Анотація

У методиці викладання англійської мови існують різні способи оптимізації  навчальної діяльності, в тому числі й пісня.

Пісні викликають інтерес у вчителів іноземної мови своєю навчаючою дією, можливістю використання як засобу емоційної розрядки, мотивації навчальної діяльності, з метою тренування.

У даній роботі підібрані пісні та завдання лексичного характеру. Вони є хорошим матеріалом для закріплення та опорою для подальшої активізації діяльності учнів з вивченим матеріалом в мовленні.

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching English with Songs and Music

 

 Why use songs in the classroom?

There are many reasons to use songs in the classroom.

• A song is a very good tool to motivate the students’ learning process.
• It works also as a break for the routine.
• It is a great way to liven up listening activities.
• Songs incorporate all the language skills:
  • listening – following the song to determine words
  • reading – following the lyrics to determine words
  • writing – filling in the blanks
  • speaking – singing the song, discussing

 

 

 

 

 

Activities to do with songs and music

You can do lots of things with the song lyrics. Fill in blanks, ask and answer questions about the lyrics or about the different situations or characters in the song, write a letter to one of them, send an answer to the person referred to in the song, rewrite it as a story, write a story which began before the story in the song and led to it, write story which will continue after the song, change words ( adjectives, adverbs, names, places, feelings, etc.), invent new lyrics for the melody, "draw" the different stanzas and of course enjoy listening to it or singing it.
 

Blanks

Students receive lyrics with some blanks (specially the parts that have to do with the subject covered in the class). They listen to the song and fill in the blanks. Then they listen to it another time to check if they got the blanks filled in correctly.

STRIPS OF PAPER

This activity depends on the length of the song. It’s possible to cut the lyrics in strips of paper and have a contest dividing the class in two groups. So the group that gets the lyrics with less mistakes after the second time (even after the first time, depending on the level of the class), gets a reward.

RELAXATION

Bring in some celtic, classic or just instrumental music on test days and put it on very low.  Students will relax and feel more comfortable during the test.

GUIDED FANTASY

It’s recommended to do this procedure on a first-day class, to "break the ice". Prepare a text, very imaginative, something that can take many different points of view, and read it out loud while the song's being played. Students have their eyes closed , ask them to imagine exactly what you are reading and let their imagination flows along with the song. This is very relaxing!

 

 Some examples of pre-listening focusing lessons

There are tons of things you can do to get the students involved. The most important point is to provide preliminary material to the listening itself so that students have a clear, concrete reason for listening.

 Speculation: Put the title of the song on the board. Have students in pairs make guesses about what the song is about and write them down on a piece of paper. Then have students pass their papers a group to the left and have them read them. Students must guess if the other students guess is the same or different than theirs.

 Pictures: Get a picture of the performers. Have students make up a story about them. Or get a picture that relates to the subject matter of the song. Students must guess about the song.

 Take vocabulary from the song:

Step 1: Put eight or ten words at random on your black/white board. Students get up and ask each other what the words mean.

Step 2: Have students in groups of 3 or 4 write a quick story that uses the words.

Step 3: Play the tape. Students must shout STOP any time they hear one of the new vocabulary words. First student to shout correctly gets a point for their team.

 Cut the song into strips. Give each student one strip to memorize. Students put the strips in their pockets. Students get up and tell each other their part of the song, without looking at their part or showing their part to anyone else. Then you can do many things: you could have students listen to the tape and put down the names of their classmates in the order they hear the parts  to having the students take out their strips, listen to the song and then put them on a table in order as they hear their part of the song.

 Write up a set of questions around the topic. Have students ask each other the questions. Or, more advanced, choose two songs of a similar theme(or first and second half of the song), split the class into two teams. Have each group listen to their part and make up questions. Trade tapes and students just listen to the other group's song. Finally pair each student with a member of the opposite team and have them take turns asking their questions.

 

 

Some examples of songs and tasks

An Englishman in New York

by Sting

I don't drink coffee____________ my dear
I like my toast done on the side
And you can hear it in_______________

I'm an Englishman in New York
 

See me walking down Fifth Avenue
A walking cane ________________

I take it everywhere I walk
I'm an Englishman in New York

I'm an________, I'm a legal _______
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an _______, I'm a legal _________
I'm an Englishman in New York

If "manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself _____________________

I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

Modesty, propriety can lead to notoriety
You could end up as the only one
Gentleness, sobriety are rare in this society
At night a candle's brighter than the sun

Takes more than combat gear to make a man
Takes more than license for a gun
Confront your enemies, __________________

A gentleman will walk but __________________

If "manners maketh man" as someone said
Then he's the hero of the day
It takes a man to suffer ignorance and smile
Be yourself _____________________

I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York
I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien
I'm an Englishman in New York

Exercise

 

1. Listen and fill in the blank spaces.
2. What does the title of the song suggest?
3. What do these words have in common?

