SONGS
Ana Vera de la Torre
BENEFITS
improves concentration
improves memory
brings a sense of
community to a group
motivates learning
relaxes people who are
overwhelmed or
stressed
makes learning fun
helps people absorb
material
USING MUSIC
WITH L2
introduce a new theme or
topic
(Christmas/colours/feelings)
break the ice in a class
where students don't know
each other or are having
difficulty communicating
change the mood (liven
things up or calm things
down)
teach and build vocabulary
and idioms
review material (background
music improves memory)
USING MUSIC
WITH L2
teach pronunciation and
intonation
teach songs and rhymes
about difficult grammar
and spelling rules that
need to be memorized
("i before e", irregular
verbs, phrasal verbs)
teach reading
comprehension
inspire a class discussion
teach listening for
details and gist
DIFFERENT KIND
OF:
Transition songs: Good morning
teacher
Energy boosters: Stand up, sit
down
Animal songs: "Old McDonald had
a Farm" and "There was an Old Lady
who swallowed a fly."
Remembering Names:
"Willoughby Wallaby Woo."
Alphabet songs: Chicka Chicka
Boom Boom by Bill Martin
Colours: "What a Wonderful World"
or Kermit the Frog's "It aint easy
being green."
Rewards: While they write
Student teachers: To teach each
other the song they like.
[Link]
G
With evocative titles
they can be used for
brainstorming
vocabulary. Students
can make up a story
given the keywords
from the song.
2. AMEND THE
SONG
Insert wrong words
into the song. This
can be used with
synonyms
or
antonyms. You could
make two versions
changing
different
words in each so that
students can check
with a partner.
3. EXTRA WORD
Students
must
listen and strike out
the extra words.
4. ORDERING THE
SONG
Cut up the song into
manageable chunks
and
students
can
reorder as they listen.
Students
order
pictures representing
the song.
Split sentences in two
so
students
must
match up the first and
second
half
of
sentences.
[Link] THE TEXT
OF THE SONG
Give the students
true or false
sentences from
the text of the
song.
Students find
synonyms and
antonyms in the
song to words
given on a
handout.
[Link]
Students
select
9
keywords
from
a
selection of about 20
on the board and
insert them into a 3
by 3 grid. When
students listen to the
song they tick the
words off until they
have 3 in a row and
then a full house.
Using keywords the
students retell the
story of the song in a
narrative.
[Link] THE
SONG
Students can write an
extra verse for the
song.
Students
can
compose
a
verse
perhaps
using
keywords from an
original verse and
then compare it with
the original.
Students can write a
letter from or to the
singer or a character
in the song
8.
PRONUNCIATION
Rhyming words can be
extracted from the song.
Weak forms, contractions
and unstressed words are
commonplace in song lyrics.
Make out a survey for
students to rate the song
from 1-10. You can include
questions like: Does this
song make you feel happy?
Does it make you feel
sentimental? How would you
rate the lyrics? How would
you rate the tune? Will it be
successful? Would you buy
it? would you want to listen
again? Is it suitable for
background music? etc.
9. SONG REVIEW
You need at least 20
questions.
Students answer the
question while or after
they listen. Next they
can write up a review of
the song. If you have the
facilities you may get
them to do different
songs or as a homework
exercise they can do it
at home with a favourite
song in English or their
mother tongue
[Link]
Structures
(especially
modals and conditionals)
and tenses are often
repeated in the song.
Blank these
reinforcement
grammar.
Transfer
direct
speech.
out as
of the
lyrics
from
to
reported
Past tense review
11. COLLOQUIAL
'Ain't' and 'gonna'
and other colloquial
words which are
often neglected in
lessons frequently
come up in songs.
Cuz, cause,
(because)
wanna
[Link]
ACTIVITY
Blank out all the verbs,
adjectives,
rhyming
words, etc.
Give students a chance
to predict the missing
words
before
they
actually listen.
Students must choose
from a multiple choice
which could be used for
synonyms or confusing
words.
Give the students the
missing words in a
jumble
on
the
whiteboard.
13. STORYBOARD
All the words are
blanked out so that
students put the
song
together
starting
from
nothing
[Link]
WITHOUT LYRICS
Play a piece of
music and students
write
down
any
words that come
into their heads and
explain this to the
group
afterwards.
Students draw as
they
listen
and
afterwards explain
their picture.
15. GAMES TO
PLAY
In
pairs
students
listen
for
words
ending
in
'-ing',
rhyming
words,
adjectives etc
Play charades using
song titles
Pay
attention
to
specific words that
the teacher wants to
review and sts stand
up.
Chair game
[Link]
US
Students can act
out the story of the
song. You need a
suitable song and
give them time to
prepare for this.
e.g. 'Don't you want
me?' by The Human
League
