Using Songs and Chants

Songs and chants help students memorize vocabulary incorrect intonation, pause the video and work with
as well as multi-word structures. They also help students students to say the language correctly.
learn the pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm of
the target language. If songs and chants are used Use a song or chant in different ways
together with movement or gestures, they can help Students memorize new language by repeating it many
students with their physical development by connecting times. They will enjoy repeating the same song or
new concepts and language to actions. Additionally, chant, however, only if it is done in a variety of ways
songs and chants play an important role in students’ or for different purposes. You can use the same song
emotional development. Music and rhythm can stir up to give them a break from heads-down activities, as a
strong emotions, cheer or calm students, and help create prize after quiet activities, or to energize the class at
a positive environment. the beginning of a lesson. When you review songs or
chants they already know, give students two or three
to choose from and involve everybody in the class in a
Tips for using songs and chants variety of ways. For example, if a chant uses a question-
and-answer pattern, divide the class into two groups.
Use movement with songs and chants Have one group chant the questions and the other chant
Students need opportunities to move in class in order the answers. Sing the song or chant at different speeds
to learn and develop. Using movement with songs and and encourage students to follow you. You can also use
chants is an excellent way to do this, as students use different voices, such as high-pitched or deep voices, and
their bodies to learn and memorize. They therefore encourage students to copy you.
remain naturally engaged with the activity.
Use these steps to help students learn the songs or chants Create new songs (or rhymes from old ones)
and focus on the meaning of the language: It is very important to help students express new ideas
1. Sing the song or the chant together with the audio. in new contexts—this way they will learn how to use
Have students watch as you make gestures to show language with creativity and confidence. One way to
the meaning of each line. do this is to have students create a new song or rhyme
using the tune and rhythm of a well-known one. First,
2. Sing the song or chant again, and encourage students encourage students to change some of the words (or
to copy your movements. If there are longer lines, extend the song/rhyme with another line of their own).
break them down into meaningful parts and act Then sing the different version in groups or as a class.
them out separately. Repeat this two or three times. Creative activities such as these have a positive effect
Encourage students to copy each other, too, if they on students’ self-esteem and thus help them become
are not sure which gestures to make. confident language users.
3. Ask students to start singing and chanting along
as they make the right movements. Don’t worry if
students are not able to say the right lines at first.
Activities for teaching songs and chants
Review the song or chant in the following lessons in Emotional songs
different ways.
Goal: to review a song or chant; to help students with
Use video emotional development
Use the song or chant’s video in a variety of ways to 1. Once students have sung a song two or three times,
help students practice the pronunciation and rhythm draw faces or write the words of different emotions
of the language. For example, instead of step 1 above, on the board (e.g., happy, sad, scared).
play the video as you sing and point to the objects in it. 2. Ask students to choose an emotion and then sing
Then play it again and ask students to help you make the song, using a voice and gestures that relate to
a gesture to show the meaning of each line. Continue the emotion. Encourage students to exaggerate the
with steps 2 and 3. feeling.
If you notice that students find some words or
expressions difficult to pronounce or that they use the 3. Repeat the song with a different emotion.

1 Let’s Go Using Songs and Chants © Oxford University Press. Permission granted to reproduce for instructional use.
Variation: Find the mistake
1. Sing the song with a certain emotion and ask Goal: to review a song or chant
students to guess how you are feeling. 1. Teach the song or chant with movement.
2. Put students in groups of four and ask them to 2. Tell students you need help with the song. Pretend
choose an emotion. you are not completely sure what the words are.
3. Have one group sing their song with the emotion of Ask them to shout “Stop!” if they hear you make a
their choice. Ask the rest of the class to guess what mistake.
the emotion is. Repeat until all the groups have sung 3. Sing the song, and change one or more words. When
the song using the emotion of their choice. students hear the wrong word and shout “Stop!” ask
them to correct you. Continue singing the song with
Guess my line four to seven “mistakes.”
Goal: to help students connect words with gestures; to
help students memorize the lines of a song or chant What’s your song?
1. Teach the song or chant with movement. Goal: to help students use language creatively and
become confident language users
2. Use gestures that show one or two lines of the song
or chant. Have students guess the line(s). 1. Sing a song your students already know, like, and can
sing well.
3. Repeat step 2 until students guess all of the lines of
the song or chant. Then have students continue the 2. Start singing the song again, but pause before a word
activity in groups of four to six. that can be easily replaced. These are usually objects,
colors, and numbers. Ask students to think of a new
Play with the volume word instead.
Goal: to help students memorize the lines of a song or 3. Draw or write the new word on the board so that
chant students can refer to it later. Then continue singing
1. Teach the song or the chant with movement. the song with the new word.
2. Tell students that they will pretend to be a music 4. Repeat steps 3 and 4 several more times with
player, and you will control the volume button of the different words in the song. Then have students sing
player. Use a gesture to show them how you control the song from start to finish, using the new words
the volume. For example, hold your hand with your but keeping the same rhythm and intonation.
palm facing the floor. If your hand is at waist level, it
means the player is silent. If your palm is above your
head, it means the player is loud. Visit the Teacher’s Resource Center for more teaching
techniques and resources:
3. Have students sing or chant, paying attention to how https://letsgo5e.oxfordonlinepractice.com
you control the volume.
Variation: You can ask a volunteer to control the
volume of the class too.

2 Let’s Go Using Songs and Chants © Oxford University Press. Permission granted to reproduce for instructional use.