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Manual: Using Popular Music in the Teaching of ESL. Part of a series about using music and rhythm in ESL

Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI 2011

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

1 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Contents Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2

Objectives ......................................................................................................................................... 2

Materials ........................................................................................................................................... 2

Procedures ........................................................................................................................................ 3

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

2 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Introduction

This workshop was part of a short series of workshops delivered to the English department at

IPGKDRI in early 2011.

Objectives

Participants explored ways to use popular music and songs in the ESL classroom.

Materials

A good sound system is needed to play the songs.

Participants need copies of worksheets and song lyrics.

PowerPoint presentation for this session.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

3 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Procedures

Slide 1

Probably the easiest thing to do – and usually enjoyed by older students. But how do you choose the right songs? DISCUSS

Slide 2

When choosing a song

Make sure it is suitable (socially).

Make sure you know it well.

Make sure it is something the students will like reasonably well.

Make sure it contains useful language and teaching points.

Make sure you have a clear copy to play. So let’s look at some examples.

Slide 3

Steps to teaching a song:

First, talk about the title.

Then just listen (don’t look at the words)

Don’t worry if you don’t hear all of the words.

Try to work out the missing words on the sheet.

Listen again and fill in the words.

Slide 4

Talk about this title …

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

4 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide 5

Now, just listen.

It doesn’t matter if you don’t hear, or don’t know,

all of the words.

Slide 6

Here is a worksheet for this song. First, have a go – see what you can remember or guess.

Slide 7

Now fill it in at the same time as listening again.

Slide 8

Check the answers. What, if any, are the teaching points for the words that were removed? Are there others that would have been more useful?

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

5 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide 9

Now enjoy the song, reinforce the learning, add

active activities.

Slide

10

Another song: Purple People Eater.

Talk about the title.

Slide

11

Work in groups, discuss the order of these lines.

Slide

12

Listen, and put the lines in the correct order.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

6 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide

13

Try to fill in the gaps.

Slide

14

Now listen and fill in the gaps, check what was

written and add the ones that were missed.

Slide

15

Explain the underlined words. Look them up.

Discuss them.

Slide

16

Now listen to the song with better understanding.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

7 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide

17

There are extra words in each line – listen and

work out which words to remove.

Slide

18

There are two words to choose from – they sound

a little bit similar. Try to work out which would be

the right word.

Slide

19

Now listen and check if you chose the right word

each time.

Slide

20

Look at the lyrics and think of teaching points that could be used.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

8 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide

21

Let’s apply what we know to some more songs.

Slide

22

The song “I Want Candy” – what do you expect

the song to be about?

Slide

23

The words in each line are muddled. (Mixing

words across more than one line would be way

too complicated.)

Slide

24

“I turn to you” is a feel-good song.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

9 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide

25

Try choosing the right words first, then listen for

the correct answers.

Slide

26

“Reach” – great motivational song.

Slide

27

Try to work out the wrong word in each line, then

listen to check.

Slide

28

“Dixie Road” – nostalgic song.

Using Popular Music in Teaching ESL

10 Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Slide

29

Try to guess how to fill in the blanks, then listen to

find the answers.