Kristin Lems

Professor, ESL/Bilingual Education

National Louis University

TESOL 2014, Portland, OR

How Teachers can

Incorporate Music and Song

into Teaching ESL

TESOL Pre-convention Institute

abstract

Music and song stimulate language growth by

training the ear to sounds and patterns;

practicing new sounds, words, and idioms

through singing; and creating classroom

community while lowering the affective filter.

With the Internet and smartphones, any

teacher can purposefully incorporate songs

and music in the classroom.

2014 Kristin Lems

Learning about music is valid

in its own right, not just

as a means to other

knowledge or skills

Language acquisition and

learning are integrated processes, & so is the role of music in them is, too…

Presenter Beliefs:

2014 Kristin Lems

Where does music

perception and

processing “reside” in

the brain?

2014 Kristin Lems

Music and language processing

are both located in Broca’s area

both recognize patterns and syntax

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Broca’s area lights up on PET scans when subjects hear a discordant musical sequence just as it does when they hear an ungrammatical utterance.

Music is also processed in the

limbic system, which controls

emotions

Carol Krumhansl (Cornell University):

…music directly elicits a range of emotions. Music

with a quick tempo in a major key…brought about

all the physical changes associated with

happiness in listeners. In contrast, a slow tempo

and minor key led to sadness.

2014 Kristin Lems

Geoffrey Miller, University College,

London: pattern recognition

"Our brain is constantly trying to make order out of

disorder, and music is a fantastic pattern game for

our higher cognitive centers…..our brains are

exercised by extracting different patterns and

groupings from music's performance.

This pattern recognition gave rise to language

and stands behind mathematical ability as well

(The Math Gene).

2014 Kristin Lems

Educators all know…

Music overcomes inhibitions

Music gives people a chance to share their likes

and preferences

Music is non-hierarchical – people can enjoy

and take part in it regardless of educational

attainment

Every culture has

music – no one is

“deprived”

2014 Kristin Lems

Music is associated with our

deepest memories

You must remember this…

2014 Kristin Lems

The power of the arts in education

Autistic children can be highly analytical listeners and are able to access musical details more readily than typically developing children ScienceDaily (May 27, 2004)

Artistic activities build community

Provides an outlet and validation for GLBT kids with artistic talent

2014 Kristin Lems

Music can create deep

conversations

2014 Kristin Lems

What do we know about music

and learning?

2014 Kristin Lems

An interest in a performing art leads to a high state of motivation.

That in turn produces

the sustained attention and the training of attention that leads to improvement in other cognitive domains.

2014 Kristin Lems

One of the central predictors of

early literacy, phonological

awareness, is correlated with

both music training and the

development of a specific brain

pathway.

Dana Foundation, 2008

2014 Kristin Lems

Music is positively associated with academic achievement, especially during the high school years

Citation: Southgate et al. The Impact of Music on Childhood and Adolescent Achievement. Social Science Quarterly, 2009; 90 (1): 4 DOI: 10.1111/j.1540-6237.2009.00598.x

2014 Kristin Lems

The infant brain makes

associations between melody

and positions in space When baby hears rising melody sequence while

watching an object rise, and falling sequence of

notes with a falling object, they learn to pair them

When baby as young as 4 months shown object

falling when sequence of notes is RISING, and

object rising when melody sequence falls, they do

not learn the pairing

Relationship between sound and space perception (Spelke, in Dana report, 2008) 2013 Kristin Lems

Hearing songs in new

languages assists in the

segmenting of new words,

probably due to the

motivational and structuring

properties of song

2014 Kristin Lems

Music as a Universal Language

Sing the audience’s part at

Bobbie McFerrin’s appearance

at the 2009 World Science

Festival

2014 Kristin Lems

Why are pop songs so powerful

for language learners?

They’re everywhere – many learners have them as part of their background knowledge

They use high frequency vocabulary

Use of 2nd person, first person singular and plural draws listeners in, giving them an emotional “stake” in the music

They are repetitive, a perfect effortless “drill” for sounds and syntax (Tim Murphey, 2000)

2014 Kristin Lems

Parallels between benefits of music

learning and bilingualism

Both are associated with cognitive advantages

Both are proven to hold back the effects of

Alzheimers

Both have more powerful effects when

introduced at an early age

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

1. Using instrumental or vocal music as a writing prompt and

conversation starter

2. Presenting about a musical genre, artist or musical work

from the L1 culture

3. Singing together ~ with or without gestures and props

4. Studying a song for its grammar, syntax, vocabulary, fast

speech, punctuation

5. Focus on listening – transcribing a song

6. Using a graphic organizer to analyze a song

7. Creating a visualization of a song using technology

8. Writing an interpretation to the plot of a song

9. Writing a new verse for a song and performing it

10. Learning a dance with or without words 2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

1. Using instrumental or vocal

music as a writing prompt and

conversation starter

Exemplar: El Condor Pasa

2014 Kristin Lems

Example:

El Condor Pasa Written 1913

Part of a full scale orchestral

work

Highlighted struggle of

Peruvian miners against

European bosses

Wildly popular for decades!

