*English through music: effective CLIL lessons for young learners Jane Willis(ELT specialist)Anice Paterson (music specialist)

*OVERVIEW

What potential does Content & Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) have for language development? Why is music particularly suited to CLIL?What kinds of musical activities are there? (with brief demonstrations of some of them)How can you ensure these music activities fulfil conditions that are likely to promote language learning? What about another Content area?

*Content & Language Integrated Learning (CLIL)

Learning a subject through English providesyoung learners with:exposure to spoken English a clear purpose for listening to English and trying to understanda context for using English a reason for reading and writing

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Music through English?or English through music?

Why music and English together?

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*Singingis an excellent way for children to

learn and memorise words and phrasesdevelop familiarity with the sounds, rhythms and stress of English

*Songs, rhymes and rhythm activities

help children tolearn to listen carefully with a real purposerespond to the ranges in tone, pitch, and expression in the voiceconcentrate hard on small details of pronunciation, stress and rhythm

*Musical pictures and musical storieshelp children toexperiment and use the qualities of sounds effectively express their feelingsrecognise the structure of stories and poems and to sequence ideastalk about what they are doing and whytell and perform their own stories

*Rehearsing and giving musical performances

provides children with a real purpose for developing and practising their English helps children to develop self-confidence- in using English in a range of contexts- in performing with control and expressiveness keeps children motivated and excited by their experience of making musicAlso, NFER has evidence of beneficial effects on general behaviour and learning skills

*A giant

*The giant storyRecorded in a class of 9 year-olds who

have various sound-makers listen to the story, bit by bit, and suggest sounds for each actionperform the whole story, with soundscreate variations

CD 55 First of all, I want you to imagine that theres a huge giant and hes eating his dinner at his table. Can you make eating sounds?And on the door theres a tap tap tap tap Can you repeat that rhythm for me? Keep it going tap tap tap tapThe giant stands up and slowly walks to the door

*The enormous carrotTeacher with five-year-olds

*So what are they learning?Musical skills

Experimenting with soundsCreating sound patternsRemembering a sequencePerforming a pieceCreating variations

Language developmentExposure to story text& to teacher talk that engages attention(imperatives, repetitions, on-going commentary)Opportunities for participatory use of language

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*What kinds of music activities are there?These activities cover musical objectives that appear in any typical music syllabus.

A Warm-up activitiesListen and Do physical and vocal exercises to prepare children for music making and to develop their co-ordination, voice control, and pronunciation.

*Physical warm-upsSome examples (all on CD)

Stretch, shake and wiggle

Pat your head and rub your tummy

Baby 1, 2, 3

*Vocal warm-upsBreath control: snakes, bees, humming Musical vowels: sirens, scales

Consonant patterns: slow - ping pong; fast - ch ch ch ch

Voice expression: Boom chicka boom

*B Listening and experimenting with sounds

Hands and feet CD15(Body Percussion)

Lets make a band(Sound-makers)

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*Action songs & rhymes

Section C (minimal language)The Rocket RhymeCount down, count down, rocket leaving soonCount down, count down, leaving for the moon10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Blast off!Section F (more language)Theres a tiny caterpillar on a leaf

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A Rhythm Grid

Some very small creatures

OK, Lets start with a steady beat..a very quiet beat.. Keep it going Now listen

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*D Rhythm games & patternsClap it back(fruit, vocabulary sets)

Pop

Spider Ant (small creatures, party food)

Language and music aims:Syllable stress in words and phrasesPerforming layered patternings (in parts)

*E Listening and responding to music How long does it last? (instrument sounds)

I like it (different styles, images, moods, countries) CD 40

Lets dance

Children hear about where the music is from, think what it could be about, express how the music makes them feel...

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*Composing and performing class musicG Story-based music Musical books (any story)The giantThe enormous carrot (growing food and farm animals)

H Musical picturesRainstorm (tropical climate) Where shall we go today? (zoo, market)

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*Activity Page

LANGUAGE

MUSIC

RESOURCES AND PREPARATION

TIME GUIDE AGEActivity (numbered steps and suggestions for what tosay in English).

Variations (ideas for other similar musical activities)

Language extensions

*Language extensionsSuggestions for building on the language used in the activity:same music aims but new context or songmini-dialogues for intonation work games for vocabulary revision e.g. mimingtongue twistersfollow-up chats / discussions mini-projects with cross-curricula links.

*QuestionsHow does this fit my English syllabus?

Are the activities graded?

How to use the CD?

Musical expertise? Teacher support?

*What language learning opportunities do these CLIL lessons provide?

Four main sources

1. general classroom management and instructions2. the language used to introduce the topic, to set up the music activity itself, to attain the music aims & lead to a musical performance

*What language learning opportunities do these CLIL lessons provide?

3. the words and phonological features of the songs, rhymes, chants, stories, and mini-dialogues,

4. further development of specific language features and topic themes

*And finallythe three most important things use the musical activity to generate opportunities to interact with the children in English encourage childrens language and music development by being positivemake sure you all enjoy making music.

*English Through Music Anice Paterson & Jane WillisOUP 2008

jane@willis-elt.co.uk

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