Oswaldo Aguirre Wilson, Peru
I encourage you to do it though it's advisable to follow these tips:
1. Use background music in the warm up (instrumental)
2. Go on with it through the class, but at a low volume
3. The type of music you use must be soft (could be modern jazz, progressive rock, classic rock, balads, etc)
4. The music should be part of a whole, according to the teaching point (something conceptual) eg. if you are talking about a race or explaining something about perseverance, use "Charriots of Fire" by J. Vangelis
I hope this helps you. Good luck !

Lenora Haranaka, Brazil
Background music can be a very useful tool to set the mood of the lesson. If you are teaching teens, make sure to use songs they refer to. For adults, I usually use up-tempo songs to start the lesson, or softer songs for story-telling. I also check if they don't mind me playing background music, for there are some adults that can't focus with "noise"... You can also take a set of CDs and for each class, let a different student choose the CD you'll listen to! Anyhow, just have fun with them!

Leon Wooldridge, Hungary
Background music can be useful for creating a mood for written work or inspiring written work but should be used not simply as background music but rather as an important part of setting the mood or scene for the work. Background music, as used in shopping centres could become irritating or distracting to students.

Abdullah Al-Wahaybi, Oman
A background of music for a story is something new to me as a teacher. But I like the idea and I will try to do it in my classes. Anyway, since you decided to use music for a story background then you should consider the following points:
a) the sound/music should go with the story, support it and update the events of the story's development
b) you should think about the music if it is going to take your pupils' attention from you or not

Shatha Alsaadi, Iraq
It is a good way of telling a story to students, if selected carefully, to create suspense. However, the selection is important as it can also be distracting.

Jon Nordmeyer, USA
I use music often in teaching and teacher training. I agree with previous suggestions about background music - it should be intentionally chosen for mood, energy level and thematic relevance when possible. It's useful to explain to students why I'm putting on music, and to get feedback since some may find extra sounds distracting. I also select music for timing. For example, when students have five minutes to complete a task, I choose a song that is about five minutes long. The gradual ending of the song provides a reminder for me and the students that it is time to wind up the activity.

Ewen Gillies, Thailand
I have found that music and song as an aid for "warm up" sessions is very useful. It gets the children active and shapes their frame of mind for the lesson. Songs like "Simon Says" are the type I use. Anything that will get them "active" in the beginning is a great way to start a lesson.

W.A.Irvine, Britain
Try also using a selection of acoustic small and bells, a small pentatoic harp, a small drum and / or tambourine. All these could be used with calming and also dramatic effect. Skill's required to make sure the class do not 'go overboard' but it's really worthwhile to enhance a story or activity if used sparingly.

Ray Adams, Brazil
I have been using low-level background sound regularly in class for the last 15 years. It's not music however. I always use the BBC or CNN. Hearing "English" background noise makes the atmosphere in class seem more realistic. Nevertheless, you need to remember that it must never be loud enough to be intrusive. I have also found that taking the classes together to a bar or resraurant 3 or 4 times a year helps students as they have to speak English in a real life seting - and with everyone else in the bar talking a different language and staring at them!

Mohammed Ali Tlaili, Bahrain
It is really a great idea to use music in the classroom. But you should be careful with your choices of which music to play especially with teenagers and with which activities. I like the use of music as a timer as well as a background for presenting stories.

Valerie Bevan, UK
Music, with or without words, can undoubtedly contribute to an English class in a variety of ways as the focus of attention, whether it is chosen and presented by the teacher or the students. But I read some research some years back which had found that people with musical training come to process music with the left side of the brain, the part with which language is processed, which may explain why some of my students have the experience that I have myself of feeling torn between language and music and being unable to concentrate when the latter is played as "background".

Mazhar Mirza, Pakistan
It is really a great idea to use music in the classroom. But you should be careful with your choices of which music to play and with which activities. I like the use of music as a timer as well as a background for presenting stories.

Karolina, Poland
For me, using music in the classrom might be helpful in creating a good atmosphere but it can be disturbing as well. The best solution might be to use music during written work but it should be quiet and relaxing.

Dorota, Poland
I think that a teacher could play a kind of soothing, classical music, very calm and relaxing, while students are working on a piece of writing. It makes them relaxed, the atmosphere is positive and the students are tuned in to writing.

Ines, Poland
In my opinion, teachers can also use songs to practise vocabulary, grammar and other structures. It's an enjoyable way to learn English that students really like. You can also invite them to bring their own songs.

Lilian Poli Viola, Brazil
I agree with the other teachers. When we know how to work with music the teens like a lot and learn many things becuase they practice the speaking, listening and writing without the idea they are studying grammar and other things they hate!