I originally wrote this for my teacher training course emails, but I figured you guys might like it too! – Richard
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Hello,
Wow, it seems like the How are you? Song was a *big* hit.
I’m so happy you liked it.
Today I thought I’d introduce a few “secret” tricks for teaching using songs.
Here we go….
1) Rock ‘n Roll: If you have shy kids in your class, pump up the volume!
A lot of traditional kids songs are designed to send kids to sleep – and parents love them for that!
But in class we want strong, independent, confident kids who speak up and have lots of positive energy.
So turn up the volume, get the kids to sing really loud and see what magic it makes on even the shiest kids.
(*Science Alert*: This is the “Rolling Stones” effect. Just like a rock concert, if you are singing loud and moving fast, your brain produces chemicals that make you confident and happy. Cool stuff.)
(* Secret Teaching Tip*: If you have other classes really nearby and get told off for being too noisy, then tell the kids to be super genki (i.e. excited, full of life and energy) but …. quiet! Really over exaggerate as you move and sing. It gets lots of laughs and works *nearly* as well as being super loud!)
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2) You can’t *reuse* the same tune:
Some textbooks take their target sentences and put them to a famous tune such as “Frere Jacques” (Brother John). Unfortunately this tends not to work if you use it more than once. The key is a new and original melody for each song.
(*Science Alert* Just like TV adverts, the reason songs work is that the English words get tied up with the melody. If the kids forget the English, they’ll always have the song stuck in their head and be able to re-remember the English.
If you reuse the same melody for a different set of English it will just get muddled up in the kids’ heads and you lose the benefit. For the same reason, songs with melodies always work better than chants that don’t have the melodies.)
3) Actions make the magic: You’re already on board with gestures when teaching vocab, and it’s the same with songs. The motion and the melody and the words and the pictures make a magical unforgettable experience.
(Science Alert: Oh, we already covered this with the message about “Multiple Intelligences!”)
Cool, now you’re totally up with how to use songs, let’s get singing!
https://genkienglish.net/songs.htm
Be genki,
Richard
It would be really cool if you could send in any advice you have for using songs in the comments!
Hi Richard!
Thank you for short and clear explanation on methodology and really good teaching tips! All of them are very useful!
Thank you for these tips! I assume they apply to any language. I do use lots of music in my Spanish classes for kids, but I never feel confident about it. I appreciate the information – it’s motivating!
Younger kids really enjoy it if you make mistakes or get things wrong in songs they know well. For example if singing “Old MacDonald had some dogs”, instead of “A woof woof here” sing: “Moo moo here, and a moo moooo there.” Of if you’re doing Mulberry Bush mix up the actions and words. “This is the way we wash our hands” but you do the motions for “put on our shoes.”
The first time only a few kids will notice but when they know to watch for it they get a huge kick out of correcting you and will listen more alertly.
If no kids notice or say anything you’ll have to stop and pretend to be confused about what you just sang and try again. You can ask them directly: Is this the way we WASH our HANDS? emphasizing the words while doing a put-on-your-shoes motion. If they know the song well, someone will yell: “NO!”
These are things I use with my preschool kids to great effect and fun. These are larger classes (20 kids) and so it’s one way to get them more actively involved and not just singing along.
thanks for the tips they are really useful to my students