How to use music in class?

Music is a good way to link English and a happy time. I consider that we can use songs in order that students can develop their skills (listening, writing, reading and also speaking, if the like singing). I'm sure that everybody enjoy singing songs.

P1. Music

"Music stabilizes mental, physical and emotional rhythms to attain a state of deep concentration and focus in which large amounts of content information can be processed and learned." Chris Brewer, Music and Learning.

Benefits of using Music

There are a los of benefits of using music in class, for example:

• improves memory
• motivates learning
• improves concentration
• brings a sense of community to a group
• relaxes people who are overwhelmed or stressed
• makes learning fun
• helps people absorb material

Techniques for Using Music with L2 Learners

There are a variety of different ways to use music in the classroom. Some teachers prefer to use background music and others use music lyrics as the basis of a lesson. Music can be used to:

• introduce a new theme or topic (Christmas/colours/feelings)
• break the ice in a class where students don't know each other or are having difficulty communicating
• change the mood (liven things up or calm things down)
• teach and build vocabulary and idioms
• review material (background music improves memory)
• teach pronunciation and intonation
• teach songs and rhymes about difficult grammar and spelling rules that need to be memorized ("i before e", irregular verbs, phrasal verbs)
• teach reading comprehension
• inspire a class discussion
• teach listening for details and gist

Tips for Using Music Effectively

• When teaching students a song, it is a good idea to introduce an instrumental version first (If an instrumental version is not available, play the song softly in the background while they are working on something or hum the melody before introducing the lyrics). If students become familiar with the sound of the music first, they will be more likely to understand the words.
• Make a vocabulary list ahead of time. Go over the words once before you introduce the song.
• Expose students to a certain song many days in a row. Within a few days, students will not be able to get the song out of their head!
• Choose interactive songs whenever possible. Adding actions enhances language acquisition and memory.
• Have soft or upbeat music playing before class to encourage a positive atmosphere. Turning the music off is a great way to signal to a large class that it is time to begin.

An example to use music in class

I consider that a good option is "Skater Boy" - Avril Lavigne, because you can find a nice story that involves simple past and simple present. Although the pace of the song is fast, she sings clearly.

Lesson Plan

Stage	Procedure	Task	Interaction	Aims	Time
1	Ask student about Avril Lavigne	Students answer and give information about Avril Lavigne.	T & St	Learners will talk about information of music and a singer.	2 min.
2	Ask students to listen and complete the paper with the words (2 times).	Students listen and complete the song.	Individual	Learners will listen and complete the song.	8 min.
3	Ask students to compare answers with the partner.	Students check their answers.	Pairs / T & St	Learners will identify mistakes and correct answers.	2 min.
4	Ask students to circle verbs in simple past.	Students read and circle the verbs in simple past.	Individual	Learners will identify verbs in simple past	2 min
5	Ask students to compare answers with the partner.	Students check their answers.	Pairs / T & St	Learners will identify mistakes and correct answers.	2 min
6	Ask students about what the song is about.	Students talk about the story of the song.	Pairs / T &  St	Learners will be able to talk about a story.	2 min

Lyric 

You can listen the song and complete the lyric.

Video 1. Skater Boy. Avril Lavigne

Skater Boy (Avril Lavigne)

He was a _____, She was a _____,

Can I make it anymore obvious?

He was a punk, She did _____,

What more can I say?

He wanted her, she'd never _____,

secretly she wanted him as well,

but all of her _____, stuck up their nose,

they had a problem with his baggy _____.

He was a skater boy, she said “see you later boy”, 

He wasn't _____ enough for her,

She had a _____ face, but her head was up in a space,

She needed to come back down to _____.

Five years from now, She sits at home,

Feeding the ____ she's all alone,

She turns on T.V., _____ who she sees,

Skater boy rocking up MTV.

She calls up her friends, they already know,

And they've all got _____ to see his show,

she tags along, and stands in the crowd,

Looks up at the _____ that she turned down.

He was a skater boy, She said “See you later boy”,

He wasn't good enough for her,

Now he's a superstar, slamming on his _____,

Does your pretty face see what he's worth? (2 times)

Sorry girl, but you missed out,

Well, tough _____. that boy's mine now,

We are more than just good friends,

This is how the _____ ends.

_____ bad that you couldn't see,

See the man that boy _____ be,

There is more than meets the eye

I see the _____ that is inside

He's just a boy and I'm just a girl,

Can I make it anymore obvious?

