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Post by Mr Nobody on Sept 8, 2006 22:03:20 GMT 7
I am asked this a lot and don't do it. There are many plusses, but I am not there yet. I like the accent stuff. And the mind altering idea. BUT.....
If I do, Janis Ian, Seventeen will be in there somewhere. I am interested in seeing how "losing my religion" (REM) and "wish you were here' (Pink Floyd) and anything by jethro tull would go.
Badly I think.
Your thoughts please?
Edit:
For a moment I sobered up. I know how badly it would go. I would like to hear if there is any way to make it work, though. I also edited in the band names in case some people didn't know WTF they were.
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Post by Lotus Eater on Sept 9, 2006 3:04:46 GMT 7
Haven't used the songs you have mentioned, but the last couple of weeks of semester I teach my Oral English classes some songs.
Reason:
1. Rhythm - each language has a special rhythm - so even if you know the vocab and grammar, if you get the rhythm wrong you still sound weird and people can't understand you. Songs help with the hymn of a language.
2. After a tough term is is a good way for students to relax a bit with the language - and Chinese students of any age LOVE to sing! They have to follow the lyrics - reading practice - they have to sing - oral practice, they have to listen - listening practice.
3. And you still can find new words or old words used in new ways.
For good students - try Scarborough Fair with the Canticle - by the end of the class they will be able to hear the canticle in the 'between lines'. I also use Desiderata, Sounds of Silence, 6 White Boomers, Little Drummer Boy, and (I am) Sailing.
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Post by Missi on Sept 9, 2006 7:37:27 GMT 7
In the past I have done; I love Rock and Roll (the original of course), We built this city, Patio Lanterns, Objects in the Reaview Mirror, Pour some sugar on me, Earl's gotta die, Tonight is the night I feel asleep at the wheel, Who needs sleep?, When I'm up I can't get down... well I tired to do a different song in each class every term. The song that was most enjoyed was Who Needs Sleep by Barenaked Ladies. The chours repeats and its on the faster side.
This year instead of allowing them to choose a song, I am choosing, Our Lady Peace "Life" and Pink's "Stupid Girls".
What about burning a CD with some various songs (cover all the types, country, rock, slow etc...) and let them choose? My class 8 loved Always look on the bright side of life. I had them whistling for months! And every other class picked something different.
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Post by Mr Nobody on Sept 12, 2006 14:23:04 GMT 7
We may be setting up an English Lounge here. One thing I have been requested to do, should it go ahead, is to get the lyrics printed out for all the songs, as well as supply the songs. So, any music is going to involve some work on my part. Oh well, bit by bit.
Fortunately the new other foreign teacher has a sixties collection that might be more suitable than my taste.
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Post by Missi on Sept 13, 2006 6:21:26 GMT 7
YAY!!!! the 60's had the best music. Well so did the 50's, and the 80's. Can we all just go back in time and stop the boy bands starting with New Kids on The Block? maybe then we wouldn't have Backstreet boys or even Britney Spears.
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Post by Mr Nobody on Sept 13, 2006 6:34:40 GMT 7
OI! Seventies had good music, although virtually none made it to radio.
I'm with you on the boy bands. And Britney spears. I blame disco, myself.
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Post by Dr. Gonzo on Sept 19, 2006 15:35:02 GMT 7
I found "Shut your m'kaying mouth you uncle m'kayer", from the Southpark movie, an interesting cross cultural exercise. But no, "teaching" songs, tap dancing on desks or showing them the elephant trick did not fall within my interpretation of English language teaching. Telling, and worse still explaining, jokes falls into the same area. Ever tried to explain the "two dogs" classic? If you don't get it, you'll never get it.  |
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Post by Noodles on Sept 20, 2006 9:27:50 GMT 7
But without Disco, Punk might never have happened. Disco made a lot of people very angry.  |
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Post by Dr. Gonzo on Sept 20, 2006 13:40:14 GMT 7
From memory, Disco came after Punk.
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Post by Noodles on Sept 20, 2006 16:32:02 GMT 7
Your right of course Dr.
New York Dolls and MC5 and the like were making punk before disco. You could probably name a few earlier groups as well that could fit into the punk category.
I was thinking more of the British Invasion of punk. The sex pistols and the clash were defiantly very anti-disco
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Post by Dr. Gonzo on Sept 20, 2006 17:30:39 GMT 7
I can remember I bought a New York Dolls LP in 74. Also, Lou Reed, while not a punk, had elements of the genre. Saw him live in 74. His music then was very stripped back to basics. 75-6 was kind of the time of stadium rock: Queen, Cheap Trick, Supertramp. The Clash were musicians I had time for. The Sex Pistols were a cheap but effective stunt.
The best music came from post punk fusion of reggae, composed and played by true geniuses: Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson, Graham Parker. Televisions "Marquee Moon" slots in there somewhere.
Sorry to bore the rest of you!
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woza17
SuperDuperBarfly! 
Posts: 2,203
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Post by woza17 on Sept 20, 2006 21:53:40 GMT 7
Last month in my adult class I did The Rose. I handed out the lyrics as a cloze. Played it, they filled in as much as they could played it again till they could all fill in the missing words.
Then I handed out 15 questions about the song. Why do you think the song is called the rose and so on. How did they feel about the song. It then led into an interesting discussion about love and being fearful about life and not taking chances.
I think songs can be really good but only if you use them into further discussion.
At the end I usually get the students to sing along and I find they have a better understanding of the song and actully use more expression.
I think using songs and short video clips is very useful but only if the teacher has prepared followup material otherwise it is just babysitting. Play a movie that will keep them entertained.
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