Using Music and Chants to Teach Language:

Cataloging Your Music

Dr. Latricia TritesAcademic Advisor

Fulbright Yilan Project2008-2009

Think Back

• What chants do you remember learning as a child? (jumping rope, cheers, etc.)– Peas Porridge Hot…– Cinderella dressed in “yella”…

• What songs did you learn?– Clean up…– It’s time to wake up…– London Bridge– Ring Around the Rosy

Why Music and Chants?• Motivation Issues

– Song/Chants are fun– Songs are a part of any culture– Students sing in groups, no fear of being singled out

• Language Issues– Stress Patterns– Intonation– Rhythm– Language Chunks– Colloquial Expressions– Common Dialogues

• Learning Issues– Songs stick in our memory– Songs are repetitious

Write Your Own Chants• Think of a common expression, activity, or

concept that you want the students to learn.

• Keep your chant simple with only 3 to 4 beats per line.

• Keep the chant simple with only one concept or idea.

• Take a few moments and write a NEW chant that you could use for your classroom.

DOs• Do lead in activities to introduce topic of song or chant, to introduce important

vocabulary.• Sing or chant it through once or twice first for students. Give them a simple task while

they are listening - watching you do the actions may be a task in itself - you could be their best visual support!

• Encourage students to think of the most appropriate actions to accompany the words this will give them some ‘ownership’ of the song and make it more memorable.

• Build up to the whole class singing or chanting on their own. Here are some ideas:– practice slowly at first to work on pronunciation– have students repeat (singing or saying) each line after you - though depending on the song, it

may be better to practice verse by verse so as not to break spontaneity– do some extra practice with bits that go fast or have tricky rhythm– you sing the song and students do the motions only– you chant or sing one line/verse and students do the next

• students clap or click their fingers to the beat while you chant or sing.• let them see the words and work on meaning through visuals, mime examples etc.• finally sing the whole song through a couple of times with you and/or on their own. And

do some follow-up activities: Writing the words, filling in the gaps, writing an extra verse, changing words, drawing pictures, Oral activities using language in the chant or song.

• do a final round of the song at the end of class!(www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-eltnetwork-tips-for-using-songs-

ho.doc)

DON’Ts Don't over-teach as you may ruin the fun of the song

or chant.

Don't introduce too many new vocabulary items - 6 may be enough

Don't choose a song unsuitable for the students' age group/level.

Don't select a song you hate. It will show!

Don't expect students to join in immediately. Don't teach a song for which you can't remember the

words!(www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-eltnetwork-tips-for-using-songs-ho.doc)

Cataloging your Songs

• Think about what your songs can teach– Vocabulary– Culture– Grammar– Discourse (dialogues)– Sentence Structure– Morphemes (word formation)– Phonemes (sounds – Phonics)– Stress, Rhythm, Intonation

• Create a catalog for your songs so that you can easily access them for teaching

Cataloging Activity

• Look at the song “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid

• Complete the catalog worksheet finding the different things that can be taught through this song.

Teaching with Songs Suggestions

• Make sure songs are age appropriate– Disney Sing-a-longs– High School Musical

• Check to make sure the lyrics are correct• Teach the song using a cloze activity to teach a

particular grammar point or vocabulary list.• Slow the song down

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/• Teach only the chorus• www.youtube.com is your friend, also

www.teachertube.com

Lesson Planning

• Take a topic (not Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas).

• Find songs that would help you teach that topic (Do not use “Hello/Goodbye” by the Beatles).

• Explain how you would use the song to teach the topic or concept.

LINKS

• http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

• http://www.jalt-publications.org/tlt/files/98/apr/sh_means.html

• www.britishcouncil.org/hongkong-eltnetwork-tips-for-using-songs-ho.doc