Using Songs in the Classroom

By PCV Emily Aiken

Session Objectives

Why use songs?
When to use songs?
How to use songs?
What are good songs?
Lesson Planning
Other resources
Why use songs?

Students LOVE them!

They can be used in
different LEARNING
LEVELS

The can be used to
practice ALL 4 SKILLS
FUN!
Brainstorm




When should a song be
used for a lesson?
How can it be used
effectively?
Do you have a purpose for
using the song?
What is the purpose?

Suggestions for Song Use
The song should: The material should:
practice specific skills
REVIEW a learned
material
be an exciting way to
practice LEARNED
material
level appropriate

be taught prior to using
the song
be a concept easily
connected to the chosen
song
be the focus of the activity
Have a purpose or objective for the song
What skill is practiced through the song activities?
Maximize the use of the material you develop
Have multiple activities for one song
Include pre-listening and post-listening activities
Adapt the level of material for your students
Is the song easy to understand?
Are the activities too easy? Too difficult?
Technology and songs are not always appropriate
REMEMBER!
Activate background
knowledge
Analyze the song title
Pre-teach new
vocabulary
Review grammar
structure
Listen to the song
Practice listening for
specific information
Listen for intonation
and pronunciation
Check for
understanding
Comprehension of
the song
Expansion activities
Discuss the topic of
the song



Activity Stages for Songs
Pre-Listening Listening Post-Listening
Pre-Listening Example
Objective:
Present Continuous
Review

Book 2 Unit 4 (pg. 36)
Book 3 Unit 5 (pg. 44)
Pre-Listening Example
Review structure of present continuous tense. Tell students they will be
listening for the tense as they listen to the lyrics.
Lemon Tree
Fools Garden

I'm (1) ______ (sit) here in the
boring room
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon
I'm (2) _______ (waste) my time
I got nothing to do
I'm hanging around
Im (3) _______ (wait) for you
But nothing ever happens and
I wonder

I'm driving around in my car
I'm (4) _______ (drive) too fast
I'm driving too far
I'd like to change my point of view
I feel so lonely
Im (5) _______ (wait) for you
But nothing ever happens and
I wonder
I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just a
yellow lemon-tree

I'm (6) _______ (turn) my head up and down
Im turning turning turning
turning turning around
And all that I can see is just
another lemon-tree
I'm (7) _______ (sit) here
I miss the power

I'd like to go out (8) ______ (take)
a shower
But there's a heavy cloud inside
my head
I feel so tired
Put myself into bed
While nothing ever happens
and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me
Isolation I don't want to sit
on the lemon-tree

Im (9) _______ (step) around the
desert of joy

Baby anyhow I'll get another toy

Listening Activities
Fill in the blanks (cloze)
Have students listen and fill in the blanks.
Have choices or word bank if necessary
Put lyrics in order
By line
By paragraph
Circle the grammar point (could be used in pre-listening)
Review a grammar structure by circling the grammar points
while listening to the song

Listening Example
This becomes a listening activity when the students fill in the blanks
with the present continuous form as they listen to the song again.

Lemon Tree
Fools Garden

I'm (1) ______ (sit) here in the
boring room
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon
I'm (2) _______ (waste) my time
I got nothing to do
I'm hanging around
Im (3) _______ (wait) for you
But nothing ever happens and
I wonder

I'm driving around in my car
I'm (4) _______ (drive) too fast
I'm driving too far
I'd like to change my point of view
I feel so lonely
Im (5) _______ (wait) for you
But nothing ever happens and
I wonder
I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky

And all that I can see is just a
yellow lemon-tree

I'm (6) _______ (turn) my head up and down
Im turning turning turning
turning turning around
And all that I can see is just
another lemon-tree
I'm (7) _______ (sit) here
I miss the power

I'd like to go out (8) ______ (take)
a shower
But there's a heavy cloud inside
my head
I feel so tired
Put myself into bed
While nothing ever happens
and I wonder

Isolation is not good for me
Isolation I don't want to sit
on the lemon-tree

Im (9) _______ (step) around the
desert of joy

Baby anyhow I'll get another toy

Answer comprehension questions
Discuss the song
What was the song about
What was singers mood
Creative writing task
Write another verse to the song
Using the song write a story
Post Listening Examples
Short with lots of repetition

Are sung clearly

Dont have a lot of slang or
difficult vocabulary

Dont have long instrumental
pauses
Using Songs in the Classroom
The best songs are
REMEMBER!

Read the lyrics and prepare
the song before class!
REMEMBER!

Have a goal or objective for
using the song!

What skill are you practicing?
REMEMBER!

Begin with pre-listening
activities to activate previous
knowledge and give new
information necessary for the
song!
Resources Available
Changing YouTube video to Mp3 File
1. Go to:
youtube.com
2. Search by song
title and/or artist
3. Copy web address


Changing YouTube video to Mp3 File

1. Go to:
www.youtube-
mp3.org/
2. Paste web
address
3. Click Convert
Video

Changing YouTube video to Mp3 File
Click Download.
Save to a folder or to a flash drive.
Websites for Using Songs
musicalenglishlessons.com/index-ex.htm
Songs listed by grammar point
tefltunes.com/grammarsongs.aspx
Songs listed by grammar point
tefltunes.com/themesongs.aspx
Songs based on topic