Songs and Teaching

Researches confirm that songs are a useful tool in language acquisition. In fact musical and language processing occur in the same area of the brain (Medina, 1993). If you want to increase your students’ motivation, improve their fluency or brush up their vocabulary then you should think about singing songs.

Songs …

… are fun;                                               
… are authentic materials;
… include much repetition;
… contain common, short words;
… lower the ‘affective filter’;
… help overcome barriers;
… provide opportunity for movement
     (clapping, tapping, dancing, etc);
… improve listening and speaking
     abilities;
… improve pronunciation, word
     stress and intonation etc.

Steps
 
Use the steps you think adequate or follow the suggestions below.
● use the title or a picture: Ss guess what the song is about.
● write the important words on the board: Ss try to guess their meaning.
● hand a gapped version: Ss listen to the song and fill in the gaps.
● cut the song into strips: Ss listen to the song and organize themselves in the correct order.
● Ss sing the song (several times).
If possible, Ss should prepare group presentation or even weekend shows.

Type of Song

You’d better choose  the songs yourself.  Whenever I asked the Ss to choose them, I had a civil war in the classroom!

Reference:http://blogdadisal.blogspot.com.br/2014/05/songs-and-teaching.html