CRITICAL REVIEW OF ESL CLASSROOM

Rhymes, Stories and Songs In the ESL Classroom

By: Hendra/NIM: 060954

A.    Introduction

On the frame work of accelerating mastering English as a second language, there are many innovations in approaches and methods to make it simple and easy. Since the 18^th century, the search of approaches and methods had been commenced (Richards and Rodgers 1986). Some emerged to complete the others and will have been searching some thing new for better teaching and education. Today, many teachers are adopting an eclectic approach to language learning teaching, believing that the age-old search for the “one true way” can be futile and frustrating (Hadley 2001)

Amongst the innovations that have emerged is a type of teaching learning English as a Second Language (ESL) using Rhymes, Stories and Songs. I am really interested in it and impressed with such different type of teaching ESL. For me it gives a new atmosphere, when teaching learning ESL constitutes a difficult and complicated thing. Especially Idioms, slang and cultural items make learning English even more complicated.

In my point of view, this approach covers the whole educational or instructional objectives namely (a) affective – feeling or valuing (b) cognitive – knowing or thinking (c) psychomotor – practical or physical skill (Walklin 1982). And as an EFL teacher, he or she should be able to combine insight from the past with options for the future to become “prudently eclectic,” (Bowen, J. Donald. Madsen, Harold and Hilferty, Ann 1985).

B.     What are Rhymes, Stories and Songs in the ESL Classroom activity?

This method is invented by Joy L. M. Brown from University of North Alabama (Florence, Alabama), it is a type of teaching that uses Rhymes, Stories and Songs. This approach is inspired by many ESL students that may lack the native speaker’s familiarity.

For this reason, Brown proposed some techniques and strategies to learn English simpler and more interesting. Hence, he emphasized on some things as follows:

1.      The Value of Rhymes Stories and Songs

Many of the English as a second language (ESL) students are hard to understand the natural language and culture. They are hard to understand the native speaker's familiarity with the English songs, rhymes and stories. The use of traditional songs, stories and nursery rhymes in the ESL classroom can create an excellent learning experience for the ESL student.   In addition to the cultural value, traditional songs, stories and nursery rhymes may help with pronunciation practice and literary skills.

2.      Importance of Cultural Items to Fluent English Speakers

Some ESL students also think that learning English is a complicated. Such as Grammar, idiom, slang and cultural items are even more complicated for them. So it is important for them to see some movies or film like star trek V from which they can learn more about English culture. They are also suggested not only to sing a song but also to understand it 

3.      Value of Cultural Items to Adults

It is expected that ESL instructors do not fear that they will insult their adult learners by using children's stories, songs, or nursery rhymes but ESL students may feel separated from the mainstream because they have not learned about this part of the English speaking culture.  If presented properly, ESL students will take the children’s songs and nursery rhymes as an important learning experience.

4.      Nursery Rhymes and Songs

Rhyme is as follows (1) Similarity in sound: a similarity in the sound of word endings, especially in poetry (2) Word sounding same as another: a word with an ending that sounds similar to the ending of another word

Nursery rhymes and songs may be used in pronunciation practice. Sing "Mary had a Little Lamb," for example, to practice the "L" sound or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" to practice the "R" sound.  The rhymes can also help a student compare how the words may not look the same but are still homophonic.

Twinkle, twinkle little star,
How I wonder what you are.
Up above the world so high,
like a diamond in the sky.

These lyrics show how 'star' and 'are' rhyme and how 'high' and 'sky' rhyme but the words do not look the same.  Songs and rhymes can also build vocabulary while using a form of TPR (Total Physical Response).  Games like "The Hockey Pokey" and "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes", for example, teach the vocabulary for body parts.

5.      Vocabulary and Language Development

Repetition of song and rhyme can help students learn vocabulary and the rhythm of the language. Students would be easier to memorize vocabulary by singing. The teacher provides a text song which they like by putting some missing words on it. The song is played and the students fill in the missing words. This helps with listening comprehension, writing, reading and spelling. The difficulty of the lesson can be changed by the type of song or rhyme chosen and that words are omitted.  By using music in the ESL classroom, students practice their listening skills and increase their cultural knowledge.  Almost any song can be used in the ESL classroom.  Popular music can be employed in the same way as children’s rhymes. 

Joan Blankmann, from Northern Virginia Community College, presented how to teach a song as follows:

1.      HOW DIFFICULT IS THE SONG?

Some factors to note are speed (fast or slow), the clarity of the vocalization, the amount of repetition, the vocabulary and metaphors. If the song has simple, repetitive lyrics, you can blank out more words. If the song is more difficult, you will want to blank out fewer words; blank out only the beginning or only the end of a phrase.

2.      WHAT IS THE PROFICIENCY LEVEL OF THE CLASS?

If the song is for beginning level class, you will want to blank out fewer words, but if it's for a more advances class you can blank out more words.

3.      WHAT KIND OF ENGLISH LESSON DO THE LYRICS SUGGEST?

Simple, repetitive songs often contain a recurrent grammatical pattern. More difficult songs contain interesting vocabulary and idioms.

Look for homophones, homographs and homonyms, as well as typical fast speech pronunciation.

