can be regarded as materials good enough to draw students' interest and participation. So that class may not be confined to only being interesting, teachers should prepare carefully and thoroughly for classes in advance. If so, popular songs will make an impact to attractive and effective classes for students who feel somewhat aloof and detached from texts and grammar.