Do you use songs in your lessons with young learners? Most teachers will say, “Yes!” But have you ever thought about why we use songs in our young learner classrooms? Here are some qualities that make songs so important.
- Songs can improve pronunciation and develop phonological awareness.
- Many songs have repetition.
- Songs can aid the memorisation of language.
- Songs can build fluency and enhance confidence.
- Songs can be engaging and fun!
What strategies can we use to get the most benefit from songs? Understanding these strategies is key to making songs more powerful in our classrooms.
One effective learning theory is from Dr. Howard Gardner of Harvard University’s Project Zero. His theory suggests that people have different types of intelligence and may learn best in various ways.
He says, “Teach important materials in several ways . . . By presenting materials in various ways, you can convey what it means to understand something well.”[1]
Dr. Thomas Armstrong used Dr. Gardner’s theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) as an instructional tool, the MI Pizza. [2] We can differentiate our instruction by using this model to create what I call “varied repetition.” It’s easy and fun!
Let’s look at how we can use this MI Pizza to create “varied repetition,” using songs and chants from Everybody Up. Music Smart is one of the eight strategies. Here are some activities I use to add varied repetition to my lessons.
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Word Smart:
Reading letters and words; listening to stories; speaking, writing
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Picture Smart:
Using visuals, such as picture cards, illustrations, videos, and classroom items; using color
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Logic Smart:
Searching for patterns in words or phrases; sequencing
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Music Smart:
Listening to chants and songs; chanting, singing, clapping, playing instruments
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Body Smart:
Moving body parts; doing movement in one place or around the classroom; expressing ideas through body shapes; hands-on activities; calming movements; using puppets
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People Smart:
Working together with partners, in small groups, or as a whole class
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Self Smart:
Working alone; expressing ideas; making choices; reflecting
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Nature Smart:
Putting things into categories; searching for similarities and differences
Case 1: Get your students moving with the introductory alphabet song.
- Picture Smart and Body Smart strategy: Show students a capital letter, such as the letter X. Invite students to stand up. Say, “Let’s make the letter ‘X’ with our fingers.” Model this for your students. Then, continue in the same way with your arms and your whole body. Say, “Let’s make the letter ‘X’ with our arms. Let’s use our whole body to make the letter ‘X’.” Start with letters like I, L, V, T, and C.
- Then, invite students to make the letter that begins their first name. When students hear their letter, they will stand up and make their letter shape. Practice this by saying each letter slowly in order. Then, play the music, a Music Smart
Case 2: Varied repetition for vocabulary and grammar.
- Picture Smart: Watch the animated song video.
- Music Smart: Listen to the song. Then, sing along.
- Word Smart: Read these sight words: what, color, is, it, it’s. Build sentences with the picture cards and sight words. Read the color words.
- Body Smart: Students toss juggling scarves in the air when they hear their color word. Use sign language for color words.
- Self Smart: Students find colored objects to point to while they sing the song.
Case 3: Creating interactive scenes with prepositions.
The song “Where Is the Snake?” is a perfect People Smart activity. Students work together to create a scene. Students pretend to be different vocabulary words, such as “snake” or “rock.” Then, we add prepositional phrases, such as “under the rock,” when the snake mimes being under the rock.
- Body Smart: Create shapes for the vocabulary words. Teachers can model ideas. Students make the shape when they hear it in the song.
- Self Smart: Students choose how to make shapes for the vocabulary words.
- People Smart: Students work together in groups of eight to create the illustration.
Songs are an integral part of Everybody Up. These songs support natural intonation, build language skills, and add an element of fun. By using MI strategies to create “varied repetition,” you can help all students learn language successfully.
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References
- Gardner, H. (2013, October 16). Howard Gardner: ‘Multiple intelligences’ are not ‘learning styles.’ Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/answer-sheet/wp/2013/10/16/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-are-not-learning-styles/
- Armstrong, T. (2000). Multiple intelligences in the classroom. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
