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Songs +
Techniques = Enhanced Language Acquisition
This
Document Appeared in
MEXTESOL Journal
Volume 24, Number 2
Fall 2000
Suzanne L. Medina, Ph.D.
School of Education
Graduate Education Department
California State University, Dominguez Hills
1000 East Victoria Street
Carson, CA 90747
Fax: (310) 514-0396
E-Mail:
smedina@forefrontpublishers.com
There are various ways in
which songs can be used to enhance second language
acquisition, yet some are more effective than others.
According to the findings from an investigation on the
effects of music upon English vocabulary acquisition, the
combination of music and a pedagogically-sound technique
produce greater second language acquisition than is
possible when using music alone (Medina, 1993).
Unfortunately, few combine music and pedagogy in this way
when using songs in the E.S.L. classroom. As a result,
second language learners may not be fully benefitting from
the potentially powerful effects which music can have upon
language acquisition. The purpose of this session was to
demonstrate several ESL-Music activities which merge songs
and pedagogically-sound techniques, thereby supporting the
language acquisition process to the fullest extent.
Several activities including the following were
demonstrated during this session. These activities come
from an inventory of one-hundred similar activities.
Beneath the title of the activity is a brief description
of the activity followed by its pedagogical purpose and
step-by-step instructions for the E.S.L. teacher.
Activities have been classified into one of three
categories depending upon the point at which they support
the language acquisition process: Before the song is
learned, while the song is presented for the first time,
or after it is learned. Depending upon the amount of
support required, teachers may elect to engage students in
one or more of each of the three types of activities.
ESL-MUSIC ACTIVITIES
Section 1- Activities To Do Before the Song is Learned
DANCE TO THE MUSIC
Description: Students dance to a song they will learn
later on.
Purpose: If students are presented with a song in which
both melody and the song lyrics are new, students may
suffer from cognitive overload. Therefore, the intent of
this activity is to familiarize students with the new
melody prior to hearing the lyrics for the first time. A
second purpose is to allow "incidental learning" to occur.
Often acquisition takes place in the absence of explicit
instruction.
Steps:
a. Play music in the background while student teams
discuss ways in which the song can be choreographed.
Students should be encouraged to practice their routines.
b. Have groups perform for the larger group. The class
will vote for the best choreography.
ANTICIPATION
Description: Students learn the meaning of song vocabulary
from one another in order to create a skit in which all
vocabulary are used.
Purpose: To learn the meaning of vocabulary words which
students will hear in the song. By doing this, students
will be able to comprehend the significance of the song's
lyrics when they actually sing the song later on. Language
acquisition cannot occur unless the second language is
made comprehensible to the learner (Krashen, 1985).
Steps:
a. Make a short list of new vocabulary words which are
found in the song's lyrics.
b. Distribute a copy of this list to the students.
c. Have groups of three or four students create a skit
which incorporates the target vocabulary words. Students
are encouraged to learn the meaning of these vocabulary by
any and all means (e.g., each other, dictionaries).
d. Ask student groups to perform their skits for the
class. Use as many props and costumes as possible.
Section 2- Activities Performed While the Song is Being
Presented for the First Time
MUSICAL DRAMA
Description: While students hear the song for the first
time, they observe their teacher
(and/or aides) dramatize the song's lyrics.
Purpose: To make the meaning of the song's lyrics clear to
the learner. This activitywill make the meaning of key
vocabulary comprehensible to learners, thereby supporting
second language acquisition.
Steps:
a. Gather props and costume items, realia, etc. for
actors. If these are not available, have actors improvise
by creating hand-drawn pictures on the blackboard or using
classroom objects. For example, a lectern can function as
a cash register.
b. Have actors practice acting out the song lyrics as the
music is played. They do not need to sing or "lip sync"
the song lyrics, only act them out.
c. Play the song for the class while the actors perform
it.
Section 3- Activities Performed After the Song Has Been
Presented
MUSICAL MINI-DIALOGUE MIXERS
Description: Students practice mini-dialogues containing
specific "patterns" and/or "routines"* which the teacher
has extracted from the song's lyrics.
Purpose: It is not sufficient to simply sing the routines
and patterns which are found in the song's lyrics.
Learners must be able to "transfer" this knowledge to new
and different contexts. This exercise allows learners the
opportunity to generate original utterances using song
patterns and routines in different contexts.
Steps:
a. Identify patterns and/or routines which are found in
the song lyrics. For each pattern/routine, create a
two-line mini-dialogue. For example, if the target pattern
is
"I would like for you to meet____." you might write the
following mini-dialogue:
George
Washington: I would like for you to meet Martha.
Mickey Mouse: Nice to meet you, Martha.
Feel free to
be creative with your mini-dialogues.
b. Present one mini-dialogue at a time to the class. As
you write each line on the board,
go over its meaning. Have students repeat the
mini-dialogue lines a few times.
c. Model what they will do next. Perform one mini-dialogue
with one other student. Use face and hand movements to
dramatize as you speak. First you will play the role of
person X. Then after a few rehearsals of the dialogue, you
will switch roles with the other person and assume the
role of person Y. Next, you and your partner will find new
partners and repeat the process.
d. Have students similarly practice the same
mini-dialogues. Have student pairs stand about the room,
facing each other as they would at a social gathering.
e. Have student pairs practice each two-line mini-dialogue
(preferably with actions) as you did previously. Circulate
about the room making certain that students change
partners several times.
Once each mini-dialogue has been well-rehearsed, encourage
students to vary their mini- dialogue lines slightly. This
will promote "transfer" which is the primary purpose of
this activity.
f. After there has been adequate practice of the first
mini-dialogue, stop the students and introduce the next
mini-dialogue in the same manner that you did previously.
Repeat steps b through e for each mini-dialogue.
* Note: Patterns are open-ended sentence or question
constructions (e.g., I love to___.; Where do you ___?)
Routines are closed questions or sentences which are
frequently used by native speakers (e.g., How are you
today?; Excuse me.)
LIP SYNCING TALENT SHOW
Description: Students will "lip sync" the song before a
group of student judges.
Purpose: To provide additional opportunities for students
to practice saying target vocabulary, routines and
patterns which are embedded in the song lyrics. Also, by
listening to the song and watching various groups
communicate meaning, student observers are given
additional opportunities to make the connection between
meaning and symbol.
This ultimately leads to language acquisition.
Steps:
a. Divide students into groups of fours.
b. Have teams practice lip syncing to the song. Encourage
them to synchronize their hand movements much like the
singing groups of the '50s used to do. Gestures should
communicate meaning whenever possible.
c. Identify three students who will serve as judges of the
lip sync talent show.
d. Play the vocal version of the song so that each team
can perform for the class.
e. Ask the judges to announce the winner. Recognize the
winner of the talent show in some way (e.g., a candy,
applause).
References
Krashen, S.
(1985). The Input Hypothesis: Issues and Implications.
New York: Longman Group Limited.
Medina, S. (1993). The effect of music on second language
vocabulary acquisition. FEES News (National Network
for Early Language Learning, 6 (3), 1-8.
Copyright © 2000 Suzanne L. Medina. All rights reserved.
No part of these activities may be copied or reproduced in
any form or by any means, photocopying or otherwise,
without written permission. Exception: Teachers may
duplicate these materials as long as the copyright symbol
and statement appear on all copies made. Fax: (310)
514-0396. E-Mail:
ESLSongs@aol.com.
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