Another question on finding songs

Lliana · Post by **Lliana** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 7:19 pm

Hello again.
The problem: I have no CDs or cassettes with relatively easy songs for children aged 9-10 (wrong, I have one with Christmas songs), the school cannot buy any (that's a fact...) and I really cannot afford to buy some myself. Can you suggest sites with free downloads? I know that official websites of publishing houses such as OUP have songs from time to time (for example, I found an easy Halloween chant in OUP). I had a look at older posts concerning songs but didn't have much luck with them (sometimes they were not really about songs..., or the pages didn't exist or they asked for very expensive subscriptions).
Also, for my older 12-year-old students, who despise "kids' stuff"

, I saw that I can use so-called popular songs with appropriate verse but I have nothing of that sort at home. I saw some helpful posts with interesting suggestions but still I cannot go to a shop and start looking for ... songs in general. Any suggestions about downloading a few songs? I understand this must be illegal but what else can I do? I think that if I download 10 songs, for example, I will quite happy to use them for a few years...
Thanks
Liana

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 6:05 pm

You might not get the songs that the kids are interested in though. I always find it safer to ask them to bring in their songs. Not everyone in the class will have their tastes so you can divide them into groups according to musical interests. Sometimes there is a popular song that most like and that will do for the whole class. If you teach them to find out how to find out interesting things in the song, they can then show those interesting things to the other students. They can make up worksheets, puzzles, grammar exercises and so on with their own songs and let other groups do them. Don't be afraid that you will caught on something you don't know. It is realistic that even English teachers don't know everything about the language and need to think about it or get help. Just post your questions in the Applied Linguistics thread and bring the answers back to the kids who are interested to follow up things further.

Lliana · Post by **Lliana** » Sat Sep 03, 2005 6:12 pm

Children over here listen mostly to greek pop music and ... other kinds of greek music. If I ask them to bring their favourite songs in class, I don't think we'll have the chance to practise English at all. I don't know ... you may have an idea on that as usual

.
Anyway, I cannot do such a thing especially with the little ones (8-10). We can go over music in general with the older ones though.
Still, any ideas about sites??
Thanks.

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Mon Sep 05, 2005 4:21 pm

I guess I find it hard to believe that they only listen to Greek songs. In all the countries I have been in, they listened to songs from their language but also English songs, especially those from movies or videos. Don't you get MTV in Greece? Lyrics.com is a great site for words. The website of the individual bands or singers also have words and bios.

Lliana · Post by **Lliana** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 6:33 pm

Young children (8-9) over here do not listen to English songs because it is much easier for them to relate to greek pop music. Of course, there are greek bands that use english lyrics and we can work on that if they happen to like a particular song. I don't think I could use MTV or something similar for my 9-year-olds. I simply need children's songs or chants (you know, like "Head and shoulders", etc), not bands or singers. Anyway, I'll see what I can do with the publishing houses sites. Thanks for your help.

Sally Olsen · Post by **Sally Olsen** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 7:10 pm

Of course I know nothing about Greek kids but I found that Greenlandic, Mongolian, Japanese and Brazilian 8 and 9 year old kids found Head and Shoulders and so on too babyish. Some of the girls would sing but very few of the boys. The boys were playing computer games and other electronic games that were much more sophisticated and demanding but had music behind them. It is the fast variety and so when they had to slow down for Old MacDonald and such, they were really bored and too cool to participate. The boys did like funny songs that the Scouts sing - There Ain't No Flies On Us and the like. They would participate in Air Bands (where the DVD or cassette is playing and singing the music and they pretend to sing) or Karaoke. They also would participate with puppets when they were hidden from view of their friends. They would sing along with Disney songs from the movies too because it was dark in the room so they could see that part of the movie and there were cartoons to watch as well. Some of them have often seen those movies over and over so know them almost by heart. I think singing is a great activity but would use those early Kingergarten songs with Kindergarten and grade 1 kids. Look up the Girl Guide and Boy Scout sites for songs that older kids like. They will send you cassettes, for a price of course.

Lliana · Post by **Lliana** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 8:04 pm

Well, these kids here like rap-like songs etc but funnily enough, they don't mind "babyish" songs. OK, Mc Donald's farm song is not really one of my favourites but Head + Shoulders works fine with 3rd graders (9 yrs). Or, another example, when I was looking at the OUP site for Halloween material, I remember finding a very easy chant with witches, black hats and the like. It worked even with 11-year-olds... (at least they didn't seem to mind the style...)
As children start English at 8 (in private schools) or 9 (in state schools), I want to keep it as simple as possible otherwise they lose their interest. One detail about Disney films; they're dubbed! So, the children know the songs in greek translation. Of course, the teacher can find the english version and watch it with the students.
I'll have a look at Girl Guide etc. Thanks.

musica5 · Post by **musica5** » Sun Oct 02, 2005 9:06 pm

HI
Try http://www.pamseslclassroom.com

You will find lots of mp3 downloads as well as lyrics, action songs with instructions and singing games that children in your age group will love.

This site also has lesson plans to accompany the songs. lots of easy to implement ideas.

Good luck