The effects and significance of English songs assisted English Vocabulary Teaching in class 王欢
Abstract：
With the development of multi-media and the Internet technology, English songs as audio materials are introduced to assist the English language classroom teaching and benefit vocalbulary, listening, grammar and writing learning. This papar reports a study of the efficiency and significance of English song-assisted vocalbulary teaching in class and indicate the influence on English language teaching (ELT) by using English song learning pattern. More research should be done in the English song-assisted vocalbulary teaching and learning appoach.
Keywords: English song Vocabulary Learning Classroom Vocabulary Teaching
ⅠIntroduction
Today’s youth have develped new forms of literacy apart from reading novels and watching films; they are already “multi-processing”(Brown, 2002). Listening to music for English learning is one form of the multi-literacy students can rely on and be encouraged nowadays. English songs contain a lot of useful language and can be used to highlight grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary(Robertson and Acklam, 2000:27). In accordance with the teaching objectives, well-selected English songs can be used as resources of language learning activities. Besides, from our scientific research on the English songs assisted vocabulary learning for CET-4, it has been proved that English songs have reached considerably intention in vocabulary learning for self-education. It raises a question that whether it is possible for English teachers teach vocabulary in class with the assistance of English songs.
ⅡLiterature review
⒈ Songs in English language teaching
English language teaching in China followed the traditional path-teaching vocabulary textbooks, cramming students with a considerable amount of exercises and then evaluating their accomplishments through consecutive exams (Chunxuan Shen, 2009). Researchers attempted to find out ways which make English language teaching enjoyble and effective. Georgi Lozanov incorporates music into his teaching method-Suggestopedia, for music is instrumental in creating a relaxing and comfortable environment, which can propel language learning (Larsen-Freeman, 1985). There have been abundant researchers abroad on songs as an authentic teaching resource in language teaching (Maley, 1997; Eken, 1996; Gaston, 1968; Geoff, 2003).
Songs as a combination of music and language, their merits are worthy of our attention. Their richness in culture and themes, their idiomatic and poetic expressions, their therapeutic functions make them an impeccable tool for language teaching (Chunxuan Shen, 2009).
⒉ Vocabulary learning pedagogies
Channell (1988) argued for the need for teaching approaches for vocabulary learning as a separate learning activity since the lexicon that organizes the mental vocabulary in a speaker’s mind appears to be an independent entity in processing. A similar view was expressed by Carter (1992, pp. 152–153), that ‘the need for much more vocabulary to be taught and learned as a separate activity rather than, say, part of a grammar or reading lesson’. However, Carter did not suggest separating vocabulary learning from communication and pointed to the need for both a static approach (i.e. word semantics) and a dynamic approach (i.e. word usage) in vocabulary teaching and learning. The importance of learning word meanings as well as words in contexts has also been stressed (Allen, 1983; DeCarrico, 2001).
As Taylor (1990) pointed out, receptive and productive skills are both within the domain of vocabulary learning. However, a learner may be overloaded if she/he is asked to learn both word meaning and form simultaneously. Thus learners may start off with learning word meaning by stressing receptive skills. After gaining a firm grasp of the word meaning, the learners may then try other means, such as choral repetition, to help with understanding of word forms. This will assist them in using the learnt words correctly in new contexts.
3. vocabulary teaching in language classroom
Vocabulary can be presented in many different ways and different teachers many prefer to present vocabulary in different ways. Fo effective teaching of vocabulary, it is always useful for a teacher to have a repertoire of techniques so that he or she can choose a technique according to the type of vocabulary and different age level of the learners. Apart from teaching and learning vocabulary, consolidating vocabulary is also important process in classroom teaching, textbooks often provide very limited range of vocabulary exercises, teachers should provide students with more support and more varieties of exercises to help them recylcle and consolidate the newly learned vocabulary so that they can get the words into active use.
However, researches addressing to language teaching have seldomly questioned: what are the benefits from English songs assisted vocabulary teaching in classroom? How to select well-designed songs for vocabulary teaching in class? What forms of activity can be hold in different process of teaching? After this survey, teachers will think comprehensively of how to use English songs to assist their vocabulary teaching---choose different forms of activities in different teaching periods for distinct purposes. Therefore, they can organise their classroom vocabulary teaching more effectively and actively.
