Using Action Songs to Promote Fun English Learning
Using Act ion Songs to Promote Fun
English Learning at Elementary
School
Lusi Nurhayat i
Action songs
• are songs w it h movement s for miming and
role-playing t he words and t he language
st ruct ures.
Similar Feat ures of Song and Language
• First “ physically, bot h of t hem made up of
sound waves w hich our ears capt ure and our
brains process int o a meaningful, recognizable
code.”
• Second, bot h of t hem “ communicat e
emot ions and meanings.”.
• Third, t hey bot h have an “ int rinsic phonology
namely rhyt hm and accent uat ion, key and
int onat ion”
Benefit s of using act ion songs
• “ allow for self expression, encouraging a child's ow n
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
response in his or her use of body and speech.”
“encourage st udent s to part icipate verbally.”
“ provide relaxat ion (a legit imate opport unit y to w iggle
and move around).”
“ assist t he child in learning to follow direct ions.”
“ increase attent ion span.”
“develop listening skills.”
“ teach order and sequence.”
“ help teach number concept s.”
“ increase manual dexterit y and muscular cont rol.”
Fun at mosphere
Bringing songs t o t he classroom:
• allow learner t o enjoy stress-free
learning situation w hich furt hermore
lead t o t he low level of affective filter .
Using songs
• Preparing and Selecting Songs
• Analysing
Preparing and Select ing
• familiarize yourself w it h t he aims and t he
ministry documents t hat provide guidelines.
• Decide t he t eaching and learning objective s
(in line w it h t he overall aims of t he t eaching
program)
• Examine the actions or body movement (fit
learners’ needs and charact erist ics)
Analyzing Songs
• check w het her t he songs provide sufficient
and good language model for t he st udent s
• Invest igat e w hat kind of language focus it
provides, t he pronunciat ion and grammar
used in t he songs, and also t he t une of t he
song
• examine carefully t he lengt h of t he lyric as
well as words’ densit y and difficult y
Examples of t he act ion songs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pinocchio
3 bears songs
Do litt le mot ion 1 2 3
Follow M e
Hockey Pockey
Teddy Bears
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Teaching t he act ion song
• letter a large sign or use pocket chart to serve as a teleprompter.
• be ent husiast ic, use t hose songs t hat you enjoy.
• demonst rate appropriate act ions as you say or sing t he words to
•
•
•
•
•
t he group.
replay t he act ion encouraging t he children to imitate only t he
act ion.
do t he act ions again allow ing t hose w ho w ish to part icipate w it h
bot h act ion and words.
keep act ions and words slow enough so t hat children do not have
t rouble keeping up.
repeat often enough for children to become familiar w it h t hem.
occasionally send parent s t he words and music so t hey concurrent ly
can be used at home.
Learning Act ivit ies
• The preparat ion act ivit ies should help t o
prepare t he st udent s t o accomplish t he core
act ivit y.
• Pre-t eaching of language it ems or act ivat ing
t opic vocabulary is one form of preparat ion
act ivit y w hich is done prior t o t he core
act ivit y.
• The follow -up stage t hen should build on t he
complet ion of t he core act ivit y.
Act ion Songs as follow up act ivit ies
• Act ion songs can be used in t he classroom as
t he complement or follow -up act ivit ies for
ot her learning act ivit ies, for example aft er
t elling t he st ory of Pinocchio t he class is
cont inued w it h singing and act ing out t he
Pinocchio song.
possible act ivit ies associated w it h
act ion songs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Guessing
Arranging words into sentences
Listen and Tick
Saying True or False
Arranging sentences based on songs
Complet ing t he song
Act ing out t he song
M iming and guessing
Performing t he songs
games
References
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brewster, J., Ellis, G & Girard, D, (2002). Primary English Teacher ’s Guide, England:
Pearson Educat ion Limited.
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge, England:
CUP.
Cord Foundat ion.(n.d.). Using Rhymes, Finger Plays, and Act ion Songs. Ret rieved
from htt p:/ / www.unr.edu/ cll/ reading-buddies/ act ivit ies/ rhymes on 15 June 2012.
Schoepp, K., (2001). Reasons for Using Songs in The ES/ EFL Classroom. The
Internet TESL Journal , Vol. VII, No. 2, February 2001, ret rieved from
htt p:/ / iteslj.org/ Art icles/ Schoepp-Songs.ht ml htt p:/ / iteslj.org/ on 18 June 2012.
M illlington, N,T. (2011). Using Songs Effect ively to Teach English to Young
Learners1 Language Educat ion in Asia , 2011, 2 (1), 134-141, ret rieved from
htt p:/ / dx.doi.org/ 10.5746/ LEiA/ 11/ V2/ I1/ A11/ M illington on 18 June 2012.
Goodger, C (n.d. ) M usic and M ime, Rhyt m and Rhyme. The Funsongs Approach to
Language Learning. Ret rieved in htt p:/ / www.funsongs.co.uk/ funsongs-teachingmet hod on 16 June 2012.