We are in love, haven't you heard?

How we rock each others world!

I'm with the skater boy, I say “See you _____ boy”,

I'll be _____ after the show,

I'll be at the studio, singing the _____ we wrote,

About a girl you used to know. (2 Times)

Now, you can check your answers in the complete song:

Skater Boy (Avril Lavigne)

He was a boy, She was a girl,

Can I make it anymore obvious?

He was a punk, She did ballet,

What more can I say?

He wanted her, she'd never tell,

secretly she wanted him as well,

but all of her friends, stuck up their nose,

they had a problem with his baggy clothes.

He was a skater boy, she said “see you later boy”, 

He wasn't good enough for her,

She had a pretty face, but her head was up in a space,

She needed to come back down to earth.

Five years from now, She sits at home,

Feeding the baby she's all alone,

She turns on T.V., guess who she sees,

Skater boy rocking up MTV.

She calls up her friends, they already know,

And they've all got tickets to see his show,

she tags along, and stands in the crowd,

Looks up at the man that she turned down.

He was a skater boy, She said “See you later boy”,

He wasn't good enough for her,

Now he's a superstar, slamming on his guitar,

Does your pretty face see what he's worth? (2 times)

Sorry girl, but you missed out,

Well, tough luck. that boy's mine now,

We are more than just good friends,

This is how the story ends.

Too bad that you couldn't see,

See the man that boy could be,

There is more than meets the eye

I see the soul that is inside

He's just a boy and I'm just a girl,

Can I make it anymore obvious?

We are in love, haven't you heard?

How we rock each others world!

I'm with the skater boy, I say “See you later boy”,

I'll be backstage after the show,

I'll be at the studio, singing the song we wrote,

About a girl you used to know. (2 Times)

As a conclusion, It's a real good option to use songs in class. To be honest, I will use them more often because I think that you can catch the student's attention really fast.

Error Correction

Students make mistakes, even during carefully planned lessons using well-designed instructional materials. They answer incorrectly, give incomplete answers, or do not respond at all. The importance of providing feedback when students make errors is really important in their learning process; for that reason, we need to correct them in order to help them.

What to do when students make mistakes?

We can do a lot of things in order to correct error. For example:

1.       Facial Expressions: If you are a teacher, you should use this technique because is helpful. When you listen to a mistake, you use a facial expression in order to show that you do not agree with the answer or sentence. Student will notice and will change the answer.

P1. Facial Expressions.

2.       Body Language: In this case, when you listen to a mistake, you can use your body in order to show that the answer is not correct. For example, you can use a “gun”. I consider that this technique is useful for children.

P2. Body Language.

3.       Let students correct themselves: Sometimes, some students make a mistake but their partners know the correct answer. A good option is that you can let someone that could correct to the other student.

P3. Students.

    As a conclusion, I consider that mistakes are natural in students because in that moment they can realize what they are doing in a wrong way. For that reason, we should help them in order that they can do it better. 

Chants

What is a Chant?

Chant is the rhythmic speaking or singing of words or sounds, they can range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures, often including a great deal of repetition of musical sub phrases. Chants can help you to remember some structures in English that are useful in your real life in order to respond immediately.

P1. Chants. Girls Chanting.

History of Chants

Chanting has been around for over 5,000 years and is defined as the continuous recitation of mantras. Mantra is a Sanskrit word meaning, in rough translation, “to deliver the mind.” A mantra refers specifically to sacred words and syllables chanted in rituals. It is the belief of some spiritual leaders that to be most effective, a mantra has to be taught by a guru, or self-realized teacher. When an individual or group engages in chanting, it is the goal to connect their minds with the “Divine Mind” and attain a higher state of consciousness. In this case, the chants is use to relax the soul and be prepared for all the good of the world.

P2. History. Mantra symbol.

In the City! A nice English Chant

In English, we can use chants in order that your students can remember some phrases. In this case, you can see a chant called In the City! It's about a receptionist that recibe questions about places in the city. As you can see, questions and answers have the same structure. Students can learn how to use a map.

Ring! Ring!

Hello, Hello. Ask your question about the city.

I'll say yes... or no. What a pity!

Is there an Italian restaurant?

Yes there is. It's on Main and Grant.

Is there a police station?

Yes, there is. It's on Main and Nation.

Is there a shopping center?

Yes there is. it's on Main and Ventner.

Is there a zoo in the city?

No, there isn't. What a pity!

Is there a discotheque?

Yes, there is. It's on Main and Peck.

