Teaching English Using Teaching English Using Nursery Rhymes and Nursery Rhymes and

SongsSongsRandy P. LachneyRandy P. Lachney

December 30December 30thth 2009 2009

Benefits of using Nursery Rhymes Benefits of using Nursery Rhymes and Songs for Teaching Englishand Songs for Teaching English

Introduces cultural elements of the Introduces cultural elements of the language.language.

Helps with pronunciation and literacy Helps with pronunciation and literacy skills.skills.

The format of nursery rhymes and The format of nursery rhymes and songs is short, simple and predictive, songs is short, simple and predictive, making them easy to learn and repeat.making them easy to learn and repeat.

Nursery rhymes and songs are easy to Nursery rhymes and songs are easy to find and cost efficient.find and cost efficient.

ReferencesReferences Brown, J. (2006). Rhymes stories and Brown, J. (2006). Rhymes stories and

songs in the ESL classroom. songs in the ESL classroom. Internet TESL Internet TESL Journal, 8.Journal, 8.

Gillespie, M. Gillespie, M. English pronunciation-English pronunciation-Improving with Nursery RhymesImproving with Nursery Rhymes. Available . Available online: online: http://ezinearticles.com/?English-Pronunciation---Improving-With-Nursery-Rhymes&id=2976426

Goswami, U & Bryant, P. (1990). Goswami, U & Bryant, P. (1990). Phonological Skills and Learning to Read. Phonological Skills and Learning to Read. New York: Psychology Press, Ltd.New York: Psychology Press, Ltd.

Grammatical and Phonological Grammatical and Phonological ElementsElements

VocabularyVocabulary IntonationIntonation Sentence StructureSentence Structure Phonics- pre-school children who can Phonics- pre-school children who can

identify the beginning and end identify the beginning and end sounds of a word find learning to sounds of a word find learning to read easier.  read easier. 

Peas Porridge HotPeas Porridge Hot Peas porridge hot,Peas porridge hot,

Peas porridge cold,Peas porridge cold,Peas porridge in the potPeas porridge in the potNine days old. Nine days old. Some like it hot,Some like it hot,Some like it cold,Some like it cold,Some like it in the potSome like it in the potNine days old.Nine days old.

PhonicsPhonics Beginning and ending sounds- Beginning and ending sounds-

– PPeas eas pporridge hot,orridge hot,– PPeas eas pporridge cold,orridge cold,– PPeas eas pporridge in the orridge in the ppotot– Nine days old.Nine days old.

RhymesRhymes– PPeas eas pporridge orridge hothot,,– PPeas eas pporridge orridge cold,cold,– PPeas eas pporridge in the orridge in the ppotot– Nine days Nine days old.old.

VocabularyVocabulary peaspeas porridgeporridge potpot hothot coldcold oldold

There was an old woman who lived There was an old woman who lived in a shoein a shoe

There was an old woman,There was an old woman,Who lived in a shoe; Who lived in a shoe; She had so many children,She had so many children,She didn't know what to do.She didn't know what to do.She gave them some broth,She gave them some broth,Without any bread;Without any bread;She whipped them all soundly,She whipped them all soundly,And sent them to bed And sent them to bed

Sentence Structure and PatternsSentence Structure and Patterns

There was an old woman.There was an old woman. She had so many children.She had so many children. She didn’t know what to do.She didn’t know what to do.

Teaching Elements of Nursery Teaching Elements of Nursery RhymesRhymes

RepetitionRepetition Sentence StructureSentence Structure ThemesThemes Objectives and GoalsObjectives and Goals

ThemesThemes Time- Hickory Dickory Dock Time- Hickory Dickory Dock Weather and bugs-Itsy Bitsy Spider, Little Weather and bugs-Itsy Bitsy Spider, Little

Miss Muffet, It’s Raining, it’s PouringMiss Muffet, It’s Raining, it’s Pouring Cooking- Peas Porridge Hot, Pat- A -CakeCooking- Peas Porridge Hot, Pat- A -Cake Counting-1,2 Buckle my shoe, Ten Little Counting-1,2 Buckle my shoe, Ten Little

IndiansIndians Gardening and plants-Mary Mary Quite Gardening and plants-Mary Mary Quite

ContraryContrary Animal Names-Hey Diddle Diddle, Little Bo Animal Names-Hey Diddle Diddle, Little Bo

Peep, Little Boy BluePeep, Little Boy Blue

Itsy Bitsy Spider by grade levelItsy Bitsy Spider by grade level 33rdrd – phonics, rhyme patters, finger puppets, singing, – phonics, rhyme patters, finger puppets, singing,

coloring pagescoloring pages 44th- th- - phonics, rhyme patterns, finger puppets, singing, - phonics, rhyme patterns, finger puppets, singing,

drawing, weather (sun and rain)drawing, weather (sun and rain) 55thth –phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles (find the water spout), –phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles (find the water spout),

drawing, creative writing ( change some words in the drawing, creative writing ( change some words in the song),role plays, weather, arts and crafts, recreate the song),role plays, weather, arts and crafts, recreate the scene through cut-outs and poster boards, Reader’s Theaterscene through cut-outs and poster boards, Reader’s Theater

66thth – phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles, weather, creative – phonics, rhyme patterns, puzzles, weather, creative drawing and writing. Make a new song about the itsy bitsy drawing and writing. Make a new song about the itsy bitsy spider, role plays, reader’s theater, weather (scenarios, spider, role plays, reader’s theater, weather (scenarios, what is there is a typhoon, what would the itsy bitsy spider what is there is a typhoon, what would the itsy bitsy spider do?)do?)

