Why use songs with young learners?

Songs can be an effective way of teaching children and can encourage them to become actively involved in their learning.

Why use songs with young learners?

• Children like songs.
• Songs can be integrated into language learning – listening, singing and doing activities around the songs.
• In many cultures songs are used to introduce or practise mother tongue with young children, so this is a medium that children are very comfortable with.
• Songs are memorable and often include a lot of repetition that helps to make the language itself memorable.
• Songs contain chunks of language that children can remember and use.
• Because songs must be sung at a reasonably fast speed, they encourage natural phonological features like linking and weak forms.
• Children will be actively involved in their learning, even at a very young age, rather than passively learning.
• Children have energy and want to make noise. Songs will channel these natural inclinations positively.
• Parents will enjoy hearing their children singing in English.
• Singing is a happy and stress-free activity that will add to a positive classroom learning environment.

What songs should teachers choose for the classroom?

Choose songs that:

• Contain simple, easily understood lyrics.
• Link with a topic or vocabulary that you are studying in class.
• Are repetitive.
• Children can easily do actions to (to help emphasize meaning) .

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