The Use of Pop Songs in the EFL Classroom


Book Description

Inhaltsangabe:Introduction: I have chosen the topic of using pop songs in the EFL classroom because I strongly believe that working with pop songs is a highly motivational device. When I was a student at a lower and upper secondary school, listening to songs in English classes was my favourite activity. I have always wanted to be able to understand the lyrics of songs I listened to. Later, I realized that I have learned a lot from listening to pop songs and analyzing their lyrics. Therefore, in my diploma project, I would like to prove that using pop songs is a highly motivational device in teaching English with instructional value, and that students enjoy working with pop songs. The theoretical part of this diploma project is based on relevant sources of background literature. In the first two chapters, the use of songs is described with regard to motivation and the Multiple Intelligences Theory. The third and fourth chapter deal with the reasons for using songs and their classification. In the last two chapters of the theoretical part, pedagogical principles of using pop songs in class, as well as the pros and cons of teaching through pop songs are presented. The practical part is based on the findings of three surveys I have conducted in the field of using songs in the EFL classroom. In the first part of the research, I present an analysis of questionnaires which I distributed among English teachers at lower and upper secondary schools and grammar schools. In the second part of the research, I describe students ́ attitudes to pop song based lessons which I taught during my teaching practice at grammar schools. In the third part of the research, I analyze the types of songs presented in commonly used textbooks at lower and upper secondary schools. In addition, I present a self-developed teaching material containing a list of pop songs suitable for the EFL classroom. In the last part of the practical part, I answer the research questions and provide some implications for my own teaching. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION9 THEORETICAL PART 1.MOTIVATION10 1.1Definition of motivation10 1.2Different kinds of motivation11 1.3Motivation in second language acquisition/learning vs. foreign language learning12 1.4Sources of motivation in the EFL classroom14 2.MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES16 2.1The categories of intelligence17 2.2The implications of MI theory for ELT19 2.3Musical [...]




Music and Song - Resource Books for Teachers


Book Description

Shows how any piece of music - from folk and classical to jazz, rock, and pop - can be exploited in an immense variety of ways in the language classroom.




The use of music and songs in the EFL-classroom


Book Description

Seminar paper from the year 2006 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Linguistics, grade: 1,3, http://www.uni-jena.de/ (Institut für Anglistik/Amerikanistik, Abteilung Fachdidaktik), course: Acting Out – Performance in the EFL-Classroom, language: English, abstract: I think that every teacher of a foreign language should provide various strategies of learning for the pupils. It is the teacher’s task to combine the different approaches of learning in order to make learning less complicated and more pleasant for the learn-ers. In my eyes, learning with songs and music, seems to be a successful method of learning English. Music plays an important role in the life of almost every person. We are surrounded by music all day long – while shopping in the super market, while eat-ing in a restaurant, even in the bathroom. Especially young people love music, but they do not only consider a song ‘cool’ when they like the artist, the melody or the sound of this piece of music. Nearly as important as that is the fact that the song conveys a particular message. In most cases, young people always identify them-selves with the content of the song, mainly when it touches a topic the pupil is very interested in or something the young person is about to go through (e.g. being love-sick or having problems with the social environment...). That means that young peo-ple have to concern with the lyrics of the song. This can be seen as a voluntary oc-cupation with language. And as long as this song is written in a language which is taught at school, every future teacher should catch this opportunity and make use of music and songs in the classroom. Music and songs provide quite a lot of material, which can be used for learners of English as a foreign language. There are quite a lot of positive sides of learning English via the medium music. First of all it is a very posi-tive way of learning English. Music is a part of our everyday life and especially young people are very familiar with music. If the teacher provides the possibility of a positive access to a new topic, the kids will learn the new things easier and with more fun and readiness. I am sure that the one or the other pupil turns out to be a little “music-expert”. This can strengthen the self-consciousness of students who are not so good at other areas because now they have the opportunity to show what they know about a special artist or band. Another pro of teaching language by using songs and music is that it is something different for the students – it is an alternation to the common methods of language learning, because it is not only interested in input. [...]




Teaching English Through Songs


Book Description

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English - Pedagogy, Didactics, Literature Studies, grade: 15, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen (Anglistik), course: Teaching English as a Foreign Language II, language: English, abstract: Abstract Music has been used for the ESL/EFL class for decades. This is mainly due to the fact that songs from English speaking countries are a worldwide predominant cultural fact. One can even go so far as to state that English became the lingua franca on account of the major influences this medium has had on cultures around the globe up to date. With a humongous variety of youth oriented - and most notably, youth accepted - songs in the target language, it is patently obvious that this material is most suitable, practical and applicable for the integration of literacy skills in the classroom. After all, infants learn to sing before they speak and it appears that this natural propensity is maintained over a long period, considering the fact that most youngsters spend more time with American music than with anything else. This poses two questions; can music enhance the acquisition of a second language in general and the student's reading, writing, speaking and listening abilities in particular? In this essay, I will commence with the establishment of a connection between these literacy skills and music. In the process, I will then try to shed some light on various linguistic hypotheses that can serve to be used as a scientific basis for the song oriented approach, enhance my attempt using examples and conclude with some assorted practical applications.




