VDMIS Newsletter - March 2013 (Plain Text Version)
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FEATURED ARTICLES Using Songs To Teach Word Order
Learning takes place more easily when more than one sense is involved and when students are actively involved in the learning process. Therefore, using multimedia in teaching word order is certainly less contrived than rote learning, more interactive, and more conducive to proper lifelong learning. To this end, song lyrics can be used in full or as cloze tests to teach word order ranging from the simplest structures to the most complex. The instructor may give song lyrics to teach linguistic structures inductively. For example, he or she may use “Why”(Tracy Chapman) to teach embedded question and opposites, and “Blowing in the Wind”(Bob Dylan)to teach the place of modals in wh- questions. While reading the lyrics, the teacher can highlight the example that relates to the rule being studied, analyze it with the students, and ask them to create their own examples and, if time permits, use them in a relevant writing task. This is a good approach, but for younger learners to attain the intended teaching objectives, listening plays an important role in creating a kind of resonance that will lead to faster learning. The whole process starts when the teacher hands out the lyrics with the words of each line scrambled and asks some guiding questions, such as “What is the end mark? What word should you start with to set the order? If there are two question words in the scrambled set of words, which one should you start with?” This questioning technique will help students (working in groups of two or three) to negotiate the proper order. After that, students listen to the song and correct their responses. They can listen another time and sing along to assimilate the correct structure. This will eventually help them use the rules being taught more spontaneously and especially if required to do writing tasks in the future. Through reflection and planning, the teaching process can be tackled from a different perspective. Teaching the language structures through songs, like “The Girl With April in Her Eyes”(Chris de Burgh) to teach prepositions and “Papa” (Paul Anka) to teach vocabulary and initiate classroom discussion, is more student centered, more authentic and motivating, and less restrictive in terms of the number of rules to be taught or even reviewed. In addition, classroom interaction is conducive to eliciting more meaningful and relevant examples from students. Such ownership in learning enables students to transfer new knowledge with fewer mistakes into writing tasks that are summative by nature. Useful References Anka, P. Papa. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unE8E581RMc Chapman, T. Why. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKd5wkuWos0 De Burgh, C. The Girl with April in Her Eyes. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76xHPdqpdbU Dylan, B. Blowing in the Wind. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSSjM6-fUFE PAPA Anka, P. Papa. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unE8E581RMc Listen to the song and fill in the blanks as you listen. Every day my papa would work to try to make ______ meet Growing up with them was easy. Time just ______ on by Every day he sat there ______ in his rocking chair. Every time I kiss my ______, papa’s words ring true That they’ll think, think of me, that way . . . some day______ THE GIRL WITH APRIL IN HER EYES De Burgh, C. The Girl with April in Her Eyes. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76xHPdqpdbU Read the following lyrics with a partner. Next, try to fill in as many blanks as possible. Finally, listen and correct. There once was a king, who called for the spring And when a traveler calls seeking help ______ the door Oh, oh, on and ______ she goes She rode ______ the night, till she came ______ the light Oh, the morning was bright; all the world was snow white Oh, oh, on and on she goes |
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