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ESL forum >
Message board > what do you think?
what do you think?
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Yams
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what do you think?
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hello everybody!!!!
this time I need help with ideas on the following topic: what do you think about the use of songs, music and videos clips in the language classroom?
i �m helping my friend to finish an action research and we have been working the whole day. we need to write a conclusion about this topic.....
tell me your experience using them, or if you agree or not with the idea of using them as ESL tools.... anything will help these tired minds!!!!!!!!
thanks in advance!!!!!!!
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28 Oct 2010
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lovemykids
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Hi Yams!
I do use some of these tools in class and I believe that for instance songs help my students a lot. They find them really motivating, entertaining and relaxing. Most of my students are adults and they feel at ease using songs. I try to choose the ones that go with their age and musical preferences and have a connection with the grammar point or vocabulary I �m teaching them. In my opinion songs can be a great source of vocabulary and grammar practice and through them our students are also able to learn common English expressions in a natural way .
I haven �t worked with video clips much but I sometimes show my students some scenes of a movie and prepare some exercises for them to practise listening comprehension.
In some cases I have also found useful to allow some quiet background music in class while they are struggling with a complicated or boring grammar point or complaining about an exercise and it has been really successful since they have been able to concentrate more and have felt much more relaxed.
Good luck !!!  Hugs
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28 Oct 2010
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REYVAJ
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Hey... I ve been working with short video clips... At first It was a little desperated with the attitude of my students- They wanted to comment every single moment during the presentation of the video.
After I started to share what the video was about and the importance of the recording in the students learning process they turn into other attitude . So beig aware of the purpose of the activity will keep the students glued to the main questions or topic for discussions.
Now I am trying with famous international series (adolescents series).
I hope it works for you. for me, It is working! |
28 Oct 2010
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nanro
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Hi!!!! Iwork a lot with songs in my classes. It is a wonderful way to practice listening skills for my ss, but the most important thing, apart from being more enjoyable than a listening from a book, is that they have to deal with the English as it is spoken daily, (phrases such as gonna, wanna,gotten,ain �t etc) and with a way of talking that is not the one that you find in a listening....I mean if one day my ss meet someone who speaks English he/she are not going to speak in the way that is prepared for learning the language...they are going to meet people who talks fast and in a different way, and that way of speaking is the one you are going to find it in most of the songs, real English!!!! that �s the reason why I prefer to practice listening with songs...I hope my little opinion helps your tired mind...kisses!!!!!
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28 Oct 2010
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alexguillen
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Hi Yams!
I do use all the things you have mentioned and mainly because Ss need to relax and do interesting activities once in a while, otherwise it would be really boring. Here are some pointers about the way I work:
1. Songs are very helpful when it comes to vocabulary or specific grammar point, you have to find the perfect song for your class and always with a purpose, do not play any music for the sake of it, you have to analyze the music, the lyrics, the intention of the song, and even research about the singer, because believe me, ss will tell you what they think about the singer or the song you may choose...so you need to find the perfect song the rest is a piece of cake, remember to have some activities in the song, there are many ways to do so, from blanks to comprehension checks.
2. About videos, it is a little bit more challenging to work with, specially with real life videos, but the results can be amazing. The main reason to work with real life videos it to let students to watch and practice the real language that is out there, sometimes books and activities don �t provide that at all, and your Ss need to deal with real language, something that would help them to communicate out there in the real world. Then again you have to carefully choose the videos you want to present to your Ss and always with interesting activities.
I hope I helped, cause for me this kind of activities work very well, see you then. |
28 Oct 2010
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nombasa
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Hi! I wrote my dissertation (25 years ago) on this topic. Learning through songs helps remembering large amounts of vocabulary as the music provides a good framework. People who are in their 80s or 90s can remember songs they learnt as a young child even when they may not remember what they did that day. Music helps to embed learning in the long term memory.
It is also a good vehicle for learning spelling as the rhymes can show similar and different spelling patterns for the same sound.
It is also fun and so people don�t realise just how much they are learning and so relax in their learning which also helps it to be embeded naturally. I use games in my teaching for the same reason.
Have fun. |
28 Oct 2010
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Yams
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thank you nombasa for your help!!!!!
and thanks again to the other members who helped me too!!!!
see you!!!!
yams
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28 Oct 2010
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