Korean Job Discussion Forums

Jizzo T. Clown · Joined: 27 Mar 2006 Location: at my wit's end

I've used the old standby (Yesterday) with success and was hoping some of you could help me out by sharing which songs you've found to be successful with HS students.

How do you usually teach a song? My CT wants me to teach a song every week, spread out over two lessons. I want the kids to learn it but don't want it to drag. He also wants the lessons to have some sort of grammar/vocabulary point which can be tested (I have to write the test questions come exam time). Shocked

Any advice is very much appreciated!

bosintang · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 5:39 pm Post subject:

A song every week? Over two lessons?? I think your co-teacher is smoking something. How are you going to sustain student's interest? It's much easier and more practical to base a song around a lesson rather than a lesson around a song.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Summer Nights, My Love, I Have a Dream, and We Are The Champions have proven the most popular with my students. I do a song first as a listening excercise, with some of the words blanked out, and side-by-side Hanguel translation from Naver.com. Then we practice first saying and then singing the words. In the end if there's time and they've been good they get to watch the video. This can take anywhere from 15-30 minutes depending on the song and how much I want to go over it.

Yu_Bum_suk · Joined: 25 Dec 2004

Alyallen · Posted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 6:33 pm Post subject:

I teach elementary school. I have one class that I teach songs.

I've taught

Ob La di - The Beatles
Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Lucky - Britney Spears
Yellow Submarine - The Beatles
So Yesterday - Hilary Duff

Yesterday I started teaching them Hug by Dong Bang Shin Gi.

I do first a listening exercise where they put the song in order.
Then I go over the general meaning of the song and any words they don't know. Then we practice.

I use the Karafun program and I've found a few videos to show on occassion from youtube. Karafun is well...fun because you can change the tempo and pitch of the song which is helpful if the song is fast or very high pitched. It takes me about 2 lessons to teach a song but we spend a lot of time going over the old songs and seeing how fast or slow we can sing them.

If any of the songs interest you and you choose to use karafun, PM me and I can send you my files...

Personally...I have to agree with what Bosintang said about basing a song around a lesson. My class is not for credit and there is no exam either, so the heat is off for everyone so it makes for a much more relaxed classroom...

Oh...and I've taught My love by Westlife...that was fun. If you can, get the students to pick songs and then perhaps figure out grammar points they can learn from songs that they are guaranteed to like....

GOOD LUCK!

mrsquirrel · Joined: 13 Dec 2006

Nazi Punks F*ck Off by Napalm Death is pretty easy to teach.

Less than a minute long.

NAPALM DEATH LYRICS
Nazi Punks *beep* Off (1994)

1. Nazi Punks *beep* Off

[Lyrics : Jello Biaffra / Music : Dead Kennedys]

Punk ain't no religious cult,
punk means thinking for yourself.
You ain't hardcore 'cause you spike your hair,
when a jock still lives inside your head.

Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
*beep* off !

If you've come to fight, get outta here.
You ain't no better than the bouncers.
We ain't trying to be the police.
When you ape the cops, it ain't anarchy.

Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
*beep* off !

Ten guys jump one, what a man !
You fight each other, the police state wins.
Stab your backs when you trash our halls.
Trash a bank if you've got real balls.

You still think swastikas look cool.
The real nazis run your schools.
They're coaches, businessmen and cops.
In the real fourth reich, you'll be the first to go.

Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
Nazi punks,
*beep* off !

You'll be the first to go.
You'll be the first to go.
You'll be the first to go.
Unless you think.

Quote:

teachergirltoo · Joined: 28 Oct 2006

These two websites should give you some good ideas. The information is by teachers that use songs in the classroom. They provide complete lesson plans or a good basis and then you can also add your own ideas depending on your class.

http://www.isabelperez.com/songs.htm

http://www.musicalenglishlessons.org/popsongs/index.htm

Harpeau · Joined: 01 Feb 2003 Location: Coquitlam, BC

Hey Jude Beatles

Cannonball Daemeon Rice (Uni kids love this one!!)

Eidleweise Sound of Music

Caledonia Mary Black

Dirty Old Town Pogues (Ewan MacColl sp.)

ddeubel · Joined: 20 Jul 2005

Use the karaoke player! Make them listen for words/mistakes by altering the text. Have them design their own songs as homework using the karaoke player and present them to the class, share them. They will learn much more by making a song than by using it in class.

That said, there are lots of interesting ways to spin songs. By grammar focus or by theme. Preview songs by playing without the music and just watch the slide show or video ....what is the song about ? I have plenty of powerpoint and videos which would be suitable for this.

Theme. Organize the song around a theme. Discuss to preview with questions regarding the theme. for example, last night I made the powerpoint song, I Saw the Sign -- Ace of Bass. Have them look at signs and describe what they are asking. Test afterwards, next week.

Spin off writing -- use the song as a prompt. For example, if I had a million dollars is a great example. But a song for H.S. can be used as a great writing prompt.

Look at the titanic lesson plan in my karaoke folder -- for an example of a two class lesson based on a song.

Get the students using www.singshot.com and create your own classroom karaoke online competition......

DD