Medieval Studies and Medievalism: Choosing Good Texts for ESL and General Education Students in Taiwan

This essay uses Brian Helgeland’s movie A Knight’s Tale (2001) as an example of modern medievalism and of a good choice for ESL and general studies students. Drawing on experiences from a course on films and television shows about the Middle Ages, taught at a technology university in Taiwan, I explore how this kind of class benefits Taiwanese ESL students, arguing in particular that a medievalism course can help both teachers and students to reflect on: (1) the need students have for some knowledge of medieval culture, which, entangled as it is in contemporary pop culture, they will encounter frequently in the films, TV shows, and video games that they enjoy; and (2) the need to think carefully about which texts to choose for ESL study