• modesty
• propriety
• sobriety
• gentleness

4. What do these phrases mean? Can you explain with daily life examples?
   • Be yourself no matter what they say.
   • “Manners make a man”
   • “At night a candle’s brighter than the sun”

 

5. Which of these two sayings do you agree more with and why?
   • “Be yourself no matter what they say”.
   • “When in Rome, do as Romans do”
6. What are some of the challenges of being       yourself in a foreign country? Why is it good to be yourself sometimes?

 

7. According to the song, the singer is “An Englishman in New York”. What would you be if you were the singer. For example “ A Japanese man in New York” ?

 

8. If you were “ A ________ in New york, what would be your greatest challenges?

 

What are pronunciation differences between British and American English? What sentence in the song clearly captures the idea of differences in accents?

 

Change the World - Eric Clapton

Listen to the song and fill the gaps with the following words:

universe, truth, dreams, world, queen, made , change, everything , stars , something, good

 

If I could reach the ........................(1),
I'd pull one down for you
Shine it on my heart, so you could see the......................(2)
That this love I have inside, is ...........................(3) it seems
But for now I find, it's only in my..........................(4)
That I can change the world
I would be the sunlight in your .........................(5)
You would think my love was really something good
Baby, if I could, change the ..........................(6)

If I could be king, even for a day
I'd take you as my .........................(7), I'd have it no other way
And our love will rule, in this kingdom we have ........................(8)
Till then I'd be a fool, wishin' for the day
That I can ...........................(9) the world,
I would be the sunlight in your universe.
You would think my love was really something .......................(10),

Baby if I could change the world.
Baby if I could change the world.
I could change the world,
I would be the sunlight in your universe.
You would think my love was really........................(11) good,
Baby if I could change the world.
Baby if I could change the world.
Baby if I could change the world.


 

Another Day in Paradise

      by Phil Collins

 

Exercises to practice language skills

1. Listen to the song and choose the correct words in bold.
2. Can you explain the words below from the context of the song?

        pretends, embarrassed, paradise, probably, whistle

3. Who is the woman in the song?
4. What help does she want?
5. Who is she asking help from?
6. Does she get the help?
7. What is the man’s attitude towards the woman?
8. Explain in few words what the song is about.
9. Some people say it is bad to give to beggars. Do you agree? Give reasons for your opinion.

 

 

She calls out/comes out to the man on the street

‘sir, can you help me?

It’s cold/sold and I’ve nowhere to sleep/sit,

Is there somewhere/someone you can tell me?’

 

He walks on/talks on, doesn’t look back/black.

He pretends he can’t hear/hurt her

Starts to whistle as he crosses the street

Seems embarrassed to be there/here

 

Oh think twice/tight, it’s another/older day for

You and me in paradise

Oh think twice, it’s just another day for you,

You and me in paradise

She calls out/cries out to the man on the street/on a street

He can see she’s been crying/trying

She’s got blisters/bitten on the soles of her feet/face

Can’t walk but she’s trying/crying

 

Oh think twice…

 

Oh lord, is there something/nothing more anybody can do

Oh lord, there must be something/nothing you can say/play

 

You can tell/sell from the lines/lights on her face/feet

You can see that she’s been there/here

Probably been moved on from every place/memory place

‘cos she didn’t fit/sit in there

 

Oh think twice…

 

I Have a Dream – Abba

 Listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the following words:

wonder , anything , future , dream , angels , Something , mile
fantasy , stream , right , destination , see , believe , time , fail .
 

