The Language Teacher
September 1999

Music in the Classroom: Uniting Folk Songs and Holidays for Interesting Variety

Leslie Miller

Pusan University of Foreign Studies



Music touches all of us in fundamental ways. It awakens interest, evokes emotion, and stimulates the imagination. Music stirs memories, banishes boredom, and creates a harmonious atmosphere in the classroom. With all of that going for it, imagine how useful it can be for a class that is studying English as a foreign language. In this article I give a brief overview of music in the classroom, then discuss the fruitful pairing of folk music and holidays in some detail. Finally I discuss ways of presenting songs for learning, and as an appendix offer an annotated list of some useful resources for teaching language through song.

Music in the Classroom

Music and rhythm help with memorization. Isn't it easy to remember the alphabet song or B-I-N-G-O from your own childhood or English study? Probably everyone who has ever studied a foreign language, if they remember nothing else, can still sing the first song they learned in that language. Music and rhythm are effective techniques for vocabulary acquisition and phonological learning. (Medina, 1990; Karimer, 1984)

Songs naturally introduce pronunciation, grammatical structures and idiomatic expressions of the language. With proper selection, songs can be used at any level of language skill. B-I-N-G-O works well with the smallest children, whereas Starving to Death on a Government Claim might be best held in reserve for more advanced students who have had some work experience so they can empathize with the farmer in the song. Children, especially, sing while working or playing, but the prevalence of sea chanteys in the American Northeast and farmers' songs in Japan show that this practice is not restricted to the young. Even such simple things as nursery rhymes help language and speech development because of pitch awareness, dynamics, tempo and meter (McCarthy, 1985). Since they are often highly repetitive and melodically simple, action songs help to build good listening and speaking (or singing) skills which, in turn, aid clear and effective reading ability.

Teenagers are of course attracted to music, as well. They spend a lot of time listening to popular music, on TV or with personal cassette or disc players. Capitalizing on this interest, Murphey (1987) has developed a number of music related activities for an international sports and language camp in Switzerland. He includes the study of music appreciation, group and individual reports about musicians, and reports about the music industry.

The teacher who uses music can also take advantage of the affective aspects of group singing. It lowers the walls between people, subdues competitive instincts, and builds camaraderie in their place. Even students who are very shy, who may never sing above a whisper, are still participating in the class activity, still belong to the group and contribute to its song.

One variation of singing is choral reading. A chant, a poem or a song without music can be used. McCauley and McCauley (1992) note four factors affecting children's language acquisition that are enhanced by choral reading: (1) a low-anxiety environment, (2) repeated practice, (3) comprehensible input, and (4) drama.

Interest and motivation are enhanced through the use of music in the classroom. A well-prepared lesson with a novel approach can be much more vivid, thereby more memorable, for the learner. Many different kinds of music have been used in language classes, including classical, pop, rock, rap and jazz. One especially suitable musical form for language teaching is folk song.

Students who sing are involved in enjoyable exercises in pronunciation, vocabulary, language structure, and rhythm. Students who sing folks songs are also connecting with cultural messages: the hopes and frustrations, joys and sorrows, history and values, even geography of the people and land they sing about.

Teachers who want to include a multicultural dimension to their classrooms will find that using American folk songs, for example, in their lessons can convey a sense of the many cultures which American culture comprises while teaching the English language.

(In this paper I discuss the holidays and songs most familiar to me--those of the United States and North America. But readers no doubt will find it easy to substitute comparable themes, holidays, and songs from other countries. A topic for another paper could be "Throughout the year, throughout the world: Thematically linked folk songs and holidays of many nations.")

Folk music, in particular, accommodates the dimensions of history and culture that holidays introduce. It provides many opportunities for discussion and cultural awareness. And it is usually easy to sing or play.

