The initiative of teaching english through english chants and songs for 3rd grade pupils

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE“THE INITIATIVE OF TEACHING ENGLISH THROUGH ENGLISH CHANTS AND SONGS FOR 3RD-GRADE PUPILS” The writer: Vi Thi Huong Position: Teacher School: Van Xuan Primary School

EXPERIENCE INITIATIVE

“THE INITIATIVE OF TEACHING ENGLISH THROUGH ENGLISH CHANTS AND SONGS FOR 3RD-GRADE PUPILS”

The writer: Vi Thi Huong Position: Teacher

School: Van Xuan Primary School Experience aviable : English

THUONG XUAN, 2021

2 1.1 The reason for choosing the research 1

5 1.4 The methods of the research 2

15 List of the topics evaluated by the nitiative

assessment councils

17

1 Introduction

1.1 The reason for choosing the research

We are living in the century of modern civilization, information technology’s era, knowledge and intelligence And in this era, foreign language was one of the most necessary issues Foreign languages help us integrate internationally and develop our country Nowadays, one of the most popular languages is English English can be considered as a global language It is an essential key that helps us improve our knowledge and travel everywhere in the world

In our country, nowadays English has been popularized in schools from primary school to high school And tendency of primary education is fulfilling comprehensive educational goals for pupils Improving English training method

is also an issue of that tendency It contributes significantly to the development

of intelligence, competence, and understanding of pupils So learning English in Primary school is also very important However, in general the pupils at the primary school and in particular the pupils at Van Xuan Primary School are still facing many difficulties due to their age ranges Therefore, their English memory is still limited such as there is no high concentration when they memorize English words and sentence patterns

For 3rd-grade pupils, they are just beginning to get familiar with the formation of sentence patterns It is very difficult for them to approach English learning effectively In English, the usage of sentence patterns for communication is very important To be able to speak a complete sentence, pupils need to remember words and sentence patterns Therefore, through the books of the revised English program for 3rd-grade pupils and my private teaching experience, I realized that a method for them to remember English

words and sentence patterns effectively This is the “Application of English words and phrases of chants and songs to learn English” This method not

only create excitement of learning English but also helps them remember and practice the English words and sentence patterns that they have learned And the

following is my experience of the topic " The initiative of teaching English through English chants and songs for 3rd-grade pupils " at Van Xuan Primary

School

1.2 The aim of the research

By the success of the researched topic, this initiative will help teachers gain the following significant experience:

- Researching the actual situation of teaching primary school pupils’ language

- Helping primary school pupils approach effective learning language method, create excitement of learning English for them

- Finding out the weaknesses and strengths of pupils’ learning methods and of teachers’ training methods Since then proposing the methods to improve the primary school’s foreign language quality

1.3 The object of the research

The 3rd-grade pupils, namely 3C and 3D at Van Xuan Primary school, Van Xuan Village, Thuong Xuan district

The main materials are the popular English chants and songs

1.4 The methods of the research

In this topic, the following research methods were used:

1.4.1 Theoretical research method

Reading the internet available books and references that were related to the usage of English words and phrases of chants and songs to teach English

1.4.2 Observation and Investigation method

Performing the research topics efficiently, the following methods have been implemented:

The actual situation of teaching English methods, learning English methods of the Third-grade pupils and paying attention to the subject interest of the pupils were investigated

Interviewing, observing and evaluating other English classroom teacher’ lesson quality

Participating in discussions with the school English professional team and the school administrators

1.4.3 Experimental training methods

Teaching English chants and songs that were related to our lesson content

1.4.4 Summarized and experienced methods

Evaluating the lesson content quality and the pupils’ actual situation after each lesson

Continuing to improve the method contents’ quality accordingly in the following lessons

After each stage of the training process, comparing and summarizing the ability of all pupils and the all lesson’s quantity and quality Since then, gaining the valuable experiences and finding suitable methods to develop pupils' abilities

2 Content

2.1 Theoretical background

For any school subject, making pupils be interest in the lesson content is the one of most important thing This not only helps them understand the lesson contents faster, but also helps them to overcome its knowledge better So, the development of pupils’ concentration and thinking abilities is improved These reasons make all teachers must be a process of updating new knowledge, new methods, improving the lessons’ quality and accumulating experience regularly

