Week
4
How to use songs in the English language classroom
By Adam J. Simpson
What
makes for a successful song-based lesson? Adam Simpson, second-time
winner of the British Council’s Teaching English blog award for
his post on conditionals (written with Paul Mains), explains.
One
of the big problems we all face, whether teaching English to children or
adults, is maintaining learners’ interest throughout our lessons. Consequently,
we often have to be very creative in the techniques we use. What makes
music such a great teaching tool is its universal appeal, connecting
all cultures and languages. This makes it one of the best and most
motivating resources in the classroom, regardless of the age or
background of the learner.
Planning
for the use of songs in class
The
process of selecting a song is one of the most difficult aspects of using music
in a lesson. Here are some things you probably need to think about to ensure
you get the right song.
Carefully
examine what it is you want your class to learn in the lesson
Is
this going to be a lesson focusing on vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, or a
particular topic? I once used ‘You’re so vain’ by Carly Simon to introduce a
text that looked at vain people. In another lesson, I used ‘In the air tonight’
as it uses the present perfect continuous tense. Whatever your focus, remember
that this doesn’t necessarily place a limit on what you can do with the
song. For instance, you might wish to use the song in question to exemplify a
particular verb tense, and structure your lesson accordingly, but you might at
the same time wish to take the opportunity to look at those interesting idioms
in the lyrics!
Think
about the language level of your class
The
language level of your class will determine not only which songs you can use,
but also what other activities – such as games or written exercises – you
will use to develop the lesson. Lower levels will become extremely frustrated
with fast-delivered lyrics, for instance, while simple repetitive lyrics might
not be interesting for more advanced-level learners.
1.
How old are your learners?
2.
Are there any specific cultural issues
regarding the make-up of your class?
3.
What kind of access do you have to the song?
Six steps for making a song the focus
of your class
My intention
here is to provide a basic outline you can use with any song. Remember, these
are just suggestions so make sure to keep the profile of your learners in mind.
1. Listen to the song
2. Ask some questions about the title
3. Listen to the song again, this time
with lyrics
4. Focus on a particular verb tense or
aspect of grammar
5. Focus on vocabulary, idioms and
expressions
6. Round things off with some
creativity
it's a good idea leaning English with a song.
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