Folk music has been defined as music, instrumental and vocal, which has become so much a part of the heritage of a group or nation that there is a feeling of common ownership, whether or not the composers are known (Daly, 1987). As a carrier of a group's culture, folk music is an ideal medium for introducing cultural referents into the EFL classroom. Additional characteristics of folk music are that it is (1) representative of a group, (2) functional: recording history, expressing emotion, helping people work or play, and telling a story, (3) orally transmitted, (4) simply constructed, and (5) prone to change and variation. These are all traits that make it suitable for the classroom, especially the last.

American folk songs have not just originated on the North American continent, but come from all over the world. The goals, motives, outlooks, and traditions of a people are mirrored in their music, and immigrants brought their music with them to America. Some of these have then become characteristic of regions where they settled: French Acadian influences in the South, English ballads are common in the Northeast and Appalachia, and Latin influences in the music of the Southwest. African rhythms and music forms have spread across the continent in spirituals, jazz, and the blues.

While folk songs carry these general impressions of a people, they also focus on common men and women. When students sing these songs they "step into the shoes of the people they sing about." (Seidman, 1985). The songs provide insight into the values of the people who sang them, whether long ago or more recently.

Folk songs are also historical documents, they preserve a memory of working conditions, the trials and triumphs, the hopes and hardships of their originators. As Ames (1960) observes, however, songs may contain a mix of humor, bitterness and pessimism that hide heartache behind the laughter. That's a rich field of discussion ready for plowing by the enterprising language teacher.

Every section of the country has its own songs that can be used to introduce regional differences to learners. Geography, history or occupations can be addressed through regional music. Other songs take in the entire country and express the love and pride that Americans have for their nation. America the Beautiful and the more popular verses of This Land is Your Land (originally a protest song) are two that voice these emotions particularly well. Let your students take one of these and rewrite it for Japan. How about "This land is your land, this land is my land, from Fujiyama to Okinawa, from Nagano's forests to Sakurajima , this land was made for you and me"?

Holidays as an Organizing Factor

For teachers who may need to explain their methods and choices of lesson material or may wonder how to use and organize music, here are some suggestions and some organizing ideas.

Holidays provide a very natural reason for introducing music into the EFL classroom. They are celebrated for a variety of reasons, religious and secular. They provide diverse perspectives on life and death, work and leisure. If highlighted at their appropriate time during the year, their intermittent appearance helps keep interest high and builds excitement.

Holidays are an appropriate time to do something different, something special. Holiday celebrations can alter the school schedule and raise a number of questions for the non-native student. What is this holiday all about? Why do people recognize this particular day? How is it celebrated? Are there any special gifts, ceremonies, clothes, food, music associated with it? What meaning does it have for individuals?

Questions like these can be addressed through discussions of the songs used to recognize each holiday. If there is no traditional music for a particular holiday, you can use music that ties into an appropriate theme. For example, the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. has only recently been established as a national holiday so it has no music traditionally associated with it. However, it brings to mind the plight of the African slave who was brought to America, the long struggle to gain freedom, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and the ongoing effort to eliminate racism in America. One or more of these ideas can be targeted for classroom discussion.

Vocabulary lessons and spelling exercises naturally evolve as lyrics are introduced to the class. Grammar points can be highlighted, as well as poetic style. You can easily extend a lesson into related themes, for example, explore idioms that come from baseball after singing Take Me Out to the Ball Game, or geography after singing This Land is Your Land. Exploring how North Americans celebrate a holiday is a wonderful introduction for beginning a multicultural discussion. Do other countries have similar holidays? Where did the American holidays come from? How have they changed over time and location? Writing exercises readily flow out of these discussions, perhaps compare and contrast with the students' own holidays or historical events.

Holidays provide the teacher with a wide spectrum of topics to choose from, and a variety of approaches to the topic. They allow someone to dip into the pool of history at critical times or at interesting turning points: discovery, settlement, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, the civil rights movement. Folk songs can give a glimpse of life through many eyes: children, farmers, cowboys, patriots, slaves and protesters. They can cover the territory from sea to shining sea.

Everyone looks forward to a holiday. Students, in particular, look for a break in the routine, and their natural curiosity can be used to enhance music-centered lessons when tied into the calendar.

