I have used lyrics of a student's favorite singer as a lesson for the
student to read the songs, then we play the song so that he can follow
along with the tune. But, I have never gotten as creative as your
classes!  I would like to incorporate some of your ideas into our
programs.  Thanks for the really innovative ideas to help make learning
interesting and fun!

 

Books change life for the better-ReadOn!

 

Susan L. Perez

Early Literacy Specialist

Center for Reading & Literacy

Martin County Library System

 

Office: 772-221-1401

Cell: 772- 263-0480

 

The Blake Library

2351 SE Monterey Road

Stuart, FL 34996

 

From: englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov
[mailto:englishlanguage-bounces at nifl.gov] On Behalf Of Glenda Lynn Rose
Sent: Friday, July 31, 2009 3:20 PM
To: englishlanguage at nifl.gov
Subject: [EnglishLanguage 4714] Music in the classroom

 

Hello, all.

 

I'm wondering how many of you use music in the classroom?  I use it
quite a bit and have been approached about putting the ways that it can
be used into a text for teachers.  

 

Specifically, I was wondering what songs you use and for what purposes?


 

For example, here are some ways that I use music.  (Keep in mind that at
this time, all of my students are Mexican or Central/South American).

 

I play selections from Grupo Limite Instrumental (cumbia-sounding dance
music)  during classroom games where I can stop the music to indicate a
change of group or activity.

 

I play jazz during group discussions.

 

"Music for Reading" (classical) during silent reading times.

 

Yahoo Music Videos for cultural comparisons and contrasts (both macro
and micro cultures in the US)

 

Karaoke for various purposes.... for example (and all purposes stated
can be adjusted depending...most songs can be used for a vareity of
linguistic and sociocultural purposes). 

*	"Deeper than the Holler" (Randy Travis) for comparatives.
*	"Dream" (The Everly Brothers?) for adverbial clauses
*	"Hey Good Lookin" (Hank Williams) for reduction of word-terminal
[t] + word-intial [y] reducing to [ch]
*	"What a Beautiful World" (Satchmo) for colors and simple present
tense with "I"
*	"How You Live" (Point of Grace) for imperatives
*	"He Stopped Loving Her Today" (George Jones) for pronouns
*	"Does He Love You" (Reba McIntire) for questions with "does"

 

Anyway, these are just a few I use, and how they are presented
varies.....Sometimes I have students just listen and try to get the gist
of the song. Somtimes I show the video (the student reaction to the end
of the "Does He Love You" video is worth it, plus it opens up a dialog
with students about acceptable and unacceptable ways to handle conflicts
(cheating) in marriage).  Sometimes I provide lyrics with key words
deleted and have students listen and fill in.  This summer session, I
did a whole class (4 hours) on the Ballad of Sam Bass (reading, video
from Discovery channel, song, writing) when we were studying about
Austin (there's a road in Round Rock called Sam Bass and one of the
students asked who he was...I had no idea so we found out together.
Yes, my written lesson plan went out the window, but it was worth it.
It turned out to be a group-effort webquest and by the end of the day we
were singing the song.)

 

I also get requests from students...They surprise me every time with the
songs that they WANT to learn....The BeeGees "How Deep Is Your Love"; "I
Just Called to Say I Love You" (Stevie Wonder) and, my favorite request
of all time, Shania Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much"  - really
non-standard grammar and a great opportunity to talk about appropriate
use of register.

 

SO ...I'd love to hear what other ways people are using music, and what
songs / kind of songs you may be presenting and the "why and how".

 

Thanks a lot for your input.

 

Grace and Peace!
Glenda Lynn Rose, PhD

ESL Instructor

Austin Learning Academy

(512) 841-4777 - classroom

(512) 789-5131 - mobile
 

 

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