Teacher Resources: Web Guide

Music and Songs

Articles

ERIC Digest, Using Music in the Adult ESL Classroom
Music can be used in the adult English as a second language (ESL) classroom to create a learning environment; to build listening comprehension, speaking, reading, and writing skills; to increase vocabulary; and to expand cultural knowledge. This digest from Susan Gaer examines some of the research on this topic and offers strategies for using music in the adult ESL classroom.

Listen to the Blues, Forum Online
Listen to blues music from the U.S. Lyrics (transcripts) and related articles also available.

Reasons for Using Songs in the ESL/EFL Classroom
"Songs have become an integral part of our language experience, and if used in coordination with a language lesson they can be of great value. Fortunately, with the expanding prevalence of the Internet and specifically the World Wide Web into both the classrooms and lives of students, access to music and lyrics has been made easier. This paper will focus on the reasons for using songs by demonstrating their effectiveness as a learning tool."

Musical Activities for Young Learners of EFL
"It has been said that children have a natural musical taste and that play is the only activity that they take seriously. If this is so, teachers should not let song practice or any activity seem like work. They should keep it spontaneous. This has been shown to apply even to language teachers."

Songs, Verse and Games for Teaching Grammar
Grammar teaching has often been regarded as a structure based, formal activity. In order to make a grammar lesson effective, beneficial, and interesting a teacher should use some well-developed and fascinating techniques in the classroom. In this paper, the examples of such integrated sources and techniques -- the use of songs, verse, games, and problem solving activities -- will be clarified and several examples will be provided."

Lesson Plans, Teaching Tips and Interactive Web Sites

Connect with Music, Lessons Any Teacher Can Teach!
Any teacher can integrate music into his or her curriculum. This site offers five lesson plans that will show you how you can integrate music and make your core curriculum sing.

ESL Lounge Lesson Plans, Song Lyrics
It's great to use songs in the class, if only to do something a little different. Beyond using them solely to give your students some “light relief,” there are many other ways songs can be used in ESL/EFL classrooms to consolidate what students have already learnt.

ESL through Music
Teachers are provided with the tools that they need in order to foster the acquisition of English through music.

English Listening Room
Listen to folksongs and fill in the blanks (RealAudio files).

Musical English Lessons International
English lessons cross-referenced with songs and skills.

Songs for Teaching, Using Music to Promote Learning
Creative teachers can use music to teach content across the curriculum to students of all ages. Ideas for incorporating the magic of music into your lesson plans.

Songs for Use in the ESL/EFL Classroom
A collection of popular children's songs organized for use in the ESL or EFL Classroom; each song is accompanied by specific learning objectives.

Directories

E.L. Easton

ESL Through Music

Lyrics.com

TESL Songs from I-TESL-J
http://iteslj.org/links/TESL/Songs/