Holiday Suggestions

Listed below are some selected American holidays in the order they occur in the school calendar. (The school year begins in the Fall and ends in late Spring.) Some possible themes and accompanying songs are suggested as examples. Usually, a class can handle one or two new songs at a time, so don't use all the songs at once. Learn some ahead of time, or build your repertoire over the years. Some additional ideas pertinent to that day or topic are given.

Labor Day

First Monday in September

In the United States, most schools begin right after Labor Day in Autumn. It's the unofficial end of summer, celebrated mostly as a day off from work, a last weekend for going to the beach , and the last big day for picnics. The original idea of honoring laborers is slowly being lost.

Theme: work ethic in America.

Songs: Pop Goes the Weasel; I've Been Working on the Railroad; Drill, Ye Tarriers, Drill; Starving to Death on My Government Claim.

Columbus Day

Second Monday in October

Themes: U.S. geography, love of country, Italian-American culture.

Songs: This Land is Your Land; America the Beautiful

Thanksgiving

Fourth Thursday in November

Theme: history, religious values

Songs: My Country 'Tis of Thee; God Bless America

Other: The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag; "In God We Trust" printed on all money.

Christmas

December 25

Theme: family values

Songs: Over the River and Through the Woods; Santa Claus is Coming to Town; I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas; Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer

Other: The Night Before Christmas, traditional story.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday

Third Monday in January

Theme: African American history, civil rights, protest and the ability of people to change the government.

Songs: Many Thousands Gone; Swing Low, Sweet Chariot; We Shall Overcome

Other: Martin Luther King's speech "I Have a Dream," Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

President's Day

Third Monday in February

Theme: History of the Revolutionary War, democracy, freedom

Songs: Yankee Doodle;

Other: The Bill of Rights, Preamble to the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence

Memorial Day

Last Monday in May

Theme: history of the Civil War, remembrance of the dead

Songs: Dixie; Battle Hymn of the Republic

Other: The Gettysburg Address by President Abraham Lincoln

Independence Day

July 4

Theme: independence, love of country, summer activities

Songs: The Star Spangled Banner; Take Me Out to the Ball Game

Other: The Declaration of Independence

Getting Started in Your Classroom

To introduce the novelty of singing in school, begin singing with the class for a while before you try a lesson plan based on music. Start with an occasional song at the end of the week, either related to a topic or just for fun. Once the class is accustomed to the activity, and have a small repertoire of songs they enjoy, they are ready to turn their attention to more of the meaning that can be gotten out of a particular song. The novelty won't overwhelm the content and you can move fairly smoothly into the lesson with less distraction.

Lessons can follow a common format, whatever their theme and treatment. Begin with a song or two, clear up vocabulary and expressions, then sing them again a couple of times to become more familiar with them. Following that, work with whatever material has been prepared (culture, history, geography, values, expressions, reading, writing, discussion, etc.), and finish with a song.

If students already know one song, add another, but don't overload the class with new material: two new songs is plenty. Sometimes, it doesn't take much to frustrate slower learners and they may just hum along instead of singing the words, so watch how they're doing.

Non-musicians need not be stymied in their desire to use music in their classrooms. In fact, Cox (1991) says that "students prefer that I murder the song in front of the class for them. . . . The worse I sing the more I captivate my audience". The aim, however, isn't to be an entertainer, but to get the students actively involved. The main point is to sing with them, not to sing to them.

If you don't play an instrument, use recorded music. One of the advantages of recorded songs is that they have a much fuller sound than you can produce alone in front of the class. One of the disadvantages of recorded music is that you don't have the flexibility to vary the tempo, slowing down on difficult passages and speeding up as students get comfortable with the chorus. Perhaps you have old records laying around, or students might be willing to loan ones they have. Tapes of old songs are often fairly inexpensive in big music stores. Here again folk songs have an advantage" most are in the public domain, so cheap but fully adequate generic recordings are plentiful.

If you know someone who plays an instrument, record the music before class. Record it twice, first at the normal tempo, then at a slower one. In class, listen first, reading along with the words at the normal tempo. Then use the slower tempo to learn and practice. Finally, it's easy to rewind to the beginning and sing it up to speed.