It is an important requirement and purpose of the teaching progress, especially teachers of English

Learning English through the chants and songs that contain contents related to the lesson will help pupils remain the knowledge of reading, speaking and listening skills The pupils will acquire knowledge actively, gentle way and will remember it for a long time

The usage of chants and songs that are related to lesson contents will help the pupils strengthen the meanings and forms of the words and to be aware of the characteristics of each sentence pattern So, the pupils will have desired achievement of learning result for each semester and each school year

In addition, these chants and songs are also used for significant purposes: making pupils be excited, joyful These also make them be more convenient to learn by heart and helps illustrate lessons of English vocabularies, pronunciations, stresses, rhythms, intonations, grammar characteristics

Thereby, nourishing their innocent souls, remaining their love of the foreign language beauty especially English language and forming their personality and more comprehensive skills

2.2 The current situations

2.2.1 Advantages

Van Xuan Primary School was established 25 years ago, the school owed

2 different zones Therefore, it has received a lot of attention of the Party Committee, the Department of Education and Training and the pupils’ parents

The school leaders are always having the responsibity, directing timely and effectively all subjects including English

With the innocent and nature personality, primary school pupils are willing to participate in the lesson activities and also easily attracted to the activities’ requirements

For English language, the pupils always receive their parents’ attention in and moreover the enthusiastic responsibilty of teachers to help them in the learning process

Through the seminars and thematic, the English teacher stuff frequently update new knowledge and new methods, accumulate and exchange valuable experiences

English language is always the attentions and supports of the school's leaders, professional team and colleagues

In recent years, English exchange exams are organized to make pupils be joyful and desire the achievements of learning English

2.2.2 Disadvantages

In addition to the above advantages, there are still some difficulties encountered:

+ Most pupils are come from the countryside and are the ethnic minority children so the investment conditions are limited which affects on the spirit of their learning;

+ Due to disadvantaged circumstances, the pupils’ parents have not fully understood the importance of English, so they are not really interested and not to urge the children to learn it

+ Due to development conditions’ limitation, approaching the new English information, English entertainment programs of the primary school pupils are not still popular So their communication ability is limited

+ Due to the limitation of the foreign languages’ understandable ability of the pupils’ parents, the pupils have difficulties in receiving their parents’ guides

to learn English themselves at home

+ Improving speaking skill is still limited

+ Due to teaching English through English chants and songs for Third-grade pupils, singing is dependent on the pupils’ talent so it is difficult for the them

+ English for Primary pupils is not a main subject Most schools have no functional English room or not focus on investing English teaching equipment such as Keyboards, projector screen…

2.2.3 The beginning of the year’s survey results

In the beginning of the school year 2019– 2020 when the initiative was not applied, the following was the result of my survey:

Class Size Well-completed Completed Not-Completed

Amount Percent Amount Percent Amount Percent

3D 20 3 15% 11 55% 6 30%

2.3 Solution

In order to help the pupils understand English in addition to teaching basic words and sentence patterns, the chants and songs of the textbook to strengthen their memory, the teachers must also provide pupils with the English advanced books, the necessary English CDs and DVs for the pupils reading requirements

Teachers must have plans and methods to help pupils to approach new knowledge actively, learn it themselves and always encourage pupils to create their own

In the process of teaching the first Third-edition English program, I noticed that to help pupils strengthen and remember the learned words and sentence patterns, application of chants and songs to learn English creates good effect

2.3.1 Use the “chants” to revise vocabulary

Chant is simple vocabulary spoken over a background of music or rhythm Use chant to revise the words:

- Eg 1: In the first Unit with two words “hello, hi” to revise them'' let’s chant'':

English 3 unit 1 (page 10 ) ''let's chant''

Hello, I’m Mai Hello How are you?

Hello, I’m Mai Hello How are you?

Hi, Mai Fine, thank you.

Hi, Mai Fine, thank you.

I’m Nam And you?

I’m Nam And you?

Nice to meet you Fine, thank you.

Nice to meet you Fine, thank you.

+ Say the line again, clapping or snapping your fingers where the language is stressed as indicated by the asterisk

+ Have students repeat the chant several times with clapping or snapping

of fingers

+ By the end of this lesson puplils can revise (hi/hello,how are you? /fine thank you)

- Eg 2: With some words book, school bag (Unit 8: School things-English3) Let’s chant:

What’s this?

