For many people from all around the world, the first exposure to English is through popular-song lyrics. As Suzanne L. Medina, Ph.D., notes, the use of music in language classes puts students at ease, makes them more attentive and can increase their desire to learn a language. Music offers a multifaceted way to look at the language and can be used to reinforce and improve speaking, listening comprehension, vocabulary and phrasing.
Provide students with lyric sheets for songs. Also provide a glossary of difficult words or phrases. Ask the students to sing along as you play the song through two or three times. Though some may be bashful, the exercise is not about hitting notes, but about articulating the mouth to make the sounds of the English language. Learning to sing in English can improve accents and cause students to speak more fluidly.
2
Engage the students in a listening-comprehension exercise. Take the lyrics to a song and remove certain words, preferably those with which students are already familiar. Provide students with a handout; play the song through two or three times, and ask them to fill in the blanks. This exercise can also be used to stress grammatical points--for example, Michele Ben of the English Teachers Network uses a handout on "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega to talk about the present progressive.
3
Introduce regional varieties of English as well as non-standard usages through song. Song lyrics are often filled with varying pronunciations, regionalisms and other colloquialisms that can enhance students' understanding of English as well as their active vocabulary.
4
Point out cliches and set phrases for your students. Although maybe not of the greatest artistic value, cliches are common conversational shortcuts, and your students can benefit in their own speaking and listening by knowing and using them. Instruction on meaning of cliches may be important, as their meaning is often not intuitive based on the words or syntax found therein.
5
Have students select a song of their own to present. Work with them on enunciation and the meaning behind the song, and then have them present their choice in groups to the class. This interactive learning style helps students feel self-directed and can deepen their interest in English.
Tips & Warnings
Select music that is fairly neutral in style and musical content, or that is popular, within appropriate bounds, among your students.
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