Are you students sometimes
bored in spite of your best
efforts? Are you looking for
some new and different techniques?
Could you use a learning activity
that would really wake them
up? Would you like to get
and keep the students’
interest? Even have them helping
you? Then try this classroom-tested
technique by using student-selected
songs to teach listening comprehension.
Almost everyone loves music.
It is a part of our language
and life from before birth
onwards. As babies, we hear
lullabies. As young children
we play, sing and dance to
a myriad of nursery rhymes.
As adolescents, we are consumed
by the beat of popular music
artists worldwide. As adults,
every form of advertising
we hear, every special event
we experience, is in part,
music. Music pervades television,
movies, theater, and even
the nightly news. When we
exercise, when we work, when
we play, when we worship and
even when we die, music is
there to reinforce or alter
or every mood and emotion.
A catchy tune is played, hummed
or sung, at times in our head,
as we go about our everyday
lives. So, why not include
music and songs in language
learning as well?
Factors Contributing to Listening
Comprehension of Song
• Use of new vocabulary,
idioms and expressions –
You’ll need to address
the new material offered in
each song. This includes grammar,
vocabulary and usage.
• Pronunciation and
accent of the singer –
Every native speaker doesn’t
pronounce or sing with the
same accent. Students may
be exposed to an accent which
is outside the realm of what
they might normally hear in
context.
• Use of new grammar
and structure Song writers
and singers are notoriously
“loose” when it
comes to use of grammar, structure,
pronunciation, stress and
other language factors applied
to songs. The teacher must
prepare for this.
Three Principal Song Selection
Criteria
1. Use songs that are popular
with the students whenever
possible. Unfortunately, students
frequently select songs for
classroom use which are objectionable
in some way making the song
unusable.
2. Songs MUST have clear
and understandable lyrics.
Nothing is worse than a song
almost nobody can understand.
If you have trouble understanding
the lyrics by listening, then
another song needs to be selected.
3. Songs should have an appropriate
theme. There’s enough
bad news, negativity and violence
in the world already. Songs
with any type of negative
theme should be avoided. There
are plenty of positive, upbeat,
even humorous songs available.
Use these.
Music pervades virtually
every aspect of our lives
Music pervades virtually
every aspect of our lives.
Students adore it. It contains
numerous useful elements for
language teaching and it’s
fun for both the teacher and
students. So, why not include
music and songs in your language
learning classes as well?
