Job Discussion Forums

[nolefan]

I was more enclined to use "Everybody Knows" by leonard cohen... I made for about 3 weeks worth of classes. That song is so deep!

I tried using some Tom Waits songs, mainly "ol'55" but the kids are put off by the man's voice! I have to agree with them as it did take me a few years to appreciate him!

[johnslat]

Dear nolefan,
Well, Leonard Cohen ain't exactly Pavarotti, either. But these guys ( Cohen, Waits and - yes - Dylan ) have voices that, while hardly melodious, are, I'd say, "interesting" - in much the same way that Abraham Lincoln's face is "interesting".
Regards,
John

[waxwing]

Speaking as a language learner (pre-intermediate russian) as well as a language teacher (most of my students are pre-int to int English, but also one elem French ) I can say that, even if you find it tough to understand the words, that doesn't stop singalong being a wonderfully motivating experience.
The Russian songs that I like are rather trashy pop songs .. the lyrics to my favourite one goes something like 'You call me your girl, and then you hug me, and then you leave me, and the little watch is laughing 'tick-tock', but don't be sorry about it, just love me like that..' .. drivel right? But it gives you a chance to really 'feel' the language.

I just use songs like this: a first listen with very basic pre-listening Qs. Give them a chance to feel the music, its emotional mood. Don't get them straining to listen to the word that first time. Second time, gap fill. Third time, SING!

'Course it's true you have to choose something with clear singing and not super-complex language. But on the whole I try to avoid very old songs with young kids, they prefer something modern.

'Angels' by Robbie Williams has become the anthem of my 13 year old pre-ints, we sing it at the end of every lesson now

[Otterman Ollie]

I once used the song `a thin line between love and hate ` by Annie Lennox as the basis for discussion about relationships . They enjoyed the song and we had a fairly deep kick around about what the song was about it lasted about 3 hours and after that I allowed them to bring some of their own stuff . This was with a LISE 1 class and a lot of them have told me since that they still remember the song and what we did pity they coulsdnt do it more often was the general response . I would like to do the same with my advanced uni class but I dont know maybe it would work am I trying too hard ???

[grahamb]

I used music in summer camps in Spain, both for simple listening practice (doing gap-fill exercises), and as a way of overcoming the dreaded Spanish "verguenza". I got volunteers to sing individually, then pairs, small groups and the whole class. It amazed me how kids with really low levels took to it. I let them choose - within reason - the songs they wanted to do: last year one of them brought in a Bob Marley CD and they nearly wore the damn thing out. Beatles songs also went down well.
Songs are also good as warmers first thing in the morning.
Regarding swear words, a student from another class once asked me "What mean motherf*ck*r?" I got him to ask the question properly, then fobbed him off with an alternative which I assured him was ten times worse: "twit." He was delighted, and spent the next day or so saying "You are tweet, you are tweet!" to his friends. Eventually he realised I'd lied to him, but it was fun while it lasted. At the end of the camp I relented and told him what motherf meant, stressing that it wasn't a nice thing to call someone. Needless to say, he continued as before, saying "You are motherf, you are motherf!" If only he'd remembered to use the indefinite article.