ESL Music Games
Songs used in coordination with a language lesson can be of great value. They are precious resources to develop students' abilities in the four key skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Music games are particularly effective in the classroom, as they promote a relaxed atmosphere and motivate students.
Other People Are Reading
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Lyric Strips
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This game is appropriate for language students from elementary to intermediate levels.
Select a song, print the lyrics and cut them into strips. The more strips, the more difficult the exercise. Arrange students into groups of three or four and give each group a full set of lyrics cut into strips. Play the song. Each group attempts to place the strips in the correct order. Replay the song two or three times.
Award points to each group according to how accurately they have arranged their strips.
Running Lyrics Dictation
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This game is appropriate for language students from elementary to intermediate levels.
Select a song and print the lyrics. Pin the lyrics to the wall at one end of the classroom. Arrange the students into pairs and put them at the other end of the classroom. One student in each pair works as a secretary whose job is to write down the lyrics. His partner runs to the lyrics, reads and remembers as much as she can before running back and dictating them to the secretary. Students repeat the process for ten minutes. Now play the song once so students can check their work.
Award points to each pair for how close to the original lyrics they come.
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Lyrics Bingo
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This game is appropriate for language students from beginner to lower intermediate levels.
Prepare a 5x5 grid for each student. Select a song. Write a word from the song in each cell of the grid. Give each student a different grid and play the song. As the students hear a word from the song they cross out the corresponding word on their grid. When a student has crossed out five words in a line, either vertically, horizontally or diagonally, he shouts out, "Bingo!" Stop the music and check the student's grid.
Award that student four points if he is correct and minus one point if he is incorrect. Continue the song, awarding three points, then two, then one to each student who correctly shouts, "Bingo!"
Meaning From Lyrics
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This game is appropriate for language students from elementary to upper intermediate levels.
Select a song. Arrange students into groups of three or four and give each group a set of song lyrics. Play the first verse while students listen and read. Stop the recording and give each group three to five minutes to discuss among themselves the meaning of the lyrics. One student from each group now explains their group's interpretation of the lyrics to the teacher.
Award up to five points for each group's interpretation. Repeat for each verse.
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