Daniel Alomía Robles

Born 1871, Huánuco,

Peru - Died 1942,

Lima, Peru

2014 Kristin Lems

In the work, the Condor serves as a symbol of freedom for the Incan people.

2014 Kristin Lems

From recording by Simon and

Garfunkel

I’d rather be a sparrow than a snail…

I’d rather be a hammer than a nail…

I’d rather be a forest than a street…

I’d rather feel the earth beneath my feet…

Students write sentences with these frames:

I’d rather be ___________ than __________

I’d rather ______________ than __________

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

2. Presenting about a

musical genre, artist or

musical work

Exemplar: Umm Kulthum

2014 Kristin Lems

Umm Kulthum 1898-1975

Great Egyptian singer renowned across Arabic-

speaking world

considered “diva”

“royalty”

from the power of

her song

2014 Kristin Lems

Write or talk about your favorite

singer……

2014 Kristin Lems

Presenting about a musical genre,

artist or musical work

Lesson plan: • Students create an oral report about their

favorite artist or genre • They can include a brief mp3 or YouTube of the

artist – limit to 3 minutes • As student presents, have others fill out a

feedback form (establish purpose) and give to the presenter

2014 Kristin Lems

Feedback form

2014 Kristin Lems

Name of presenter: __________________________

Subject of the presentation: ____________________

My name: __________________________________

“I really liked _______________________________.”

Something I learned:

“I learned that______________________________.”

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

3. Singing together ~

with or without

gestures and props

Exemplar: 5 Green and speckled Frogs and the Itsy Bitsy Spider

2014 Kristin Lems

Singing supercharges opportunities

to hear and practice new words!

(And it’s lots of fun, too!)

2014 Kristin Lems

Singing supercharges opportunities

to hear and practice new words!

(And it’s lots of fun, too!)

2014 Kristin Lems

Five Green and Speckled Frogs

2014 Kristin Lems

Focus:

2014 Kristin Lems

The Itsy Bitsy Spider

A song about resilience!

2014 Kristin Lems

Focus:

2014 Kristin Lems

Why is this tornado

Called a waterspout?

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

4. Studying a song for its

grammar, syntax, vocabulary, fast

speech, punctuation

Exemplars: I’m Yours by Jason Mraz

Talking Leaves by Johnny Cash

2014 Kristin Lems

Jason Mraz – text analysis

After listening once to “I’m Yours”:

What does “done done” mean?

How does the phrase “You win some…”

end?

What is another way to pronounce “The

sky is yours?” and what does it mean?

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Lesson plan: Listen once without lyrics and talk about the music Provide cloze and play again Provide complete lyric sheet Discuss grammatical, lexical, idiomatic, cultural features of the song Play it again as a singalong!

2014 Kristin Lems

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted I fell right through the cracks, now I'm trying to get back Before the cool done run out I'll be giving it my bestest And nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some But I won't hesitate no more, no more It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your minds and see like me Open up your plans and damn you're free Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing We're just one big family And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved

done done

bestest

win some or learn some

2014 Kristin Lems

So I won't hesitate no more, no more It cannot wait, I'm sure There's no need to complicate, our time is short This is our fate, I'm yours D-d-do do you, but do you, d-d-do But do you want to come on Scootch on over closer dear so I can nibble your ear? I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer But my breath fogged up the glass And so I drew a new face and I laughed

I guess what I been saying is there ain't no better reason To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons It's what we aim to do, our name is our virtue But I won't hesitate no more, no more It cannot wait, I'm sure there’s no need to complicate… Open up your mind and see like me Open up your plans and damn you're free Look into your heart and you'll find that the sky is yours I won't hesitate no more, no more -It cannot wait, I'm yours

bending over backwards

this guy is yours

Talking leaves

by Johnny

Cash

Johnny’s song, based on the story of Sequoia and the invention of the Cherokee alphabet

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

5. Focus on listening

– transcribing a

song

Exemplar: Que Sera, Sera

2014 Kristin Lems

Transcribing an Easy Song

2014 Kristin Lems

Lesson plan Divide students into small groups

Each group is assigned one verse

Least proficient group can be assigned to

chorus

Each member of group listens to song, writes

what they hear, and compares notes to create

one version

A member of the group writes it on board, and

the whole class listens again

Any miscues noticed by other groups are

corrected, correct lyric sheet provided 2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Ways to scaffold:

preteach key words in advance

(e.g. whatever, handsome, tenderly)

explicitly teach tricky features:

(e.g. future’s not ours… (American

flap)

Transcribing a song with a

certain focus

“the American flap” “Mairzy Doats”

Preteach: mare, doe, lamb, kid

2014 Kristin Lems

Mares eat oats and does eat oats And little lambs eat ivy A kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you?

