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Songs are great!
Songs are great! It's a good teaching method, I think.
Where is Thumbkin
To contextualise the language ('Where is ....?' and 'Here I am!') in the song 'Where is Thumbkin' (and to learn the names of all my students in the beginning of the year!), I extended it as you saw in the video. I ask for each child and sing it through with them giving them a fun way to practice their greetings. I don't end with 'Go away!' (as is on the original song) but with common greetings such as 'Have a nice day!' and 'Nice to see you!' They love it and use these greetings when they meet me outside the classroom.
Really useful with absolute beginners, I think!
Seema.
why i can't see the video... who can help me???
why i can't see the video... who can help me???why i can't see the video... who can help me???why i can't see the video... who can help me???
adding drama and social issues
I want to share 2 songs I've used recently which also involve social issues and a brief description of activities I used as follow-ups. Both songs can be easily found on the internet.
"Don't Laugh at Me" - I chose this for a class where some children were particularly cruel to others who were less popular. We discussed why children laught at each other, how children feel when they're laughed at, how the children laughing feel and what else they can do to feel good about themselves without making others feel bad. Now we're staging the song with each child playing one of the "misfits" and plan to perform it for the school.
"Who Says" (sung by Selena Gomez) - We talked about why some people try to make others insecure and how they feel about themselves, how the person singing feels and how the person she's singing to feels. They had different ideas about to whom she's speaking in different parts of the song. Then I took out different costumes and told the students to prepare themselves for "auditions", using whatever they need to look and feel their best, thinking about whether they need anything at all. Some, like in the song, were comfortable as they are, some chose to use small accessories and some became someone else completely.
In both cases they learned and gained confidence in their English, but also learned something about themselves.
Song activities
Thanks for sharing your song activities here Kara. These two look great!
Sally
using songs in your class
Seema, congratulations, the way you show how to do it is awesome, it has also worked for me as I teach nursery to kids 1 and 2 years old, there is no other way to get their attention and having them sing all the songs and communicate is really a gift. regards
European funded projects - music and languages
I would like to inform about 2 EU funded projects that are making focused pedagogic resources for using music in language learning.
FolkDC - using European folk songs in 10 languages with a full set of language, culture and musical activities for early language learners. http://folkdc.eu/
PopuLLar - targeted at secondary school language learners. It is designed to keep them motivated by bringing the most important aspect of teenagers lives in to language learning - music (this is a new project so only a Facebook page so far https://www.facebook.com/pages/PopuLLar-Music-and-Language-Learning/181858685219155
HELLO! I´m English Teacher.
HELLO!
I´m English Teacher. I would like to use movies in my lessons... How?
Thank you.
Films and videos in class
Hi Loris
This blog offers lesson plans based around short film clips: http://film-english.com/2012/04/
This activity uses YouTube videos: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/activities/vision-%E2%80%93-youtube-technique
This article talks about using short video clips in the classroom: http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/articles/online-video-elt
Sally
Learning songs
Hi Vero
Learning a song is a gradual process that can be done over a number of lessons. Very young learners pick up grammar and vocabulary as they sing. Here’s just one way to teach a song:
1) Play /sing the song. Do the actions and encourage the students to join in with the actions as they listen. You can invent simple actions for any song.
2) Play/sing short sections of the song and get students to repeat each part.
3) Play/sing the song and pause (or stop singing) for children to sing the last part, eg,
T: Old Macdonald had a ……….
SS: Farm
You can demonstrate that you want students to sing by cupping your ear with your hand.
4) Everyone sings and does actions together.
It'd be great to hear more ideas on teaching songs. : )
Sally
songs as supporting materials
to make your teaching enjoyable , as a teacher, you have to be rather smart..... add some charming to chackle off the daily rootine and make your learners entertain and enjoy their learning as well. songs are very useful in this case .
The children are so cute!!! I
The children are so cute!!! I like using songs too!
Rock songs
Awesome!! The classroom is commoner to read or write but different thinking songs in the classroom. Excellent is thinking carry on this. Thanks.
I can't watch the video clip
The browsers I use are Fifrefox and Chrome, but I can't watch the video clip.
In Chrome, it says: Movie is not loaded.
In Firefox, it says: Video format or MME type is not supported.
I recently found a very good
I recently found a very good web site for teaching with songs. There are more than 100 songs with simple vocabulary and actions. My students love the songs and they are free to download. The link is below.
www.dreamenglish.com
Using songs
I think that using songs with young learners is a fabulous tool to let them learn in a motivating atmosphere .Yet , I wonder wether it is also successful with 13-year old or 14-year old learners.congratulations on your work with these girls and thank you for your precious tips .lallouch
Teacher Education
Songs and how to use them
Hi Rafiw
Here are 3 lesson plans using songs:
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-kids-lesson-plan/i-can-run
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-kids-lesson-plan/over-mountains
http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-kids-lesson-plan/what-can-it-be
You might like to read this article all about using songs in class, with links to specific songs on LearnEnglish Kids http://www.teachingenglish.org.uk/teaching-kids/using-songs
Have fun!
Sally
This video made me dig in the
Few students at early stages of learning English in class
Teaching with songs
Songs in the classroom
I use songs in the classroom with a specific subject, so the students understand the song and learns the subjects.
English Language Arts
Thanks a lot for this enlightenment. Please I would like to know how effective it is to use songs to teach older students between 13-17years of age.
Using songs with teens (reply to Chidinma)
Hi Chidinma - yes songs can be an engaging and effective learning resource in the teen classroom.
Kevin Thomson suggests some ways of using songs in class in this article. I really like the idea of getting learners actively involved in choosing the songs and helping create some of the activities (it takes a lot of the pressure off of teachers too!). Could that work for you?
Chris
They are very happy using songs and they can learn easily new vocabulary. Videos are used too..
thanks for sharing...