Is there a bookstore?

Yes there is. It's on Main and Moore.

Is there a post office?

Yes, there is. It's on Main and Loftus.

Is there a TV station in the city?

No, there isn't. What a pity!

Thanks. That's all. It's fine.

Ring! Ring!

Ok Good Bye. I have another person on the line.

P3. In the City! Students can use a map.

I believe that a lot of chants are use for children because they enjoy chanting. They consider that is a game.

Video 1. ABC Phonics Chant Song. Children chant.

I consider that chants are usuful. To be honest, I remember In the city! since I was 11 years old because my teacher told  me it in that time. And of course, I can use it in my real life. So, I am sure that it works. Remember that you can find a lot of chants and if you do not know any, you can invent a chant and share it with your friends. Use your imagination!

How to Teach Vocabulary

Teaching English vocabulary is an important area worthy of effort and investigation.  Recently methodologists and linguists emphasize and recommend teaching vocabulary because of its importance in language teaching.  Vocabulary is needed for expressing meaning and in using the receptive (listening and reading) and the productive (speaking and writing) skills. Vocabulary is more than a list of words, and although the size of one’s vocabulary matters, it’s to know how to use it which matters most.

Vocabulary o Vocabularies?

In everyday conversation we speak of vocabulary in the singular; we speak of a person’s vocabulary. This is actually an oversimplification. The American Heritage Dictionary defines vocabulary as “the sum of words used by, understood by, or at the command of a particular person or group.” On the other hand, it seems important to notice that in the majority of cases there are some differences in the number of words that a person understands and uses. Even the terms “uses” and “understands” need clarification. For example, the major way in which we “use” vocabulary is when we speak and write; the term expressive vocabulary is used to refer to both since these are the vocabularies we use to express ourselves. We “understand” vocabulary when we listen to speech and when we read; the term receptive vocabulary is used to refer to listening and reading vocabularies. The acquisition of decoding skills leads to rapid expansion of literate vocabularies by allowing children to transcode their meaning vocabularies into their literate vocabularies. This is so much the case that for older students and for adults our literate vocabularies are probably larger than our meaning vocabularies. We tend to have a larger group of words that we use in reading and writing than we use in our own speech. That’s why written language is more formal, more complex, and more sophisticated than spoken language

P1. Relation between Skills and the Vocabulary.

Practical classroom ideas to support vocabulary development

Teachers can help students to extend vocabulary through whole class and guided group work by:

• Planning for the introduction of new vocabulary: Teacher could indicate on short term plans where and how new vocabulary will be introduced.

P2. New Vocabulary.

• Encouraging “word of the day”: The students and you identify a new word each day and attempt to use it in context as many times as possible.

P3. Word of the day.

• Modelling specific reading strategies to develop vocabulary: For example, drawing on analogies (rain, snow, sleet) or word families (either linked to spelling patterns or meaning).

• Exploring prediction of story and dialogue through either the use of textless picture books or the masking/covering of a specific piece of dialogue or text.

P4. Book with vocabulary.

• Pre-teaching vocabulary before meeting it in a text: For example key words such as technical terms, or words in unfamiliar contexts.

• Checking understanding of vocabulary meaning through targeted questioning particularly in guided reading and writing sessions.

• Providing clear objectives for developing vocabulary: For example giving students four words and asking them to use them during the lesson.

• Modelling a piece of writing in front of the class, explaining and verbalizing vocabulary choices as you go.

P5.Teacher is explaining vocabulary.

• Using guided writing sessions to support small, targeted groups to review a piece of writing and challenge vocabulary choices made.

Ideas to encourage students to develop vocabulary during independent tasks by:

• Promoting the use of dictionaries, thesauruses and spelling investigations to extend the range of words used.

P6. Dictionary.

• Playing word games to extend and challenge understanding of vocabulary. You can use the game "Taboo", it's a great option to make your students learn vocabulary and practice.

Video 1. Taboo

• Developing and extending independent reading experiences. They can read books.

P7. Students read books.

• Giving students a vocabulary notebook in which to record unfamiliar or newly discovered words which can be stored until they need to use them.

As you can see, you can use a lot of options in order that your students can learn vocabulary. Teachers should be prepared to teach different kind of vocabulary because it's the way to express our mind. So, if you want to be a great teacher, make an effort to learn everyday more vocabulary and use it with your students.