Perhaps you could get a musician to come and help you, a guitarist or someone who plays a banjo, saxophone, electronic keyboard, or any other portable instrument. There may be music students in your school who could come in during their free time. Make arrangements with the music teacher to give them extra credit.

Better yet, learn to play the guitar yourself. It's not really a matter of talent, it's more a matter of nerve. Learning a few simple chords and a couple of rhythmic strumming patterns allows you to play hundreds of songs, and they can be mastered in a few weeks. Setting the rhythm, pace and tune is the main thing.

Whatever your source of music, be sure to include sufficient repetitions when introducing a song. Think how many times you hear a song before you feel comfortable with it. On the other hand, don't beat it to death with too much practice. Three times through is usually plenty. Remember, you can use the songs anytime, so you'll get more practice as time goes on.

Put the words on big sheets of paper and post them at the front of the room. That's better than individual song sheets, because then everyone has their chin up for singing, and eyes up front where the teacher can monitor progress. Make individual song sheets for later, when you've got a repertoire to work with.

Do the vocabulary work at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end, wherever it's most appropriate for the song and lesson. Vary it to keep things fresh. Try a fill-in-the-blank sometime, letting them listen for the words you sing, or have them add their own words.

Add gestures of one kind or another to add to the fun, and to the learning. People have different learning styles, so motion is particularly appropriate for tactile learners. Besides, everyone enjoys the opportunity to move around a bit.

Folk music and holidays, what a wonderful combination for language learning and cultural awareness. Build up your nerve and try it in your classroom, you're sure to be pleased with the results.

References

Ames, R. A. (1960). The story of American folk song. New York: Grosset & Dunlap Publishers.

Cox B. (1991). "Comma comma". Letter to The Round Table: Words and music in the English classroom. English Journal, 80 (8), 77.

Daly, C. L. (1987). Integrating social studies and folk music: Resource guide 3. Albany, New York: New York State Education Department. (ERIC accession number: ED 287 784).

Karimer, L. (1984). Can Southeast Asian students learn to discriminate between English phonemes more quickly with the aid of music and rhythm? In Language key to learning. Selected papers from the Annual State Convention of the Illinois Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages/Bilingual Education. (12th, 1984. Vol. V. pp. 41-48). (ERIC accession number: ED 263 783).

McCarthy, W. G. (1985). Promoting language development through music. Academic Therapy, 21 (2), 237-242.

McCauley, J. K. & McCauley, D. S. (1992). Using choral reading to promote language learning for ESL students. The Reading Teacher, 45 (7), 526-533.

Murphey, T. (1987). English through music: Singing TPR, walking labs, & music matter. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language. (21st, Wetende, Belgium, April 12-14, 1987). (ERIC accession number: ED 287 292).

Seidman, L. T. (1985). Folksongs: Magic in your classroom. Social Education, 49 (7), 580-587.

Some Useful Resources

Hyman, W. & Diefenbacher, L. (1992). Singing USA: Springboard to culture. Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers.

A textbook with eight detailed lesson plans including two songs each, vocabulary exercises, and discussion questions. They are appropriate for listening and speaking, and for cultural awareness components of an ESL class.

Griffee, D. (1992). Songs in Action. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

A book that gives 76 suggestions, rather than details, for vocabulary, listening, singing, writing, and discussion exercises in the language class.

George, L. (1976). Teaching the music of six different cultures. West Nyack, New York: Parker Publishing Company.

This book provides a number of lesson plans for introducing the music of six American subcultures. Although this book was written for music teachers and music classes, it has many useful ideas that can be used in the language class.

Internet Resources

The International Lyrics Server Search Page. www.lyrics.ch/search.html

All-Music Guide www.allmusic.com/index.html

Billboard Online www.billboard.com/

Grendel's Lyric Archive homepage.seas.upenn.edu/~avernon/lyrics.html

The Ultimate Band List www.ubl.com/



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