What’s this?

A book.

It’s a book.

What’s that?

What’s that?

A school bag.

It’s a school bag.

+ Say the line of the chant and clap your hand

+ Show them how to say the chant and do the action

+ Ask groups of students to sit and practice chanting and doing actions + Call some groups to the front of the class to chant and do the actions

- Eg 3: Unit 8 – English 3 with some words such as: book, pen, robot, notebook We ask students to chant:

Unit 8 – English 3 (page 56) ''let's chant''

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

These are books Those are robots.

They’re my books They’re my robots.

Look! Look! Look! Look! Look! Look!

These are pens Those are notebooks.

They’re my pens They’re my notebooks.

+ Ask students to read the chant in silence Read each line of the chant and show students how to say the chant and do the actions

+ Play the recording for students to do Get students to sit face to face and practise and chanting and doing the actions

2 3.2 Use “song” to revise vocabulary

Songs has verses and a chorus Teacher used songs in English class to bring a relaxation for students and remember words which student learned

- Eg 1: In English 3 – Unit 4 With some words one to ten in “Let’s count

from one to ten” song

English 3 – Unit 4(page27)'' let's sing''.

One, two, three, four, five, jump.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jump.

One, two, three, four, five, jump.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jump.

One, two, three, four, five, jump.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jump.

One, two, three, four, five, jump.

Six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jump.

+ Sing each line of the song and check comprehension Then get the students repeat each line of the song

+ Have groups of students practise singing and doing the actions The whole class claps the tune

+By the end of this lesson puplils can revise (count from one to ten)

- Eg 2: Some phrases “classroom instruction” such as: come in, sit down, open your book… (Unit 6 – English 3) We sing a song “come in and sit down”

Hello, hello, Miss Minh Hien May I come in and sit down?

Hello, hello Yes, you can.

Come in, sit down and study Open your book and read aloud:

A C B D E F G!

+ Have students do choral and individual repetition of each line Show them how to sing and do the actions

+ Revise some phrases come in, sit down, open your book… in song + Have the whole class sing the song to reinforce learning

2 3.3 Use “chant” to revise model sentence

Chant help students the pronunciation, check comprehension Help students feel confident We can use chant to revise model sentences which they have learned:

Eg1: Model sentence: “What’s your name? – My name’s…” Ask students

to practise asking and answering the question Let’s chant:

2 – English 3(page 16)'' let's chant''

What’s your name? My name’s Mai.

Nice to meet you.

What’s your name? My name’s Linda.

Nice to meet you.

What’s your name? My name’ Peter.

Nice to meet you.

+ Tell Students say the chant and check comprehension Show students how to chant and do the actions

+ Get students stand up and read chants and do the actions The rest of the class claps along to the rthythm

+By the end of this lesson puplils can revise : “What’s your name? – My name’s…”

- Eg 2: With the model sentences : “Is there a garden? – Yes, there is./No, there isn’t” Let’s chant in Unit 12 – English 3.

Is there a garden behind the house? Yes, there is Yes, there is.

Is there a yard behind the house? Yes, there is Yes, there is.

Is there a gate behind the house? No, there isn’t No, there isn’t.

Is there a pond behind the house? No, there isn’t No, there isn’t.

+ Have students to read the chant Check comprehension Then ask them

to practise chanting and doing the actions

+ Revise the model sentences “Is there a….?” and answer “Yes, there is/

No, there isn’t”

+ Have class read chant and do actions: one group chants the questions and the others chant the answers

- Eg 3: In English 3 - Unit 16: Do you have any pets? With the model sentence: “Do you have any pets? – Yes, I do/ No, I don’t” Let’s chant:

Do you have any cats?

Do you have any cats? Yes, I do Yes, I do.

Do you have any dogs? Yes, I do Yes, I do.

Do you have any birds? Yes, I do Yes, I do.

Do you have any rabbits? No, I don’t have any.

Do you have any parrots? No, I don’t have any.

Do you have any goldfish? No, I don’t have any.

+ Help students remember the model sentences : “Do you have any….?” With answer: Yes, I do/ No, I don’t