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Using Music in the ESL Classroom

Using Music in the ESL Classroom
Music is the universal language of mankind.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow When students make a major breakthrough in learning, it is music to a teacher's ears. There is nothing more rewarding for a teacher, than seeing their students smile and laugh while they learn. The same can be said for students. Benefits of using Music Have you ever heard of anyone who doesn't like music? "Music stabilizes mental, physical and emotional rhythms to attain a state of deep concentration and focus in which large amounts of content information can be processed and learned." Techniques for Using Music with L2 Learners There are a variety of different ways to use music in the classroom. Suggested Activities Many teachers try using music once in the class, but forget to do it again. Teaching Kids with Music Using music with ESL kids has all of the same benefits mentioned above and more. Tips for Using Music Effectively Online Materials and Resources

EFL / ESOL / ESL Educational Songs and Activities: Song Lyrics for Teaching English as a Second Language These EFL/ESOL/ESL lyrics are available from a variety of albums: Songs that Teach Conversational English and English Vocabulary Action Songs Around the World – Jack Hartmann Can You Move Like Me? – Caroline and Danny Circle of Friends – Ron Brown Family Dance – Dr. – Music with Mar. – Jay Cleveland Jump for Numbers 0-10 – Ron Brown Jump, Jump, Jump – Jeanne Nelson and Hector Marín Stand Up – Skip West We Walk – Music with Mar. Alphabet The ABC Rap – The Gum Rappers Letter Blender – Music Movement & Magination Letter Sounds A to Z – Jack Hartmann Who Knows the Alphabet Sounds? – ABC's & Much More Animals African Safari – Diana Colson Baboon Baby – Diana Colson Do You Know These Sounds? – Jeanne Nelson and Hector Marín Doing the Flamingo Walk – Diana Colson Elephants – Diana Colson Giraffe – Diana Colson Lion Pride – Diana Colson Mosquito – Jeanne Nelson and Hector Marín My Fish – Jeanne Nelson and Hector Marín My Pet Turtle – Jeanne Nelson and Hector Marín Please Say Cheese (Animal Names and Movements) – Dr.

Using music and songs Using music and songs Submitted by admin on 7 October, 2011 - 07:58 Music can play a really important part in the language classroom. It can change the atmosphere in the room within seconds. Songs sung in English are listened to around the world and students can often feel real progress in their level of English when they can begin to sing along to the chorus or even just to be able to separate what at first seemed to be a constant stream of words! I am going to split this article into using music and using songs and I will share twelve of my favourite activities with you. Before bringing music into the class, it may be worthwhile to do a music survey or questionnaire to find out what the students enjoy listening to. Using music Music in the classroom doesn’t always mean listening to a song and using the lyrics in some way. Set the scene: If music is playing as students enter the class it can be a nice way to settle the group. By Jo Budden

English language learning games ESL/English learning games on Digital Dialects are completely free to use, do not require registration, and are designed for ESL students of all ages. Each ESL revision topic includes vocabulary lists and practice games with audio for teaching correct pronunciation. Materials are of use to beginner level English as a second or other language students, though those with some familiarity with the language may wish to try the English/ESL spelling games. 1096 FREE ESL Songs For Teaching English Worksheets Music can be a great way to connect with your students. Even students who aren’t fluent in English often know the words of popular songs phonetically, which makes these songs ideal resources for teaching your students certain forms of grammar, as well as vocabulary. Many students are happy to work with the unusual phrasing of song lyrics, because they’re learning new meanings for a piece of music that already has meaning in their lives. You might never have noticed it before, but many songs’ lyrics involve just one single tense - which means that as soon as you find a song that contains the tense you want to teach, you’ve got the makings of an exercise that your students will love. They’ll get to brag to their non-English-speaking friends that they know exactly what the song’s lyrics say, so they’ll be extra-motivated to stick with you throughout the activity to make sure they learn those meanings correctly. But where should you start your search for the right song?

The Ultimate List of Online Music Education Games Having a background as a music teacher, I often get the asked what resources are available for homeschoolers to grow in their music studies. As such, today I’d like to share with you an Ultimate List of Online Music Education Games available for FREE to public and homeschoolers alike to have fun while learning more about music. Whether playing via iPad, SmartBoard, or laptop, each resource provides supportive games and activities to reinforce music concepts at home. For your browsing convenience, these online music education games are organized into the following categories: aural training, composers, composition, instruments, notation, symbols/vocabulary and variety. Aural Training Composers Composition Musical Instruments Notation Symbols and Vocabulary Variety These websites could not be limited to one particular musical focus but have several online music education games covering a wide-variety of musical instruments and elements. SFS KidsThe New York Philharmonic Kids Zone

Next Vista for Learning Using Music in the Classroom Music is an amazing tool for teaching languages, especially to children. Good songs will bounce around in a learner's head long after their lesson is over. Young learners pick up vocabulary, grammatical structures, and the rhythm of the language simply by doing what they already love to do...singing. In addition, music can serve a variety of functions in your classroom, at home, or even in the car. Music can set a mood. Play music in the background from the start of the lesson. Just as you take care to make your learning environment visually appealing and stimulating, you should also note the effect that music has on the atmosphere in the classroom. Start a typical lesson with "Knock Knock Hello" playing in the background. With super energetic classes, use soothing music in the background at the beginning of class, such as any of the lullaby medleys from the Super Simple Songs CDs, some classical music, or your favorite quiet music. Play music to signal transitions to the students.

A different way to visualize rhythm - John Varney To learn more on circular perceptions of rhythm with specific reference to African music, read this paper and then watch this Five(ish) Minute Drum Lesson on African Drumming. How has drumming played an essential role in African culture? What do specific rhythms represent? Interested in the software applications of a circular rhythmic approach? What exactly is rhythm? How does the beat of a song differ from its rhythm? As seen from this TED Ed lesson, different cultures share similar rhythms. Rhythm and Math are related? Just love music and want to learn more? How playing an instrument benefits your brain - Anita Collins Why we love repetition in music - Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis Music as a language -Victor Wooten

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