THE NAME OF THE OPTIONAL COURSE: Let’s play and sing in English

FORM: 4rd form

LENGTH OF THE COURSE: 1 year

NUMBER OF HOURS PER WEEK: 1 hour

AUTHOR: Popescu Ioana Mădălina

SCHOOL: Școala Gimnazială Nicolae Bălcescu, Craiova

I. ARGUMENT

Students learn words in a variety of ways. Success in learning often depends on the number of
senses which are used in the learning process. (Allen, 1983, p.7) Songs and Games is an
optional course designed to involve a learning type that activates all our senses. The large use
of songs and games involve the five traditional senses: the songs – the hearing, while the
games – the hearing, taste, smell, touch and sight.
It is well known that learning and memorizing words is not an easy task especially for young
learners. Songs and games are ideal in helping them to look at word acquisition as a desirable
activity.
Children seem to learn new words very quickly, but they will forget quickly, so it is very
important to give them lots of practice of vocabulary to help them remember. Since mere
practicing can be extremely boring and tiring to young learners, teachers should be creative,
they should wrap practicing in games, role plays and in singing songs, activities that seem to
be just fun and play but in fact involve real learning. Just like Mary Poppins’ method for
unpleasant jobs:
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go
down In a most delightful way.
(A Spoonful Of Sugar is a song from Walt Disney's 1964 film and the musical versions of Mary Poppins,
composed by Robert B. Sherman and Richard M. Sherman.)

The optional course “Songs and Games” focuses on teaching, improving and putting
vocabulary into practice. It comes with a collection of songs and games that are meant to add a
patch of colour to the lessons. There is nothing that engages children more than teaching
English through play. A bored class will take in less than half of what a teacher says and retain
none of it. An attentive, involved and interested class on the other hand, learning through fun
English games and songs, will retain most of what they are being taught during the lesson.
Even though it seems time demanding and extra work to prepare the lessons which involve
songs and games (because of the aids, extra materials) if we have in mind the outcome of these
classes – happy learners, whose knowledge gets richer with every English class – it is worth
every effort.
 II. INTERDISCIPLINARY
OBJECTIVE The development of:
 language acquisition
 the ability of correct and efficient communication in various situations
 the ability to receive the musical message

THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE INVOLVED DISCIPLINES

1. To develop the ability to receive the oral message

2. To develop the ability to speak
3. To develop the ability to receive the written message
4. To develop the ability to write
5. To develop some cultural representations and the interest for the English language,
for the Anglo-Saxon civilization and music

MAIN OBJECTIVES, SPECIFIC ABILITIES AND EXAMPLES OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES

1 TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE THE ORAL MESSAGE

1.1 To recognize sounds that are specific to the English language – identification exercises
1.2 To react verbally/nonverbally to a heard message – answering to commands, questions;
simple dialogues, role plays
1.3 To understand simple sentences – answering control questions; true/false exercises

2. TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO SPEAK

2.1 To pronounce words using the specific English accent and intonation – pronunciation
exercises
2.2 To repeat simple sentences or fragments of the sentence – repetitive drills, singing songs
2.3 To utter simple sentences related to everyday life situations – simple dialogues, role plays

3. TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE THE WRITTEN MESSAGE

3.1 To read aloud a short text – reading exercises (in pairs, in groups)
3.2 To get the general meaning of a read text – true/false exercises; multiple choice exercises
 4. TO DEVELOP THE ABILITY TO WRITE
4.1 To write words, short sentences – games (crosswords, wordsearch), copying exercises

5. TO DEVELOP SOME CULTURAL REPRESENTATIONS AND THE INTEREST FOR

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FOR THE ANGLO-SAXON CIVILIZATION AND
MUSIC
5.1 To manifest curiosity about specific customs and traditions of the Anglo-Saxon culture and
civilization – learning specific songs (Christmas carols, nursery rhymes…)
5.2 To sing individually or in groups songs in English with correct pronunciation – singing
songs

III. CONTENTS:
VOCABULARY:
 Greetings  Furniture
 Body parts  Food
 Colours  Jobs
 Numbers  School objects
 Clothes  Animals
 Family  Toys and games
 Rooms in a house

STRUCTURES:
 The singular/plural of nouns
 The article: a/an; the
 Personal pronouns
 Numeral: numbers from 1 to 12
 Verbs: To Be – present simple (affirmative, negative, interrogative);
o To have - present simple (affirmative, negative, interrogative);
o Can
o There is/there are
 Adverb of time: now, every day
 Preposition of place: in, on, near, under, to
 Conjunctions: and, but, or
COMMUNICATIVE FUNCTIONS:
 To greet people
 To introduce oneself and introduce others
 To identify elements from the familiar universe
 To ask for and give information
 To locate people and objects
 To thank for and reply to thanks
 To express likes and dislikes
 To express abilities

IV. VALUES AND ATTITUDES

 Open attitude towards others
 Respect for and acceptance of others
 Cooperation
 Healthy competitiveness

V. ASSESSMENT METHODS
 Singing songs
 Simple, easy role plays
 Mini-project activities
 Portfolio
VI. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abbs, B., Worrall, A., Ward, A. Splash!, Longman, 2010
Dootey, Jenny & Evans,Virginia, Fairyland, Express Publishing, 2008
Halliwell, Susan. Teaching English in the Primary Classroom, Longman, 1996
Super Simple Songs – a collection of children’s songs
Children’s Spectacular, Musicbank Limited, Norfolk, 2005 – a collection of children’s songs
and stories

