By Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI Using Popular Music Probably the easiest thing to do – and usually enjoyed by older students. But how do you choose the right songs? DISCUSS To TEACH ENGLISH By Ruth Wickham, Brighton Education Training Fellow, IPGKDRI

Choose a song: Make sure it is suitable (socially). Make sure you know it well. Make sure it is something the students will like reasonably well. Make sure it contains useful language and teaching points. Make sure you have a clear copy to play. So let’s look at some examples.

Teaching a Song: OK – let’s try it ... First, talk about the title. Then just listen (don’t look at the words) Don’t worry if you don’t hear all of the words. Try to work out the missing words on the sheet. Listen again and fill in the words. OK – let’s try it ...

First, talk about the title . Walking in the Sunshine

And don’t worry if you don’t hear all of the words. Then ... ... just listen And don’t worry if you don’t hear all of the words.

Try to fill in the gaps Walking in the sunshine, sing a little ______________ song Put a ________ upon your face as if there's nothing _____________. Think about a _____________ time had a long time ago, Think about forgetting about your worries and your ______________, Walking In The ______________, sing a little sunshine song. La la la la la dee oh, ___________ the weather be rain or snow, Pretending can make it ________________, A snowy ____________, a green and grassy ________________. Hand out work sheets

Listen and fill in the gaps Walking in the sunshine, sing a little ______________ song Put a ________ upon your face as if there's nothing _____________. Think about a _____________ time had a long time ago, Think about forgetting about your worries and your ______________, Walking In The ______________, sing a little sunshine song. La la la la la dee oh, ___________ the weather be rain or snow, Pretending can make it ________________, A snowy ____________, a green and grassy ________________.

Check the answers Walking in the sunshine, sing a little sunshine song, Put a smile upon your face as if there's nothing wrong. Think about a good time had a long time ago, Think about forgetting about your worries and your woes, Walking in the sunshine, sing a little sunshine song. La la la la la dee oh, Whether the weather be rain or snow, Pretending can make it real, A snowy pasture, a green and grassy field. What, if any, are the teaching points for the words that were removed? Are there others that would have been more useful?

Play again and everyone sing along. Add instruments Add movement Have fun

Purple People Eater Discuss the title ...

Work-sheet ideas: 1. Try to put the lines in the right order: I commenced a-shakin' and I said "ooh-eee" Well I saw the thing comin' out of the sky It looks like a purple eater to me It had the one long horn, one big eye Work all together

Work-sheet ideas: Now listen 1. Listen and put the lines in the right order: I commenced a-shakin' and I said "ooh-eee" Well I saw the thing comin' out of the sky It looks like a purple eater to me It had the one long horn, one big eye

Work-sheet ideas: 2. Try to fill in the gaps: It was a one-______, one-horned, flyin' ________ people eater (One-eyed, one-________, flyin' purple people eater) A one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people _________ Sure looks ___________ to me (One eye?)

Work-sheet ideas: Now listen 2. Try to fill in the gaps: It was a one-______, one-horned, flyin' ________ people eater (One-eyed, one-________, flyin' purple people eater) A one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people _________ Sure looks ___________ to me (One eye?)

Work-sheet ideas: 3. Give the meaning of the underlined words and phrases: Well he came down to earth and he lit in a tree I said Mr. Purple People Eater, don't eat me I heard him say in a voice so gruff I wouldn't eat you cuz you're so tough :

Work-sheet ideas: Now listen 3. Now listen with better understanding: Well he came down to earth and he lit in a tree I said Mr. Purple People Eater, don't eat me I heard him say in a voice so gruff I wouldn't eat you cuz you're so tough : Now listen

listen Work-sheet ideas: 4. Listen carefully and remove the extra words: I said to Mr. Purple People Eater, what's your best line? He said that it's eatin' purple and pink people and I know it sure is fine But that's not the real reason that I came to land here I wanna get a cool job in a rock and roll music band.

Work-sheet ideas: 5. Try to choose the right word: And then he swam/swung from the tree and he lit on the ground He started to rock/look, really rockin' around/a sound It was a crazy ditty/pretty with a swingin' tune Sing a boop boop aboopa lopa lum bam boom And then he went on his say/way, and then what do ya know I heard/saw him last night on a TV show/below He was knowing/blowing it out, a'really knockin' em dead/head Playin' rock and roll music through the horn/hole in his head

Work-sheet ideas: Now listen 5. Listen and choose the right word: And then he swam/swung from the tree and he lit on the ground He started to rock/look, really rockin' around/a sound It was a crazy ditty/pretty with a swingin' tune Sing a boop boop aboopa lopa lum bam boom And then he went on his say/way, and then what do ya know I heard/saw him last night on a TV show/below He was knowing/blowing it out, a'really knockin' em dead/head Playin' rock and roll music through the horn/hole in his head

Possible teaching points: Word order for multiple adjectives and nouns. Pronunciation of ‘-ing’ words: flyin’, eatin’, rockin’, swingin’, knockin’, playin’. Other slang: gonna, wanna, ya, undergrowed, cuz. Pronunciation of non-words (boop-boop) Rhyming words. Verbs in the past tense. Look at the lyrics and think of teaching points that could be used.

A few more songs to try:

I want candy What do you think this song will be about?

I want Candy – put the words in the right order Tough girl who’s I know a sweet but _______________________________________ She's so fine, she can't be beat. Everything I desire that she’s got _______________________________________ Sets the summer sun on fire. I want candy (x4)

I Turn to You

I Turn to You – choose the right word When the world is darker/harder than I can understand. When nothing turns out the way I manned/planned. When the sky turns grey and there's no end in sight. When I can't sleep through the only/lonely night.

Reach

Reach:– one word in each line is incorrect When the people leave you feeling blue You can rely on me, I will be there for you When it seems, all your friends and dreams Are a million miles away, I will comfort you We've got to all work together Good friends, there for one other Never ever forget this I've got you and you've got money, so

Dixie Road

Dixie Road – fill in the gaps I would pick and we would sing to the rhythm of that front porch _______ The moonlight was the __________ that we shared I found new notes on that old guitar, she believed I could be a ______ She told me that she wanted to be fair

Contact: Ruth Wickham: ruth.wickham@gmail.com Website: http://songsandpoetryforesl.weebly.com