12 keys to using songs to teach children English as a foreign language

Teach English to children using songs

In response to a reader’s question about using songs to teach English to Italian children, I gave the following twelve quick tips. However, they are equally effective for children from any country, or almost any age.

Are here:

1. You can use most songs for English language teaching, but students generally prefer songs that are currently popular. You and your students can collaborate on song selection.

2. You should also select songs with easy-to-understand lyrics, absolutely NO profanity, violent, illegal, or immoral themes like sex, drug use, prostitution, gang violence, killing your mother, suicide, etc. (It’s easier to fall into this trap than you think. Many popular song lyrics are horrible.)

3. To motivate the children, bring a dozen nursery rhymes on cassette or CD with lyrics. Ask, borrow or steal a selection of popular children’s songs and you’re good to go. (Okay, don’t steal them, ask – politely, a million times until they say “yes”)

4. The most popular song lyrics are available online. You’ll need to be very, very careful about downloading from sites like these, as they are often FULL of viruses, Trojans, worms, and God knows what else.

5. Walt Disney has a lot of great songs for children. Use direct electronic films and shorts or simply a recording with visualization images as visual support.

6. In addition to the above keys, there are standard children’s favorite songs that any child or teacher can tell you about. You can even use songs from your childhood, if you were ever a kid, that is.

7. Use interactive games and Total Physical Response (TPR) along with songs. Choreograph simple movements and actions to the rhythm of the song.

8. Keep the class fairly fast as children are easily bored and restless due to their short attention spans. Change activities every 15 minutes or so, even LESS with little “Chiquiticos”.

9. Try to incorporate some simple “dance” moves into the songs as well for some added benefit. Have the “kids” ad lib, lip sync, pantomime, swing, swing, kick, jump, slide, slide, spin, spin, dip, step, jump, and wave. You understand me?

10. Use pictures to help teach key words in the song lyrics. Clippings, posters, drawings, anything that provides positive visual support and reinforcement for lexical items, grammar, connected speech, pronunciation, or use in context is fair game in EFL classes for kids (and adults too, really)

11. Practice a couple of songs and activities beforehand in front of a mirror on your own. (See how silly you look! That’s fine, so don’t worry. We can’t see you)

12. Oh yeah, and make sure you have lots of fun! Who said English and foreign language teachers can’t have fun too? (Certainly not me. Despite my academic appearance, I am sometimes crazy in EFL classes!)

So “Don’t worry, be happy”.

I hope this helps you with the use of songs to teach English to children. Be sure to check out my other posts like “9 Reasons Why You Should Use Songs to Teach English as a Foreign Language” on my blog for teaching English using songs.