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Songs in the classroomMusic can be an effective and enjoyable tool for learning English. (Davanellos, Mol) This paper will explore various ways to use songs in EFL classrooms for younger and older learners, as well as characteristics of good songs for teaching English. Children are expressive and creative and love music, so providing language experiences through music is a no-brainer. Traditional children?s songs go a long way; a simple song like ?The Hokey Pokey? can teach the concepts of ?in? and ?out? very effectively, as well as names of body parts. Traditional songs can be balanced with newer children?s songs, which may be more engaging to some children who hear adult songs in their everyday lives. (Mol) Frank Leto has catchy tunes with innovative, specific, and suitable lyrics sung in a clear voice, and musician Carole King and children?s book author Maurice Sendak?s collaborations are another example. Because learners at this young age may not yet be reading and writing fluently in any language, the majority of language learning through songs will involve singing, movement, story, and perhaps incorporate props, puppets, or art. Songs that promote multi-sensory learning experiences help children remember new words or strings of words by providing them with an association of a word to its action, for example. (Harris) Types of songs that are used successfully in classes of children include songs that contain vocabulary around a theme, such as colors, weather, feelings, or days of the week (Eric Carle?s ?Today is Monday?); number songs that count either forward or backward (?Five Little Ducks?); action word songs (?The Wheels on the Bus?); songs that add one new vocabulary word per verse while repeating all previous words (?There Once Was a Yodeler/an Austrian?); songs that tell a story (?We?re Going on a Bear Hunt?). Songs have a place in classes of older students as well. Because adolescents and adults tend to be more self-conscious than younger children about singing and being silly, it is important to use songs in ways that are age-appropriate and not condescending. Pop songs are often well received by students, as they are mainstream music that native speakers listen to and students may have already heard them on the radio. (Davanellos, Schoepp) When choosing songs, teachers should try to be mindful that the lyrics are respectful to all class members? cultures and religions, and consider using the ?clean? version of songs that contain expletives or offensive language if choosing these songs at all. (Mol) Examining lyrics carefully also helps teachers to select appropriate songs to support the teaching of specific language structures. Listening activities, gap-fill lyric sheets, cut-up song lines for students to rearrange, and writing alternative lyrics incorporating the language point taught are possible ways to use songs with adolescent and adult learners. Songs are useful language learning tools for several reasons. They are authentic materials that can engage some students who otherwise lack motivation to learn English. (Mol, Schoepp) Most songs involve repetition and a predictable structure and can therefore be a fun alternative to drills. (Harris, Mol, Schoepp) Some songs are effective for teaching vocabulary about a certain topic, or can serve as a jumping-off point for discussion about that topic for more advanced students. (Schoepp) Some songs repeat a particular grammatical structure, for example verbs in past simple tense, and can therefore be used when studying that structure. (Mol) Many songs present opportunities for practicing pronunciation, as the lyrics are precise, fit to a rhythm, and often rhyme. These attributes of songs help with remembering or ?chunking? whole sentences or phrases, and the words and structures in them, when students are still developing oral fluency. (Davanellos, Mol) There are many ways to effectively incorporate songs into EFL classrooms for learners of all ages. The repetitive nature and other structural qualities of most songs make them useful authentic materials for language teaching. Thoughtful song selections matched with interesting activities that focus on a language point make for enjoyable and successful learning experiences. References Davanellos, A. (October 1999). Songs. English Teaching Professional, 13, 13-15. Harris, S. R. Song as a Tool for Content Area Learning. http://www.songsforteaching.com/rationale.htm Mol, H. (April 2009). Using Songs in the English Classroom. Humanising Language Teaching, Year 11, Issue 2, ISSN 1755-9715. http://www.hltmag.co.uk/apr09/less01.htm Schoepp, K. (February 2001). Reasons for Using Songs in the ESL/EFL Classroom. The Internet TESL Journal. http://iteslj.org/Articles/Schoepp-Songs.html