Sample Lesson- It’s Bitsy Spider-3Sample Lesson- It’s Bitsy Spider-3rdrd GradeGrade

GoalsGoals– Students will use English to sing the song Itsy Bitsy Spider.Students will use English to sing the song Itsy Bitsy Spider.

Objectives-Objectives-– Students will repeat the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher.Students will repeat the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher.– Students will sing the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher.Students will sing the words of the nursery rhyme with the teacher.– Students will say the words to the song individually and in groups.Students will say the words to the song individually and in groups.– Students will sing the words to the song individually and in groups.Students will sing the words to the song individually and in groups.– Students will learn the meaning to the following vocabulary wordsStudents will learn the meaning to the following vocabulary words

SpiderSpider SpoutSpout RainRain WashWash DryDry

– Students will create spider puppets.Students will create spider puppets.– Students will recreate the nursery rhyme using the finger puppets they Students will recreate the nursery rhyme using the finger puppets they

made.made.

Sample Lesson, cont’dSample Lesson, cont’d MaterialsMaterials

– Nursery RhymeNursery Rhyme– Computer and or CD PlayerComputer and or CD Player– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cww

Ub978l_c– Pencil and PaperPencil and Paper– Colors and MarkersColors and Markers– Construction paperConstruction paper– Spider Finger Puppet cut-outsSpider Finger Puppet cut-outs

SpiderSpider

SpSpououtt

Finger Puppet Cut-outsFinger Puppet Cut-outshttp://www.dltk-teach.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.dltk-http://www.dltk-teach.com/t.asp?b=m&t=http://www.dltk-

kids.com/members/images/bfingeritsybitsy.gifkids.com/members/images/bfingeritsybitsy.gif

Resources-Rhymes and Resources-Rhymes and Teaching MaterialsTeaching Materials

– www.zelo.com/family/nursery/– http://www3.amherst.edu/~rjyanco94/literature

/mothergoose/rhymes/menu.html– http://www-personal.umich.edu/~pfa/dreamho

use/nursery/rhymes.html– www.mothergoose.com/– http://www.apples4theteacher.com/mother-goo

se-nursery-rhymes/

Resources- BooksResources- Books

Resources- BooksResources- Books http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss

?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mother+goose+books&x=11&y=16

Resources- CD’s and songsResources- CD’s and songs

Resources- CD’s and SongsResources- CD’s and Songs http://www.amazon.com/s/http://www.amazon.com/s/

ref=nb_ssc_2_15?url=search-aliasref=nb_ssc_2_15?url=search-alias%3Dpopular&field-%3Dpopular&field-keywords=mother+goose+cd&sprefikeywords=mother+goose+cd&sprefix=mother+goose+cdx=mother+goose+cd

Resources-GamesResources-Games

Resources- GamesResources- Games http://www.amazon.com/s/http://www.amazon.com/s/

ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dtoys-and-games&field-and-games&field-keywords=mother+goose&x=8&y=1keywords=mother+goose&x=8&y=166

Teacher Practice-DirectionsTeacher Practice-Directions Six groups of teachers will be Six groups of teachers will be

assigned a nursery rhyme and grade assigned a nursery rhyme and grade level and create a short lesson that level and create a short lesson that includes the following:includes the following:

GoalsGoals ObjectivesObjectives 3 activities3 activities Short assessmentShort assessment

Teacher Practice-1Teacher Practice-1 Baa, baa, black sheep,Baa, baa, black sheep,

Have you any wool?Have you any wool?Yes sir, yes sir,Yes sir, yes sir,Three bags full; Three bags full;

One for my master,One for my master,One for my dame,One for my dame,And one for the little boyAnd one for the little boyThat lives in our lane. That lives in our lane.

Teacher Practice-2Teacher Practice-2 Hickory, dickory, dock,Hickory, dickory, dock,

The mouse ran up the clock.The mouse ran up the clock.The clock struck one,The clock struck one,The mouse ran down!The mouse ran down!Hickory, dickory, dockHickory, dickory, dock

Teacher Practice-3Teacher Practice-3LLittle Miss Muffetittle Miss Muffet

Sat on a tuffet,Sat on a tuffet,Eating of curds and whey;Eating of curds and whey;There came a big spider,There came a big spider,And sat down beside her,And sat down beside her,And frightened Miss Muffet away.And frightened Miss Muffet away.

Questions and CommentsQuestions and Comments

Thank you!!Thank you!!