Teaching children with songs
If you’ve ever taught English to children, you’ll know that songs feature in many textbooks as an effective way of teaching grammar and vocabulary.
Have you ever wondered how they get written? Have a look at this interview with Steve Roslonek, who has just released an album of children’s songs called Marvelous Day. At least two of the songs were originally written for publisher Macmillan Oxford for educational products distributed in Asia and Mexico.
Fast Monkey is one, and the lyrics, according to the interview, go something like this:
I’m happy, I’m very, very happy, I’m happier than a happy monkey. I’m sad, I’m very, very sad, I’m sadder than a sad monkey.
What do you think about using songs to teach children? Do you find them effective? Post a comment below…
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December 18th, 2006 at 11:05 am
So many articles have been written about music in the classroom - the success of implementing it and the joy that most children experience when learning with music.
Those of us who still teach regularly and with the young ones (ages birth - ten or so) know the impact music can make in a child’s life. Learning with music has now filtered into our curriculum - math songs, language arts songs, foreign language learning songs are all examples of bringing music into the classroom.
I love watching children’s eyes light up as they hear a song and catch the beat…then the lyrics do the teaching without them even realizing they’re learning. It just feels good to them.
Happy Educating!
Boca Beth
December 21st, 2006 at 2:05 pm
Anything that helps a child; 1. learn, 2. learn how to learn, 3. learn how they learn and/or 4. learn to learn, can only be for the good.
Whenever I let, allow or help my students to use any form of art to express their learning, to experiment with their learning or to explore their learning, seems to release a powerful energy within them. If I am open, then it appears I am the one being taught. The key for me is to find the path back to the students so that they can be taught also.