Using music in the english second language (ESL) classroom

Using music in the English Second Language ESL classroom... Why use songs and music with teenagers?•Music can help promote a relaxed, stress-free atmosphere in the classroom •Songs ofte

Using music in the English Second Language (ESL)

classroom

Music is said

To be history, it’s an indication of the time and

environment in which it was created.

To be a foreign language, it has its own

language and uses symbols to represent ideas

To be the universal language that everyone

understands

To be a tie that binds all cultures and languages

To be one of the best ways to make learning

English fun, interesting and enjoyable

The significance of music in education

Music is international which could be shared, and

enjoyed by people of different linguistic and

cultural backgrounds

Music enables learners to relax in a learning

atmosphere, helps to create an enjoyable

environment for learning It reduces pressure and tension in the class

Music bridges the gap between teachers and

students, helps to bring teachers and students

Why use songs and music with teenagers?

•Music can help promote a relaxed, stress-free

atmosphere in the classroom

•Songs often contain authentic, natural language

-not stilted language found in many student texts

• new vocabulary can be introduced through

songs -contain contemporary vocabulary, idioms , expressions and useful phrases

•Songs are usually easily available - usually

the internet which can connect you with song downloads in all

•Songs can be selected to suit the needs and

interests of the students

•Students can experience a wide range of

accents - such as British English, American English, Australian English

Teaching is an art – use new methods to create

enjoyable atmosphere SOME INSTRUCTIONS

 Select songs for teaching materials

Songs should have an appropriate theme

Language has to be suitable level of difficulty

 Songs have to be clear, make sense and do not

contain a lot of unknown vocabulary

Focus on the skill or skills you wish to work on

in the lesson

Pre-teach some key vocabulary as necessery

Let students listen to the songs at least once, it

"wakes up" the class and ensure everyone’s attention

Related activities for using of the

songs

• Gap fills

• Write out the song lyrics but leave gaps instead

of some words For example, gap all the verbs or adjectives.

• Students listen and fill in the missing words

They may need to listen two or three times.

• If you feel the students will find it difficult, the

missing words can be written in phonetics or

give some letters

JUMBLED LINES OR MIXED

SENTENCES

• Write out the song lyrics, but this time jumble

the lines and students have to put them into the correct order while listening to the song.

• Write the middle words of the sentence on the

board then give the other words

• The students' task is to decide which words go

in front and which ones go behind

SPOT THE MISTAKES

• Write out the lyrics of the song, but make

mistakes e.g change the tense, write an opposite

or synonym instead of the correct word

• The first time the students have to underline the

words that are different

• The second (or third) time actually write the

correct form what they hear above the word or

phrase that is wrong.

TRANSLATION ACTIVITY

• In pairs or small groups, students choose a

popular song in their Mother Tongue and

translate it into English

• They could also do it the other way round

choosing a (pop) song in English and translate

it into their own language

• Translation in groups can encourage learners

to discuss the meaning and use of language,

to compare similarities and differences in

another language

READING COMPREHENSION

The Killers are an American post-punk revival band from Las Vegas, Nevada, formed in 2002 The band consists of Brandon Flowers (vocals, keyboards),

Dave Keuning (guitar, vocals), Mark Stoermer (bass guitar, vocals) and Ronnie Vannucci Jr (percussion, drums).

Part of the post-punk revival movement, The Killers draw their influences from music styles of the 1980s The group's debut album, Hot Fuss (2004) brought the band mainstream success The Killers' second album, Sam's Town, was released in 2006, and the

compilation album Sawdust containing B-sides,

rarities, and new material, was released in 2007

Their third studio album, Day & Age, produced by

Stuart Price, was released in November 2008

Answer the questions

1 Where does the band "The Killers" come from?

2 What is the name of the lead singer?

3 Who plays the drums?

4 How many musicians play in the band?

5 Which decade were they influenced by?

6 How many albums does the band have?

7 What is the name of their first album?

8 Can you explain what B-sides are?

9 What is the name of their last album?

10 Who produced it?

LISTENING COMPREHENSION

 Get your students thinking about the subject

 Do any pre-teaching of vocabulary as necessary

 There are a variety of exercises that you can do with songs: true or false, matching exercises, open comprehension questions, etc.

DISCUSSION OF THEMES

Choose a song that deals with a topic of interest

to your students (e.g Imagine by John Lennon which is about peace and brotherhood)

Do a listening activity like a gap fill

Follow up with a careful reading of the song

and a discussion on its theme(s)

• They can research and collect information

(internet, magazines etc)

• They produce presentation about

biography/style/career…etc It can be a talk, a role play, interview or sketch

• They can do it in written form – producing

poster, booklet, magazine article

SMILE

1 Listen to the first part of the song and fill in the gaps with the words in the box:Smile, though your _is aching

Smile, even though it's breaking

When there are in the sky

You'll get by

If you smile

With your and

Smile and maybe _

You'll find that _is still

If you just

clouds, face, fear, heart, life, sorrow, tomorrow, worthwhile,

2 Listen to the 2nd part and choose

the right word.

Light up your face/trace with sadness/gladness Hide every face/trace of sadness/gladness

Although a near/tear may be ever so near/tear That's the time you must keep on crying/trying Smile, what's the use of crying/trying

You'll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just

3 Find all the words you can relate to good or bad feelings Write them in separate columns Use the dictionary when necessary.

4 Listen to the song again and underline the

"-ing" forms Do you know why these verbs are in this "-ing" form?

5 Watch Chaplin Video-Smile, Modern Time, 1936 (2:06)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

feature=player_embedded&v=Ps6ck1ejoAw

Homework – reading comprehension

You can know more curiosities about Michael

Jackson

Go to this page and find the answers to the

questions

http://poster.4teachers.org/worksheet/view.php? id=139213&page=1

e.g How old was Michael Jackson when he

started singing?

What’s his most famous album?

When and why did he get 8 Grammy awards?

perry-worksheet.html

http://busyteacher.org/5427-hot-and-cold-by-katy-http://www.isabelperez.com/songs/

somebodyIusedtoknow.htm

english-free-lessons.html

http://www.learn-to-speak-english-esl.com/learn-http://tefltunes.com/search/searchall.aspx?

name=public

http://www.musicalenglishlessons.com/pedagogic/ createyourown/instructions.htm

USEFUL LINKS