 1.

Benefits of using songs/chants in class

 To classroom atmosphere

- it creates a comfortable environment

- …

 To teacher

- it can be a way to stabilize the class

-…

 To children

- very motivating

2. Purposes for using songs/chants in class

Study the Examples

DVD 1: Song for Seat Change

DVD 2: Song for teaching target language

Recording: Chant for teaching target language

3. Demo steps of using a song/chant to teach English: Five Steps

1. Listen through: Show slide. Ask children to listen to the song (one or twice depending
on the familiarity of the song tune/melody).

2. Explain or check meaning: using pictures, gestures, and teaching aids (if any difficult
words).

3. Read aloud sentence by sentence, children listen and repeat.

4. Learn to sing sentence by sentence, then the whole song.

5. Perform: Divide children in groups, play the tape and ask them to sing along.

 Practice: Choose a song/chant and try out the steps with your groups
4. Creating song/chant: Melody/Rhythm & Words/ Text provided

Keep in mind:

 purpose/stage
 focus on the topic
 vocabulary or structure
 melody/rhythms (must be close to the natural speed)

5. Criteria for choosing songs /chants to use in the classroom

Most of the teachers are not musicians, so it is impossible to create songs

themselves. The common practice is choosing song/chants with interesting
melody/ rhythm and creating lyrics appropriate to teacher’s purposes. The
questions below can be helpful as a checklist in choosing songs/chants and
creating lyrics.

Do the song and chant

•suit your children’s age group and their interests?

•have topics your children are learning about?
•match their level of English?
•have a catchy, easy-to-remember melody (for songs) or rhythm (for chants)?
•encourage children to sing for friends and family outside classroom?