How to Use Ipods & Music to Teach ESL Students English

Using iPods to play music is a great way to help ESL students.

Using music in the classroom is a great way to get English as a Second Language (ESL) students involved and interested in learning English. If you or one of your students has an iPod and a portable speaker, you can listen to and analyze song lyrics to work on idioms, slang, grammar usage and pronunciation.

Things You'll Need

• iPod with variety of songs with lyrics
• Portable speaker
• Computer
• Printer

Instructions

1. Choose the song or songs you want to focus on in class. When choosing songs, pick those with lyrics appropriate for the students' age level. The singer should be fairly articulate and easy to understand.

2. Type and print the song lyrics. You can transcribe the lyrics yourself, or go to a website like lyrics.com to find lyrics. Print or copy one sheet for each student.

3. Tell the students at the start of class what their English focus is for the day. For example: Phrasal verbs. Play the song one time for the students through the iPod and portable speaker.

4. Ask the students to name all of the phrasal verbs (or your chosen topic) that they heard. Play the song again, this time pausing every 5 to 10 seconds so that students can think and name more words they understood.

5. Pass the lyric sheets out to the students. Play the song a third time, having the students highlight or circle the phrasal verbs (or your chosen topic) they hear.

6. Address any questions the students have about vocabulary, incorrect grammar or slang in the song.

7. Ask the students to try to define the meaning of the phrasal verbs (or your chosen topic) that they circled, using the lyrics as context.

8. Listen to the song a final time, this time allowing students to sing along if they wish.

Tips & Warnings

• Other options include choosing songs that intentionally use incorrect grammar and asking the students to correct the grammar on the lyrics sheet.

• Songs are particularly helpful with phrasal verbs, slang, idioms and other more poetic aspects of English.

• During the sing-a-long in Step 8, have the students listen and focus on correct pronunciation.

References

• ESL Partyland: Teaching ESL with Music

Resources

• The Canadian Association of Second Language Teachers: ESL Through Music
• Lyrics.com