Ⅲ discussion
1 merits of songs used in vocabulary teaching in classroom
(1) A kaleidoscope of culture
“Language expresses, embodies and symbolizes cultural reality” (Kramsch, 2000, p.3). Language and music are interwoven in songs to communicate cultural reality in a very unique way. English songs endow the English native speakers with an opportunity to put across their own culture. Black American’s call for equality and respect, the legends of the American West, celebration of western festivals and people’s attitudes toward love, friendship and marriage all find expression in the lines and rhythmic melodies of the songs.
(2) Expressiveness
Songs are highly expressive. Some convey love and emotions; some tell a memorable and moving story; some embody one’s dreams and ideals; and some reminisce about the golden past. Songs are abundant in themes and expressions which will echo in the learner’s heart. “Acquisition of automatic language skills depends on rich, meaningful, repeated exposure to comprehensible input without awareness” (Bolitho et al., 2003, p.253).
(3)contextualization
Songs describe certain scenes or express certain feelings, it is usually well arranged. words in the English songs are contextual, which means they have certain meaning in the context of the lyrics. In real context, students can get highly motivated and easily construct the words they will be intented to learn.
2 the selection of English songs used in classroom vocabulary teaching
(1) high-frenquency words
Words in the lyrics are frequently repeated, which is a good way to teach vocabulary in this context. Learning vocabulary must require the repetition of the words. Using songs to repeat the words gets students invovled in the music and in the repetition and memorization of the words which should be taught and learned. For example, in the songs of try to remember, there are certain words---slow, mellow, yellow, callow, fellow, follow, willow, billow, which rhyme with each other. Students can repeat the certain rhyme to pronounce the words correctly and memorize the words at the same time.
try to remember the kind of September
when life was slow and though so mellow
try to remember the kind of September
when grass was green and grain was yellow
try to remember the kind of September
when you were a tender and callow fellow
try to remember and if you remember
then follow -follow,oh-oh
try to remember when life was so tender
that no one wept except the willow
try to remember the kind of September
when love was an ember about to billow
try to remember and if you remember
then follow, follow.
——《try to remember》
(2)specific purpose vocabulary
Vocabulary sometimes can be classified into different groups which carry different purposes. We can divide words into animal, plant, people in different nations, occupation, clothes, manners,etc. in this way, we can teach the words in the same category easily and the students will get an expressive view of the words. Take the songs of be what you wanna be for example, it describles the occupation.
doctor, actor, lawyer or a singer
why not president, be a dreamer
you can be just the one you wanna be
police man, fire fighter or a post man
why not something like your old man
you can be just the one you wanna be
——《be what you wanna be》
3 different process of vocabulary teaching with assistance of English songs
From the perspective of vocabulary teaching, teachers should focus on the process of classroom teaching which is usually divided into two parts---present vocabulary and consolidate vocabulary.
(1) presenting vocabulary
①capitalized / underlined words
Teachers require students listen to the music and pay attention to the words which are capitalized or underlined. During the listening, students will not only enjoy the song but also pay more attention to the capitalized or underlined words and get certain expressiveness.
②visual demonstration
Teachers should provide certain pictures or images on the words which should be taught in the lyrics. Students can get involved in guessing the meaning and learning the words with the lyrics of the song and the picture.
③repetition
Repetition is very important process of teaching vocabulary, the students can follow the music to repeat the lyrics which contain the new words. Singing aloud is also a good way to repeat the words.
(2) consolidate vocabulary
Consolidating vocabulary can be called post-learning of vocabulary, which mainly means to memorize the words and better use the words.
①filling the blanks
Filling the blanks is more frenquently used way to examine the effectiveness of vocabulary teaching and learning. Teachers can ask the students to listen to the music and filling the blanks which examine the spelling and pronunciation of the newly learned words.
Ⅳ conclusion
In this paper, it is proved the effectiveness and benefits of English songs assisted vocabulary teaching and also learning. Teachers can get some tips of teaching vocabulary with English songs. However, some difficulties occur in the selection of the English songs because of the speed, the motivation of the song, the level of words difficulty. Teachers should pay more attention to these problems and make fully use of the resource.
Reference
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Chunxuan Shen. (2009).Using English Songs: an Ejnoyable and Effective Approach
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