INTERNET RESOURCES
1. http://www.vocabulary.co.il/
2. http://www.english-4kids.com/articles/gameslearningsyles.html
3. http://www.DreamEnglish.com
4. http://www.kididdles.com/
5. http://edition.tefl.net/category/ideas/vocab/
6. http://englishvocabularylists.blogspot.ro/2011/06/action-verbs.html
7. http://www.esl-galaxy.com/music.htm
IV.3. The planning for the optional course

Optional course: Songs and Games

Grade: 4rd
Number of classes/week: 1
FIRST SEMESTER
NO.
No. MODULE CONTENTS SPECIFIC OF WEEK OBS.
ABILITIES HOU
RS
1. HELLO, HELLO, HOW ARE Vocabulary: greetings, names, numbers, adjectives The
YOU? expressing feelings and moods number
 Hello! How Are You? 1.1, 1.2, 1 of hours
Communicative functions:
 Tell Me, Please…  To greet people 2.1, 2.2, 1 S1-S3 and
 To introduce yourself and to introduce 3.1, 3.2, 1 weeks has
 Happy Birthday to You! people to each other
 To ask for and give personal information 5.1 to be
adjusted
Structures:
according
 Present Simple of the verb to be
 Cardinal numeral: 1 – 12 to the
 Adjectives current
2. MY UNIVERS Vocabulary: family members, jobs, food, body
parts, everyday activities, action verbs, colours 1 school
 Ten Little Indian:
year
Boys and Girls!
planning.
 I Love Mommy! Communicative functions: 1.1, 1.2, 1
 To give instructions S4-S12
  My Daddy Is  To identify elements from the familiar 2.1, 2.2, 1 S8=
universe 28.10-
A Mechanic!  To describe people 3.1, 3.2,
3.11
 I Like Apples! Give  To ask for and give personal information 4.1 1 Holiday
Structures:
Me Some, Please! 5.1
 Demonstrative adjectives
 Look at My Umbrella!  Plurals of regular nouns 1
 Have got/has got 1
 Touch Your Nose!
2
 Smiley, Wash Your Face!
3. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Vocabulary: Christmas related vocabulary,
 All I Want different objects (toys, presents…) 1.1, 1.2, 1
For 2.1, 2.2, S13-S14
Communicative functions:
Christmas…  To express wishes 5.1, 5.3 1
 To thank for and reply for thanks
 We Wish You a
 To express likes and dislikes
Merry Christmas! Structures:
 Prepositions of place (under, next to)
 Possessive adjectives

4. BODY BUILDING – Revision Revision of the previous content - Competition 2.3 1 S15
5.3
 SECOND SEMESTER

No. MODULE CONTENTS SPECIFIC NO. OF WEEK OBS.

ABILITIES HOURS
1. TIME FOR SCHOOL! Vocabulary: school objects, shapes, school The
 My Schoolbag subjects, daily routine, action verbs 1.1, 1.2, 1 number
 Robby, The Robot 2.1, 2.2, 1 of hours
Communicative functions:
 English Is Fun!  To identify elements from the 3.1, 3.2, 1 S16-S20 and
familiar universe 4.1 1 weeks has
 Let’s Do It!  To locate objects
 To give instructions 5.1 1 to be
 Tick, Tack, Goes
Structures: adjusted
The Clock!
 The imperative
according
 Possessive adjectives
2. HOME, SWEET HOME! Vocabulary: rooms in the house, furniture, to the
 Welcome To My House clothes, pets, food 1 current
 Where Is Little Smiley? Communicative functions: 1.1, 1.2, 1 school
 I Can’t Find  To greet people 2.1, 2.2, 1 S21-S25 year
 To identify elements from the 3.1, 3.2, 1
My Socks! familiar universe planning.
 Pounce!  To locate objects 4.1
 To describe places and animals 5.1 1
Pounce! Structures:
Pounce!  Demonstrative adjectives
 Present Simple – affirmative,
 Mommy, this
negative, interrogative
Is Yummy!  Prepositions of place
3. A DAY OUT Vocabulary: weather, transportation, buildings,
 What’s The animals, food 1
Weather Like S26-S27
1
Today? Communicative functions:
 The Wheels On  To identify elements from the
1.1, 1.2, 1
The Bus SPRING
familiar universe 2.1, 2.2, 1
 Pizza Hut (buildings) HOLI-
 To express likes and dislikes 3.1, 3.2, 1 DAY
 I Don’t Like Spiders!  To describe animals
 Old McDonald Has Structures: 4.1
A Farm  Adjectives S28-S32
1
 Rainbow
Food  Plurals of nouns 1
(vegetables)  Present Simple – affirmative,
 We’re Going To negative, interrogative
The Zoo Tomorrow!
4. SUMMER’S AT THE Vocabulary: seasons and months, holiday related
CORNER! vocabulary 1.1, 1.2,
 My Favourite Season 2.1, 2.2, 1
Communicative functions:
3.1, 3.2, 1 S33-S34
 Let’s Go To  To express likes and dislikes
 To describe places 5.1, 5.3
The Beach!
Structures:
 Adjectives
 The model verb can
5. LET’S GO FISHING! – Revision of the previous content – board game, 1 S35
Revision competition 2.3, 5.3
11