Poll: Songs you teach your students

[pengyou]

What songs are you teaching your students that they seem to like, i.e. will sing for several weeks. Please include the grade with the name.

[ehophi]

http://grooveshark.com/playlist/JPH+ESL ... t/60395236

They pick the songs. I do the raps if there are any. About one fifth of the songs stick with any given student, but their tastes differ, and I have only learned what children like in broad strokes.

[superking]

Oats, peas, beans and barley grow. Kindy kids LOVE it. You can do actions too.

Mares eat oats is a good tongue twister for junior high.

Morrisey for adults. Gap fill, or cut the sentences up and they put them in order as they listen (both require prep).

Great thread.

[Gilgamesh]

I play songs every week in my class. I hand out the lyrics, they listen and even sing the songs and then we discuss what it means. They're not very good at the discussion part but it does open up other topics of conversation. I'll also show videos of the song and the kids try and tell me what they like and don't like about the video.

Some of the songs we've done:

Sweet Child of Mine - Guns and Roses
Knocking on Heaven's Door - Antony
Hey Hey My My - Neil Young
Seminole Wind - John Anderson
Someone Like You - Adele
Come Talk To Me - Peter Gabriel
Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles

I've done a bunch more and I even let them pick some songs that we can look at. It's a small class (only four kids around 12 -13 years old) and the mere fact that they're willing to sing these songs in class amazes me. We started doing this because it's a two hour class and everyone was getting bored. I asked them what they would like to do and they wanted to do something with music.

Luckily, my school leaves me alone and I can do pretty well anything I want. The music gets the kids talking (and singing) and they think the class is a little more interesting than just looking at the book.

[Exister]

I play songs every week in my class. I hand out the lyrics, they listen and even sing the songs and then we discuss what it means. They're not very good at the discussion part but it does open up other topics of conversation. I'll also show videos of the song and the kids try and tell me what they like and don't like about the video.

Some of the songs we've done:

Sweet Child of Mine - Guns and Roses
Knocking on Heaven's Door - Antony
Hey Hey My My - Neil Young
Seminole Wind - John Anderson
Someone Like You - Adele
Come Talk To Me - Peter Gabriel
Video Killed the Radio Star - The Buggles

I've done a bunch more and I even let them pick some songs that we can look at. It's a small class (only four kids around 12 -13 years old) and the mere fact that they're willing to sing these songs in class amazes me. We started doing this because it's a two hour class and everyone was getting bored. I asked them what they would like to do and they wanted to do something with music.

Luckily, my school leaves me alone and I can do pretty well anything I want. The music gets the kids talking (and singing) and they think the class is a little more interesting than just looking at the book.

Before you mentioned their ages I was picturing you playing those songs to a class full of confused/horrified kindergartners.

[kaikai34]

Here's a fun song for older kids, although it's a little outdated.

Nations of the world. Taiwan is included.

[ehophi]

Here's a more definitive source of what English songs are on Taiwanese students' radar: http://www.uforadio.com.tw/modules/engl ... /index.php .

For once, Taiwan shows a little taste in English music...

Now I'm excited!