The Handbook of Informal Language Learning


Book Description

Provides a comprehensive and unique examination of global language learning outside of the formal school setting Authored by a prominent team of international experts in their respective fields, The Handbook of Informal Language Learning is a one-of-a-kind reference work and it is a timely and valuable resource for anyone looking to explore informal language learning outside of a formal education environment. It features a comprehensive collection of cutting edge research areas exploring the cultural and historical cases of informal language learning, along with the growing area of digital language learning, and the future of this relevant field in national development and language education. The Handbook of Informal Language Learning examines informal language learning from both theoretical and practical perspectives. Structured across six sections, chapters cover areas of motivation, linguistics, cognition, and multimodality; digital learning, including virtual contexts, gaming, fanfiction, vlogging, mobile devices, and nonformal programs; and media and live contact, including learning through environmental print, tourism/study abroad. The book also provides studies of informal learning in four national contexts, examines the integration of informal and formal classroom learning, and discusses the future of language learning from different perspectives. Edited by respected researchers of computer-mediated communication and second language learning and teacher education Features contributions by leading international scholars reaching out to a global audience Presents an exciting and progressive selection of chapters in a rapidly expanding field of research and teaching Provides a state-of-the-art collection of the theories, as well as the historical, cultural and international cases relating to informal language learning and its future in a digital age Covers 30 key topics that represent pioneering findings and new research The Handbook of Informal Language Learning is an essential resource for researchers, students, and professionals in the fields of language acquisition, English as a second language, and foreign language education.




English in Mind Level 2 Student's Book with DVD-ROM


Book Description

This brand new edition of English in Mind revises and updates a course which has proven to be a perfect fit for classes the world over. Engaging content and a strong focus on grammar and vocabulary combine to make this course a hit with both teachers and students. --Book Jacket.




Songs in the EFL Classroom


Book Description

Seminar paper from the year 2014 in the subject Didactics for the subject English - Pedagogy, Literature Studies, grade: 1,3, University of Trier, language: English, abstract: The main purpose of this term paper will be to discuss the positive and problematic aspects of songs for the EFL classroom, as well as to analyze the value of Elvis Presley’s “In the Ghetto” for the classroom, including the presentation of a lesson plan. The first part will focus on theoretical aspects, including a definition and classification of songs, as well as their advantages and problems for the English classroom. The second part will turn to the practical example of the song “In the Ghetto” by Elvis Presley. In a first step the song itself will be evaluated, considering its chances for the classroom, as well as investigating its problematic elements. In a next step a lesson plan with a focus on expanding knowledge and enhancing skills and competences will be presented and analyzed. Songs are part of the daily life of most people—including teachers and especially pupils—which helps to connect school life with the student’s free time. Even though songs are an effective and useful teaching tool in itself, English benefits even more from songs due to the fact that English is the dominant language of the music industry. However, songs are still not used very often in the EFL classroom and many of the main textbooks used in Germany only include parts of songs or offer songs as extra activities (e.g. Green Line 5+6). One of the main reasons for this might be the difficulty of choosing an appropriate song for the classroom since songs sometimes include problematic elements.




Songs in Action


Book Description

A collection of classroom-originated and tested song activities, this work aims to give teachers ways of working with popular song lyrics in terms of vocabulary, listening, singing and writing. There are also activities for working with instrumental music and sounds and for music discussions.




Teaching and Researching: Motivation


Book Description

Cultivating motivation is crucial to a language learner's success - and therefore crucial for the language teacher and researcher to understand. This fully revised edition of a groundbreaking work reflects the dramatic changes the field of motivation research has undergone in recent years, including the impact of language globalisation and various dynamic and relational research methodologies, and offers ways in which this research can be put to practical use in the classroom and in research. Key new features and material: · A brand new chapter on current socio-dynamic and complex systems perspectives · New approaches to motivating students based on the L2 Motivational Self System · Illustrative summaries of qualitative and mixed methods studies · Samples of new self-related motivation measures Providing a clear and comprehensive theory-driven account of motivation, Teaching and Researching Motivation examines how theoretical insights can be used in everyday teaching practice, and offers practical tips. The final section provides a range of useful resources, including relevant websites, key reference works and tried and tested example questionnaires. Written in an accessible style and illustrated with concrete examples, it is an invaluable resource for teachers and researchers alike.




The relationship between music and language


Book Description

Traditionally, music and language have been treated as different psychological faculties. This duality is reflected in older theories about the lateralization of speech and music in that speech functions were thought to be localized on the left and music functions on the right hemisphere. But with the advent of modern brain imaging techniques and the improvement of neurophysiological measures to investigate brain functions an entirely new view on the neural and psychological underpinnings of music and speech has evolved. The main point of convergence in the findings of these new studies is that music and speech functions have many aspects in common and that several neural modules are similarly involved in speech and music. There is also emerging evidence that speech functions can benefit from music functions and vice versa. This new research field has accumulated a lot of new information and it is therefore timely to bring together the work of those researchers who have been most visible, productive, and inspiring in this field and to ask them to present their new work or provide a summary of their laboratory's work.