Teaching
Researches confirm that songs are a useful tool in language acquisition. In fact musical and language processing occur in the same area of the brain (Medina, 1993). If you want to increase your students’ motivation, improve their fluency or brush up their vocabulary then you should think about singing songs.
Songs …
… are fun;
… are authentic materials;
… include much repetition;
… contain common, short words;
… lower the ‘affective filter’;
… help overcome barriers;
… provide opportunity for movement
(clapping, tapping, dancing, etc);
… improve listening and speaking
abilities;
… improve pronunciation, word
stress and intonation etc.
Steps
Use the steps you think adequate or follow the suggestions below.
● use the title or a picture: Ss guess what the song is about.
● write the important words on the board: Ss try to guess their meaning.
● hand a gapped version: Ss listen to the song and fill in the gaps.
● cut the song into strips: Ss listen to the song and organize themselves in the correct order.
● Ss sing the song (several times).
If possible, Ss should prepare group presentation or even weekend shows.
Type of Song
You’d better choose the songs yourself. Whenever I asked the Ss to choose them, I had a civil war in the classroom!
Suggestion (by grammar item)
I selected some songs by Rick Astley. He is best known for his 1987 song, “Never Gonna Give You Up”. He was a famous singer in the 80’s and has returned to the spotlight.
| Song Title | Grammar Item |
| A Dream for Us | There be; Present Simple; Present Perfect Progressive |
| Behind the Smile | Present Simple; Present Perfect; Present Progressive; Conditional |
| Can’t Help Falling in Love With You | Modals |
| Cry for Help | Present; Past; Modals |
| Don’t Say Goodbye | Modals, Present Simple |
| Hold Me in Your Arms | Present Perfect; Condicional |
| Is This Really Love? | Be; Present Simple |
| Never Gonna Give You Up | Present Perfect; Future Simple |
| Remember the Days | Past Simple |
| This Must Be Heaven | Past Simple: Present Perfect |
| Together Forever | Present Simple; Past Simples; There Be; Modals |
| Where Do I Begin | Present Simple; Questions |
| You Belong To Me | Imperative; Future |
Where From
You can listen to the songs and get the lyrics at:
https://www.vagalume.com.br/rick-astley/
https://letras.mus.br/rick-astley/
Some useful sites to help you with songs
Using Music in the ESL Classroom
Songs
Using songs in the ESL Classroom
Teaching with songs
Musical English Lessons International
LyricsTraining
EFL Classroom.Ning
TEFLTunes
Using Songs in the Classroom
Reference
Medina, Suzanne L. The Effect of Music on Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. ‘National Network for Early Language Learning’, Vol 6-3, 1993.
