Using rhyme, songs and chants in the Primary classroom

Why do we use rhyme, songs and chants in the Primary classroom?

Rhyme, songs and chants aid childrens language development as well as their physical development when used with dance and/or mime. Krashen (1923 suggests that the repetitive element o! songs activates "homs#ys $language ac%uisition device. Research indicates that the musical sounds e&changed 'etween parents and children aids language development in young children. (he language o! songs e&tends 'eyond the everyday language that children #now. Rhyme encourages children to e&plore the sounds o! words, whilst the activity remains a !un activity. )ecause songs are usually $per!ormed in groups, there is no !eeling o! em'arrassment !or the individual. )y encouraging students to mime along, we allow them to e&press their views / understanding o! what the song means and they can !orm a sense o! $ownership o! the song. *earners will repeat the same structure without getting 'ored. (here!ore when singing in +nglish, students gain practise o! stress timing, and are !orced to use wea# !orms such as //. (his is particularly use!ul !or "hinese students as their mother tongue is sylla'le timed. ,inging also gives students an opportunity to practise their intonation. ,ongs allow children to engage in $egocentric language (-iaget 1923 , where they are en.oying hearing themselves without 'eing too concerned a'out the listener. ,ongs stic# in our memory / we !ind ourselves singing a song all day 'ecause (!or e&ample we heard it in a shopping centre. (his shows that songs wor# on our long and short0term memory. (1urphy 1992 -arents li#e to hear their child singing or chanting in a !oreign language. +ven i! the parent cannot understand what the child is saying, they can get a !eel !or the rhythm. ,ongs are rela&ing and promote harmony within a group. (hey are short, normally authentic, and easy to manage within a lesson. (hey can help children with speech impediments. ,ome children !ind it easier to sing a piece o! language than to say it, there!ore it 'uilds their con!idence.

3 (he )ritish "ouncil, 4ong Kong 2225 The United Kingdoms international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. 6e are registered in +ngland as a charity.

Using rhyme, songs and chants in the Primary classroom

Tips for using songs or chants in the classroom

1. 2. "hoose a song that re%uires involvement in the !orm o! movement, gestures or ones where groups say di!!erent things e.g. rounds or chants with alternating lines. *earn it 'y heart yoursel! so you don7t have to #eep chec#ing the words. 6hy8 0 so you7ll loo# and !eel con!ident 0 so students will !eel con!ident 0 so you can loo# at your class and see how they7re doing 0 so you can direct di!!erent groups, voices or motions 9se visual aids and prompts to help the ss understand and remem'er. :ive the words !or support i! needed. ;ou can elicit them or give clues i! the song is simple 'ut i! you want students to 'e singing it con!idently they shouldn7t 'e struggling with remem'ering the words. 6hen they7ve got it you could ta#e away some or all o! the words as a challenge. ,ing or chant energetically and enthusiastically. ;our students will mirror this. :et the right pitch !or your song0 not too high and not too low. :et the right speed !or your chant0 not too !ast and not too slow. >ecide which language or voca'ulary really need e&plicit teaching. 6hat can students understand !rom the conte&t o! the song8 >on7t overteach as you may ruin the !un o! the song or chant. >ont e&pect them to .oin in immediately or master a complete song in one session. @! not all students are singing, show them how to mouth the words. Aollow up the song in the ne&t lesson, 'ut do something di!!erent or a more complicated activity / stri#e the 'alance 'etween enough repetition !or them to learn it and over0 doing it.

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3 (he )ritish "ouncil, 4ong Kong 2225 The United Kingdoms international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. 6e are registered in +ngland as a charity.

Using rhyme, songs and chants in the Primary classroom

Do's
>o lead in activities to introduce topic o! song or chant, to introduce important voca'ulary. ,ing or chant it through once or twice !irst !or students. :ive them a simple tas# while they are listening 0 watching you do the actions may 'e a tas# in itsel! 0 you could 'e their 'est visual supportB +ncourage ss to thin# o! the most appropriate actions to accompany the words this will give them some $ownership o! the song and ma#e it more memora'le. )uild up to the whole class singing or chanting on their own. 4ere are some ideasC 0 0 0 0 0 practice slowly at !irst to wor# on pronunciation have students repeat (singing or saying each line a!ter you 0 though depending on the song, it may 'e 'etter to practice verse 'y verse so as not to 'rea# spontaneity do some e&tra practice with 'its that go !ast or have tric#y rhythm you sing the song and students do the motions only you chant or sing one line/verse and students do the ne&t students clap or clic# their !ingers to the 'eat while you chant or sing. let them see the words and wor# on meaning through visuals, mime e&amples etc. !inally sing the whole song through a couple o! times with you and/or on their own. Dnd do some !ollow0up activitiesC 6riting the words, !illing in the gaps, writing an e&tra verse, changing words, drawing pictures, Eral activities using language in the chant or song. do a !inal round o! the song at the end o! classB

Don't's

>on7t over0teach as you may ruin the !un o! the song or chant. >on7t introduce too many new voca'ulary items 0 = may 'e enough >on7t choose a song unsuita'le !or the students7 age group/level. >on7t select a song you hate. @t will showB >on7t e&pect students to .oin in immediately. >on7t do a song you can7t remem'er the words o!B

3 (he )ritish "ouncil, 4ong Kong 2225 The United Kingdoms international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. 6e are registered in +ngland as a charity.

Using rhyme, songs and chants in the Primary classroom

eferences Young Learners 'y ,arah -hillips (E9Very Young Learners 'y Fanessa Riley and ,heila 1. 6ard (E9Music and Song 'y (im 1urphy (E9Teaching Children English 'y >. Fale and D. Aeunteun ("9GaHH "hants !or "hildren GaHH "hant Aairy (ales and other 'oo#s 'y "arolyn :raham (E9-lay Rhymes 'y 1arc )rown (-u!!in 9nicorn Rhythm and RhymeC Ene hundred poems !or 4ong Kong +nglish teachers and their students 'y 1 1urphy (4K@+ ,ongs and :ames !or "hildren 'y >avid -aul (4einemann

3 (he )ritish "ouncil, 4ong Kong 2225 The United Kingdoms international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. 6e are registered in +ngland as a charity.