We can do lots of things with the song lyrics. Fill in blanks, ask and answer questions about the lyrics or about the different situations or characters in the song, write a letter to one of them, send an answer to the person referred to in the song, rewrite it as a story, write a story which began before the story in the song and led to it, write story which will continue after the song, change words ( adjectives, adverbs, names, places, feelings, etc.), invent new lyrics for the melody, "draw" the different stanzas and of course enjoy listening to it or singing it.

For example:

I Don't Want to Miss a Thing

I could stay awake just to ..........................(1) you breathing
Watch you smile while you are.............................(2)
While you're.......................(3) away and dreaming
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender
I could stay lost in this moment.............................(4)
I just want to stay with ...................(5) in this moment forever (and ever and ever)

** Chorus**

I don't want to ...........................(6) my eyes I don't want to fall asleep
Cause I'd miss you ............................(7)
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I ..........................(8) of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't want to miss a thing

Lying close to you feeling your ..........................(9) beating
And I'm wondering what you're dreaming
Wondering if it's me you're ..............................(10)
Then I kiss your eyes
And thank God we're ...............................(11)
I just want to stay with you in this moment forever
and ever and ever

Don't want to close my eyes
I don't want to fall .............................(12)
Cause I'd miss you baby
And I don't want to miss a thing
Cause even when I dream of you
The sweetest dream will never do
I'd still miss you baby
And I don't want to miss a thing

I don't want to miss one smile
I don't want to miss one ...........................(13)
I just want to be with you
Right here with you, just like this
I just want to hold you close
Feel your heart so close to mine
And we¹ll stay here in this moment
For the rest of..............................(14)

-------------------------Fold if required-----------------------

forever , baby , far , sleeping , close , asleep, hear , you
dream , heart , seeing , together , kiss , time

Score......../14

6.      The Value of Music

Students can practice their listening skills and increase their cultural knowledge by using music. Popular music can be employed in the same way as children’s rhymes.  The pronunciation and rhythm lessons are the same as for the children's songs and the lessons may help students become more interested in different types of music.  Some ESL students shy away from the traditional popular music of a culture because it is difficult (often, even for the native speaker) for them to understand the words.  Practicing lyric reading, studying the vocabulary, and listening to various songs can help students become more familiar with popular music and make them more confident in their ability to listen and understand the world around them.

7.      Creating Lessons with Music and Rhymes

The lessons on songs or rhymes are easy to create.  Lyrics can be found on the Internet and sometimes on CD covers.  Educational authors have seen the demand for rhyme-type lessons to build pronunciation and vocabulary skills and have published several books on the subject.

8.      Tongue Twisters

Tongue twister is a word or a phrase difficult to say: a word, phrase, or sentence that is difficult to say because of its unusual sequence of sounds, especially an invented sentence such as "She sells seashells by the seashore" (http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/rhyme.html)

To practice students’ pronunciation, tongue twister is useful. It can be applied to the students who have trouble pronouncing a specific sound. The sound can be isolated with a tongue twister and practiced. "She sells seashells by the seashore" is a good example of a tongue twister to practice the "S" sound.  They are also good for vocabulary lessons.

9.      Fairy Tales in Daily Life

To understand more culture and language, it is better to immerse students by watching some fairy tales like Cinderella, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty, The Three Little Pigs, The Gingerbread Man, Pinocchio, Goldilocks and The Three Bears, and Robin Hood. Students also can listen the authentic setting of culture and language used in that film. Then have them tell the story.

10.  Building Literacy Skills

The story can build students’ literacy skill, it can be used to help students understand point of view and they can practice their writing skills by choosing other children's stories to rewrite from a different perspective.   Students can also bring in fairy tales or other stories from their own culture to share with the class.

C.    Conclusion

Having described and analysed this type of teaching ESL; then I can conclude some points as follows:

1.      Teaching with such this approach can be interesting and challenging, where students can be led to the different atmosphere. Thus, it can be an alternative solution for teaching ESL.

2.      This approach covers four aspects of language skill (Listening, Speaking, Reading and Writing) and a teacher might be eclectic in applying this approach.

3.      Students can learn English in relaxation and in real situation. They will know the knowledge of cultural elements native speakers of English. 

4.      This approach can be applied not only for children but also for adult students.

5.      This approach has also some weaknesses or drawbacks despite its advantages; such as it seems to be more focus on speaking and listening. It also has teacher master some songs and literatures.

References:

Bowen, J. Donald. Madson, Harold and Hilferty, Ann. 1985. TESOL Techniques and Procedures. Singapore: Newbury House Publisher.

Freeman, Diane Larsen. 1986. Techniques and Principles in Language Teaching. England: Oxford University Press.

Hadley, Alice Omaggio. 2001. Teaching Language in Context. USA: Heinle & Heinle Publisher.

Richards, Jack C and Rodgers, Theodore S. 1986. Approaches and Methods in Teaching. Australia: Cambridge University Press.

Walkin, L. 1982. Instructional Techniques and Practice. England: Stanley Thornes (Publishers) Ltd.

(http://encarta.msn.com/dictionary_/rhyme.html)