How to teach grammar

Teachers enjoy teaching a lot of activities from a book for example listening, reading, etc. But, what happen when the book say "Grammar"? A lot of students are scared about that word, but not only them because teachers are scared too. In this post we are going to learn about grammar a you will get some tips about how to teach and not die trying. I know that Grammar is not the most exciting subject in the world, but it's important.

What is grammar?

Grammar is the system of a language. People sometimes describe grammar as the "rules" of a language but in fact any language has rules. If we use the word "rules", it's like somebody had created the rules first and then people had spoken the language, like a new game. But languages did not start like that. Languages started by people making sounds which evolved into words, phrases and sentences. No commonly spoken language is fixed. All languages change over time. On the other hand, others consider that grammar is the mental system of rules and categories that allows humans to form and interpret the words and sentences of their language.

P1. Grammar is present everywhere.

Tips to Teach Grammar

Teaching Grammar in Situational Contexts

The generative Situation is a situation which the teacher sets up in the lesson in order to “generate” several example sentences of a structure.

P2. Examples of Situational Context.

Teaching grammar through texts

In this case you have to use a coursebook where you can obtain information in order to check with your students. Coursebook texts tend to be specially tailored for ease of understanding and so as to display

specific features of grammar.

P3. Book.

Teaching grammar through stories

Everyone loves a story. Stories can be used for both eliciting and illustrating grammar points.Grammar points can be contexualized in stories that are absorbing and just plain fun if they are selected with the interest of the class in mind, are told with a high degree of energy, and involve the students. Students can help create stories and impersonate characters in them.

Video 1. Learn grammar through stories.

Teaching grammar through song and rhymes

Songs are one of the most enchanting and culturally rich resources that can easily be used in language classrooms. Songs offer a change from routine classroom activities. They are precious resources to develop students abilities in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They can also be used to teach a variety of language items such as sentence patterns, vocabulary, pronunciation, rhythm, adjectives, and adverbs.

Video 2. Singing

I consider that grammar should be an opportunity to apply our tools to teach. As you can see we have a lot. To be honest, I enjoy listening songs, so I think that I can use a lot of song in order to teach on a funny way. Grammar is important, for that reason we should be prepared to develop a great class.

Reading Activities

Reading is a vital skill required to develop students understanding of the English language. As you can see, it’s an essential part of a class that each teacher should be prepared to can develop a good class. Developing reading activities involves more than identifying a text that is "at the right level”, we should prepare a text that have a suitable topic and a correct grammar in order that student could understand correctly.

P1. Student is reading.

Extensive Reading

It has some characteristics, for example: it’s for pleasure, general, fast reading. In short, it’s in general life. In this case you can bring to the class some magazines or newspapers that can use your students in order to have fun. I consider that it’s a good way to introduce the reading in young learners.

P2. Magazines

Intensive Reading

It’s used in class and gets specific points. In this case you can use a text and at the last part your students can answer some questions (True or False).

P3. Reading and questions.

I consider that is important that in both cases you can develop a good warm up in order that your students could develop the activity correctly. I believe that students can enjoy in a reading section, for that reason you can do your effort to make it simple and fun.

Listening Activities: Guests Stars

A lot of students consider that listening activities are a real problem because they do not understand all. Sometimes the cause of the disinterest is pretend to understand everything and focused on audio listening only. Well, you have other options that can help your students to be relaxed; it can do that they don’t realize that they’re in a listening activity. For example the guest stars, live listening, etc.

P1. Listen to the guest. In order to guess who she/he is.

P2. Stars. You can be an actor, a singer, a soccer player, etc.

I consider that an excellent option is the Guest Stars because it’s funny and useful. For example, if you want that students practice listening, and also speaking. You should use it. First, Prepare notes for a short monologue in character, for example, you’re Shakira. In class announce that a guest star is coming today, do not say who it is. Next, the learners should listen and think who the guest is. They can write in a piece of paper what they are guessing. Then, The guest start have to chat naturally for a minute or two in character about his or her life, a typical day, how you feel etc. At the end when the guest finish students should compare their guesses in small groups and then check with their teacher. Finally, the teacher says the name of the guest but first ask for the students opinions.

P3. Work in groups. In order to guess.

As a conclusion, I think that is an enjoyable activity that can help a lot of students because they are talking naturally. They won’t feel stress. In addition, it’s a moment that you can notice if your student can get information from their partners and if they can use their speaking well too. It’s important that students can feel comfortable in a listening activity in order that they do not notice that they are in an evaluation. If you work naturally you can obtain great results.