What activities can I use with songs in class?

[John]

Dear Auntie Lucy,

Could you tell me about some activities I could use when listening to songs in the classroom?

Thanks for your help,
John

[Lucy]

Dear John,

You can use songs to practise any listening activity.

Here are some examples :

You can ask students to predict the content of the song from the title or from key words from the song. If the song is well-known, it’s better to use key words. Students then listen to confirm (or not) whether their predictions were correct.

To practise gist listening, you can ask students to listen once and give a brief summary of the song. You could also give a number of sentences that sum up the song, of which only one is correct. Students listen to the song and decide which one sums it up best.

You can also practise listening for specific information using a question and answer technique. This is useful listening practice but detracts from the enjoyment of the song.

You can focus on specific word items or stuctures using a gap fill, for example ‘When I’m 64’ (Beatles) to practise when + present + will future.

With simple structures, students can have a go at adding their own lyrics, for example ‘He’s got the whole world in his hands’

You can use any mixture of activities with the same song.

I hope you enjoy working with songs, they are a great source of pleasure for students (and teachers!).

:D