T + y = sh

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

6. Using a graphic

organizer to analyze a

song

Exemplar: Ironic by Alanis Morrisette

2014 Kristin Lems

“Infographic” by Matt Stopera

To accompany “Ironic”

by Alanis Morrisette

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Won $

1,0

00,0

00 in lott

ery

Die

d

Monday morning Tuesday morning

timeline

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

timeline

2013 Kristin Lems

timeline

2013 Kristin Lems

2013 Kristin Lems

2013 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2013 Kristin Lems

Oh dear….late

again….I need

a good

excuse..

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Life sneaking up on you

Life helping you out

2014 Kristin Lems

These are the Breaks…

By Kurtis Blow

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

7. Creating a visualization

of song lyrics using

technology

Exemplar: Help! By the Beatles 2014 Kristin Lems

Visualization project lesson

plan: Students choose a song (with your blessing)

Student creates a photostory or powerpoint of

the song using images they have chosen

It is played in class

Students discuss how they chose their images

Example: “Help” found on YouTube

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

8. Writing an

interpretation of the

plot of a song

Exemplar: Man of Constant Sorrow

2014 Kristin Lems

Characteristics of Bluegrass From Kentucky and

Appalachia

Irish, Scottish, African,

British influences

A capella singing,

usually telling a story

Taking turns on the solos Sometimes, very fast playing Male falsetto voice (singing up high) Acoustic instruments (not electric)

2014 Kristin Lems

Bill Monroe, father of bluegrass (1911-1996)

named after his Kentucky band, Blue Grass

2014 Kristin Lems

Originally made by coal miners, truckers,

farmers…poor people’s music from rural

America

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

The guitar, mandolin, standup

bass….

2014 Kristin Lems

Do you know this banjo player?

2014 Kristin Lems

And don’t forget……

The fiddle!

2014 Kristin Lems

Man of Constant Sorrow

Traditional American tune

from the movie soundtrack

“O Brother Where Art Thou?”

(2002 Grammy)

Performed by Dan Tyminski and

the Soggy Bottom Boys

1. I am a man of constant sorrow

I've seen trouble all my days

I bid farewell to old Kentucky

the place where I was born and raised

the place where he was born and raised

2. For six long years I've been in trouble

No pleasure here on earth I've found

For in this world I'm bound to ramble

I have no friends to help me now

he has no friends to help him now

3. It's fare thee well my own true lover

I never expect to see you again

For I'm bound to ride that Northern

Railroad

Perhaps I'll die upon this train

Perhaps he’ll die upon this train

4. You can bury me in some green

valley

For many years where I may lay

May you learn to love another

While I am sleeping in my grave

While he is sleeping in his grave

5. Maybe your friends think I'm

just a stranger

My face you never will see no more

But there is one promise that is

given

I'll meet you on God's golden shore

He'll meet you on God's golden

shore

Group Project a. You are a newspaper reporter. Write a story about

the events in the song, using a journalistic style.

What is the article’s headline?

b. The singer is singing this song to you. Write a

response to the singer explaining how you feel

about the situation. Do you want to see him again?

Are you angry at him? Heartbroken? Do you want

to follow him? Help us understand what happened,

and how you feel about it.

2014 Kristin Lems

Group Project

c. You are a not-nice next door neighbor of the

singer. Tell us about him.

d. You are the mother of the singer. Tell his story to

a sympathetic audience, such as your hairdresser.

How did these things happen to him?

Report back to the rest of the class.

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

9. Writing a new

verse for a song and

performing it

2014 Kristin Lems

Exemplar: What a Wonderful World By Louis Armstrong

Lesson plan

Give brief bio about Louis Armstrong

Explain the word “Satchmo”

Play a youtube of song while enjoying images

Pass out lyric sheet and listen again

Analyze rhyme pattern

Get into small groups and create new verse

Find karaoke version of song on You Tube and

sing new verses to the class

2014 Kristin Lems

New Verse to “What a Wonderful World” I see trees of green, red roses too.

I see them bloom, for me and you.

And I think to myself... what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue, and clouds of white.

The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night

And I think to myself... what a wonderful world...

The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky

Also the faces of people going by,

I see friends shaking hands, say how do you do?

They're really saying, I love you.

I hear babies crying, I watch them grow.

They'll learn much more than I'll ever know,

And I think to myself... what a wonderful world

Yes I think to myself... what a wonderful world

Your verse!

I see ____________________

________________________ (“A” rhyme)

_________________________

________________________ (“A” rhyme)

And I think to myself, what a wonderful world!

2014 Kristin Lems

10 techniques to use music with ELLs

10. Learning a dance

with or without words

Exemplar: Yesh!

2014 Kristin Lems

2014 Kristin Lems

Resources:

Live performances on You Tube

•Compare performances of the same song/dance

•Sing to Karaoke songs on You Tube

•Google “karaoke” and the artist you’re looking for ~ it’s all there!

The power of beauty – music is

beautiful!

2014 Kristin Lems

Music is fun for ALL ages!

Kristin Lems/* ~ stay in touch! kristinlems@gmail.com

2014 Kristin Lems