English Learning at Elementary
School
Lusi Nurhayat i
Action songs
• are songs w it h movement s for miming and
role-playing t he words and t he language
st ruct ures.
Similar Feat ures of Song and Language
• First “ physically, bot h of t hem made up of
sound waves w hich our ears capt ure and our
brains process int o a meaningful, recognizable
code.”
• Second, bot h of t hem “ communicat e
emot ions and meanings.”.
• Third, t hey bot h have an “ int rinsic phonology
namely rhyt hm and accent uat ion, key and
int onat ion”
Benefit s of using act ion songs
• “ allow for self expression, encouraging a child's ow n
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
response in his or her use of body and speech.”
“encourage st udent s to part icipate verbally.”
“ provide relaxat ion (a legit imate opport unit y to w iggle
and move around).”
“ assist t he child in learning to follow direct ions.”
“ increase attent ion span.”
“develop listening skills.”
“ teach order and sequence.”
“ help teach number concept s.”
“ increase manual dexterit y and muscular cont rol.”
Fun at mosphere
Bringing songs t o t he classroom:
• allow learner t o enjoy stress-free
learning situation w hich furt hermore
lead t o t he low level of affective filter .
Using songs
• Preparing and Selecting Songs
• Analysing
Preparing and Select ing
• familiarize yourself w it h t he aims and t he
ministry documents t hat provide guidelines.
• Decide t he t eaching and learning objective s
(in line w it h t he overall aims of t he t eaching
program)
• Examine the actions or body movement (fit
learners’ needs and charact erist ics)
Analyzing Songs
• check w het her t he songs provide sufficient
and good language model for t he st udent s
• Invest igat e w hat kind of language focus it
provides, t he pronunciat ion and grammar
used in t he songs, and also t he t une of t he
song
• examine carefully t he lengt h of t he lyric as
well as words’ densit y and difficult y
Examples of t he act ion songs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Pinocchio
3 bears songs
Do litt le mot ion 1 2 3
Follow M e
Hockey Pockey
Teddy Bears
Head Shoulders Knees and Toes
Teaching t he act ion song
• letter a large sign or use pocket chart to serve as a teleprompter.
• be ent husiast ic, use t hose songs t hat you enjoy.
• demonst rate appropriate act ions as you say or sing t he words to
•
•
•
•
•
t he group.
replay t he act ion encouraging t he children to imitate only t he
act ion.
do t he act ions again allow ing t hose w ho w ish to part icipate w it h
bot h act ion and words.
keep act ions and words slow enough so t hat children do not have
t rouble keeping up.
repeat often enough for children to become familiar w it h t hem.
occasionally send parent s t he words and music so t hey concurrent ly
can be used at home.
Learning Act ivit ies
• The preparat ion act ivit ies should help t o
prepare t he st udent s t o accomplish t he core
act ivit y.
• Pre-t eaching of language it ems or act ivat ing
t opic vocabulary is one form of preparat ion
act ivit y w hich is done prior t o t he core
act ivit y.
• The follow -up stage t hen should build on t he
complet ion of t he core act ivit y.
Act ion Songs as follow up act ivit ies
• Act ion songs can be used in t he classroom as
t he complement or follow -up act ivit ies for
ot her learning act ivit ies, for example aft er
t elling t he st ory of Pinocchio t he class is
cont inued w it h singing and act ing out t he
Pinocchio song.
possible act ivit ies associated w it h
act ion songs
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Guessing
Arranging words into sentences
Listen and Tick
Saying True or False
Arranging sentences based on songs
Complet ing t he song
Act ing out t he song
M iming and guessing
Performing t he songs
games
References
•
•
•
•
•
•
Brewster, J., Ellis, G & Girard, D, (2002). Primary English Teacher ’s Guide, England:
Pearson Educat ion Limited.
Cameron, L. (2001). Teaching languages to young learners. Cambridge, England:
CUP.
Cord Foundat ion.(n.d.). Using Rhymes, Finger Plays, and Act ion Songs. Ret rieved
from htt p:/ / www.unr.edu/ cll/ reading-buddies/ act ivit ies/ rhymes on 15 June 2012.
Schoepp, K., (2001). Reasons for Using Songs in The ES/ EFL Classroom. The
Internet TESL Journal , Vol. VII, No. 2, February 2001, ret rieved from
htt p:/ / iteslj.org/ Art icles/ Schoepp-Songs.ht ml htt p:/ / iteslj.org/ on 18 June 2012.
M illlington, N,T. (2011). Using Songs Effect ively to Teach English to Young
Learners1 Language Educat ion in Asia , 2011, 2 (1), 134-141, ret rieved from
htt p:/ / dx.doi.org/ 10.5746/ LEiA/ 11/ V2/ I1/ A11/ M illington on 18 June 2012.
Goodger, C (n.d. ) M usic and M ime, Rhyt m and Rhyme. The Funsongs Approach to
Language Learning. Ret rieved in htt p:/ / www.funsongs.co.uk/ funsongs-teachingmet hod on 16 June 2012.