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Sashadroogie · Posted: Sun Aug 05, 2012 12:35 pm Post subject: Good songs for EFL lessons?

Is there a thread somewhere about songs that can be used in lessons? Couldn't find it. Can someone re-direct me there?

If there isn't one, how about we start one? Below are some songs that I find useful for lessons, both linguistically and as a starting point for discussions afterwards.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOu-QkmInKc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWBfD4XuIfU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcV4B-74pDk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GRR_n_yQGA

: )

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238

There's a real 'pig' theme there? How / why do you use these songs Sasha? Links for songs with a quick guide or aim to the lesson is even more helpful I think.

I use Beyonce 'If I were a boy' for discussing gender issues and using second conditional. There are also some phrasal verbs and I have a gap fill on the song etc.

I also use James Blunt 'You're Beautiful'. I have a class warmer, write an adj of appearance for every letter of the alphabet. A discussion task on what does beauty mean in your country, a sequence task using the song, and then simple 'love at first sight' discussion tasks.

'A girl like you' by Foreigner. Aim is the grammar structure.
Sub+have+been+verb+ing. (I've been waiting, for a girl like you lalalala)
Ive never got that lesson really quite right, but I have a discussion warmer (what is your karaoke song), a dictation race to get song lyrics. A task to identify the grammar, and then a diary entry that is written in every tense but the grammar. Students have to re-write some of it into the target structure, then discuss their own life since attending the class. 'I have been learning English for 2 months' etc etc.

I do have some others, but these are my 3 best music lessons.

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Aug 07, 2012 11:02 am Post subject:

I use them to stimulate discussion about the dangers of capitalist piggies. Didn't think that that would need further elucidation, hic!

dackinator · Joined: 17 Sep 2010 Posts: 105

Two I've used a number of times with teenagers that work well and the students enjoy:

I'm a believer - The monkeys (the later version off Shrek) - For teaching irregular past tenses.

Speed of Sound - Coldplay - The meaning of the song isn't obvious, with a lot of metaphor and symbolism in the lyrics. After a basic listening task I give students 1 verse to analyse, then jigsaw them together to analyse the entire song and discuss interpretations of it. To extend the activity you can then play them the music video and see how this matches their opinions. (works well with most coldplay songs, they're all quite vague)

Another useful song for practicing past simple is "skater boy" by Avril Lavegne. Popular with early teens, the only question is if you can bear listening to it.

johncoan · Joined: 02 Jul 2010 Posts: 115

Don't do it. Keep pop songs and language teaching separate. Please.

it'snotmyfault · Joined: 14 May 2012 Posts: 527

put a Barry White song on, and teach the the language of lurvve..

Shroob · Joined: 02 Aug 2010 Posts: 1339

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

I taught Chinese middle school students and these songs were the most popular from my lessons:

Big Small Short and Long:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ODRVgvjwkbo&list=PLA1D2CA9C8D39CC36&index=2&feature=plpp_video

In On Under:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hx8i-Wq_jtc

Monster Halloween:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9p9Q3gdkzY&list=PLA92293086FBD04D8&feature=mh_lolz

This is good for days of the week:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPzIbbvoiMA&feature=BFa&list=PLA1D2CA9C8D39CC36

Really anything that was simple, repetitive, and easy to understand was popular. Careful, though, they will get stuck in your head and drive you nuts!

Denim-Maniac · Joined: 31 Jan 2012 Posts: 1238