I have a ...........................(1), a song to sing
To help me cope with ...............................(2)
If you see the ..............................(3) of a fairy tale
You can take the .............................(4) even if you fail
I believe in .........................(5)
....................................(6) good in everything I see

I believe in angels
When I know the time is ..........................(7) for me
I'll cross the .............................(8) - I have a dream
I have a dream, a ...............................(9)
To help me through reality
And my ...............................(10) makes it worth the while
Pushing through the darkness still another .........................(11)

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I .........................(12)
I ..................................(13) in angels
When I know the time is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I have a dream, a song to sing
To help me cope with anything
If you see the wonder of a fairy tale
You can take the future even if you ..........................(14)

I believe in angels
Something good in everything I see
I believe in angels
When I know the ..........................(15) is right for me
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream
I'll cross the stream - I have a dream

 

Eleanor Rigby -  The Beatles

 Listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the following words:

 care       saved             hear          dream            near     lonely

grave           from              belong    people      came     door

 

Ah, look at all the lonely people.

Ah, look at all the lonely people.

Eleanor Rigby picks up the rice in the church where a wedding has been.

Lives in a ____________(1)

Waits at the window, wearing the face that she keeps in a jar by the ___________(2)

Who is it for? All the lonely people,

Where do they all come from?All the lonely people,

Where do they all belong?

Father McKenzie, writing the words of a sermon that no one will ___________(3)

No one comes ____________(4)

Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there.

What does he ____________(5)?

All the lonely people, Where do they all come from?

All the lonely people,

Where do they all belong?

Ah, look at all the lonely people.

Ah, look at all the ____________(6) people.

Eleanor Rigby died in the church and was buried along with her name.

Nobody ____________(7)

Father McKenzie, wiping the dirt from his hands as he walks from the _____________(8)

No one was _____________(9)

All the lonely ____________(10)

Where do they all come _____________(11)?

All the lonely people,

Where do they all ____________(12).

 

Let It Be. The Beatles

 Listen to the song and fill in the gape with the following words:

see                    parted                whisper             answer       tomorrow

agree              music               people             darkness            me

speaking         will                 wisdom            words                trouble

 

When I find myself in times of .........................(1)

Mother Mary comes to me.

Speaking words of............................. (2) let it be.

And in my hour of ..............................(3)

She is standing right in front of me.

(4) words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted ..........................(5)

Living in the world ...........................(6)

There will be an ...........................(7) let it be.

For though they may be............................ (8)

There is still a chance that they will................... .(9)

There will be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

Yeah, there will be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be.

._______________(10) words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, Yeah, let it be

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

And when the night is cloudy there is still a light that shines on me.

Shine until .........................(11) let it be.

I wake up to the sound of ...........................(12)

Mother Mary comes to ............................(13)

Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be.

There .........................(14) be an answer, let it be.

Let it be, let it be, let it be, yeah, let it be.

Whisper .........................(15) of wisdom, let it be.

                                                                                                                                                       

We Can Work It out. The Beatles

 Listen to the song and fill in the gaps with the following words:

alright        again        wrong      long    crime

time     friend    good-night   work it out      gone

chance   my way    fussing   short   saying

Try to see it ________________(1)

Do I have to keep on talking till I can't go on?

While you see it your way,

Run the risk of knowing that our love may soon be _______________(2)

We can work it out,

We can _________________(3).

Think of what you're ___________________(4)

You can get it wrong and still you think that it's ___________________(5)

Think of what I'm saying,

We can work it out and get it straight, or say ______________________(6)

We can work it out,

We can work it out.

Life is very _______________(7), and there's no time

For _________________(8) and fighting, my friend.

I have always thought that it's a __________________(9),

So I will ask you once __________________(10)

Try to see it my way,

Only time will tell if I am right or I am_________________(11).

While you see it your way

There's a _______________(12) that we may fall apart before too long.

We can work it out,

We can work it out.

Life is very short, and there's no time

For fussing and fighting, my ________________(13)

I have always thought that it's a crime.

So I will ask you once again.

Try to see it my way,

Only ______________(14) will tell if I am right or I am wrong.

While you see it your way

There's a chance that we may fall apart before too ________________(15)

We can work it out,

We can work it out.

 

 

 

 

Contents

Why use songs in the classroom?...............................................2

Activities to do with songs and music…………………………3

Some examples of pre-listening focusing lessons……………..4

Some examples of songs and tasks…………………………….6

An Englishman in New York (Sting)………………………….6

Change the World (Eric Clapton)……………………………..8

Another Day in Paradise (Phil Collins)……………………….9

I Have a Dream (Abba)………………………………………11

Eleanor Rigby (The Beatles)…………………………………12

Let It Be (The Beatles)……………………………………….14

We Can Work It out (The Beatles)…………………………..16