Students' Attitudes towards Teaching and Learning Semantics through Pop Culture

Abstract

Meaning is undeniably the core of human communication, with semantics, the study of meaning, playing a crucial role in linguistics programs. Traditional teaching methods in semantics are often considered dry and reliant on memorization, potentially hindering student motivation. While some research suggests that authentic materials can improve language learning, there needs to be more research on their impact in Vietnamese university contexts. This study explores Van Lang University English majors' perceptions of integrating pop culture materials into Semantics courses, offering insights for educators to make Semantics more engaging and effective. The study was designed quantitatively with a survey questionnaire administered to 113 English-majored seniors. Results show that students had positive attitudes toward using pop culture in Semantics training, finding it made the course more comprehensible and engaging. However, opinions on the challenges of this approach were unclear. The study provides implications for students, teachers, and future research.