MFL

Can one teach with Karaoke?

Honestly, I don't see why not. It's another interesting suggestion which arrived today from an enterprising teacher. According to Wikipedia, karaoke means "empty orchestra" in Japanese and was invented as a form of entertainment, and has held substantial sway as such ever since across the world.  If we want our lessons to be fun and entertaining, should we not make use of such methods?

Both Maverick and OSL Training would probably rather say No than say Yes (see posts below). And you may be surprised to hear that I agree with them actually. It's all a question of balanced judgement between the resources we seasoned professional educators can bring to bear in our lessons. Of course language lessons containing nothing but karaoke, songs, choral chanting and music etc (be it inane or otherwise) would be a criminal waste of everybody's time and money, but the opposite extreme of no fun or entertainment wouldn't help me or my pupils get out of bed every morning and turn up for work, either.  We have to find a balance, and  it isn't for nothing that the Latin name for a  Roman school was ludus - the same word as for a game. That must have been a difficult modern language to teach, mustn't it? Not to mention Ancient Greek. I bet they used music and games to good effect, but sparingly, in their lessons.

So yes, let's do some karaoke in French and Spanish on my course. After all, it is called "Putting the fun back into teaching, using music in the MFL classroom". But we won't only do karaoke - I promise....

To whet your appetites further check out this site that includes lesson plans for using songs - impressive!

Two very useful links....

I have just seen these two very useful links:

The yahoo mflresources group allows for sequential, helpful 'conversation', delivered to your own mailbox, or available to read on line.

The mflresources site stores resources which members upload to the yahoo group in order to release more space for 'uploads'.

These pages are a space for 'collaboration' on specific projects.  Most projects will probably be related to compiling 'lists'.

If you are a member of the yahoo mflresources group, you can edit these pages using the password which is provided by the yahoo group and will be changed on a regular basis via the forum (subject line: 'wiki password').

Oh yes, there's a list of suppliers of ICT/MFL materials at the ICT4LT site

Meanwhile...

Maverick - the visionary genius.....

There's a poster called Maverick who posts on the  TES Forums  who has been having a go at David in particular and using Music for MFL in general.

These blogs are not just for Trainers to blog and voice comments - they're also to stimulate discussion. With that in mind I re-post (without permission) one of 'Maverick's recent posts and invite others to comment - here is what 'Maverick' wrote:

"I AM a visionary genius. I AM, I AM!!!

But nothing I'm pointing out to you hasn't already been done before, and has already succeeded admirably to teach languages and produce linguists.

Like I said before, the traditional methods that we have passed up for games, songs, dossing about on computers, inane little videos and all the rest. Why have we taken such a departure from what worked so well in the past and replaced it with gimmicks and activities that pander to the lowest, laziest elements in our classes?

However did we all learn languages when all we had were text book, exercise books and teachers who gave us translation exercises and pointed out our mistakes so we could correct them?

An odd song and an odd game is not the problem. The problem is that it's ALL songs and games now, with the odd real language exercise thrown in that the pupils hate because they have no linguistic foundations to work from, which is a far more widespread problem than mere language departments, and that we are chastised for doing because those on high, like the brown-nosed OFSTED officials who are told to look for 'creativity' which always means 'nonsense' where education is concerned.

You don't have to be a visinary genius (like I am) to see that the pupils aren't learning anything; to see that they can't string even a simple sentence together; to see that top sets can't even conjugate avoir and etre, and have no clue that some common English phrases useing 'to be' are translated into French with avoir.

What have they been doing all these years? Playing games, and singing songs and doing anything but actually learning the language. That's what!

I do the junk too. But when I come home from school, I take off the rose-coloureds, wipe the sh1t off my nose and come on here to tell you how to do it right.

Well, what do you expect?

:)"

(Spellings have been left as in the original)

As I throw it open I'd like to venture my own opinion - in respect of the comment "replaced it with gimmicks and activities that pander to the lowest, laziest elements in our classes?" - I agree with the tone i.e. it's a pity that we have become entertainers rather than educators.

I teach Economics (and other subjects but not MFL) and have noticed (in particular with IWB, Youtube, DVDs etc) that the art of discussion seems to be going and instead more and more of our job is classroom management. As the NQT who blogs here said, 'The main skill I have learned at my school is how to catch a chair in mid-flight'.

But is our role to reflect society and thus accept as is and deliver our subjects in the manner expected, to the best of our ability OR is it to change society by delivering our subjects in the best way and thus the content is not obscured by the methodology?

I know what it should be...

Let's say - returning to MFL -  that we agree that yes, songs and IT etc should be used but not so that actual learning is sacrificed for the process of delivery. Let's say that we intend to cut down the use of Music in MFL  does this not suggest that we should endeavour to be well-equipped to use the BEST methods, the BEST examples etc?

Take for example, binge drinking. When pubs shut at 11 people drank as much as possible in the time allotted. They'd go for the strongest, most potent booze as they only had limited time. Now with 24-hour drinking quantity has replaced quality.

Perhaps that is the case with MFL - instead of selecting the BEST and most appropriate methods we just use Music/IT, Music/It as much as possible.

In which case any course that helps us be more selective, so quantity does not replace quality, is to be welcomed.

Meanwhile here is a list of some podsafe sites . (I stole them from here.) However, I would strongly recommend that you first carefully read the individual licensing agreements for any track you may want to use so as to avoid any possible breach of copyright.

• Flashkit loops
• iBeat
• Opuzz
• stock20
• Magnatune (see tutorial)
• Incompetech
• Soundsnap
• Dogmazic
• PodSafe Audio
• Jamendo
• Partners in Rhyme
• Splice
• Podsafe music network
• ccMixter
• Freesound project
• Podsafe Music Resources

Chris Sivewright OSL Training

Music to send me to sleep...

I found the answer to my own question (see last post). Have a listen/look here.

Brilliant! I shall use it in class on Monday...

Let the dialogue begin!

Wow! Six comments! Thank you for your interest, questions and ideas. I'll take them one by one:

If I enrol on the course would I learn: 1. How to get pupils using IT to record songs in a foreign language
2. How to lay down tracks to help with learning by heart. 

1. Yes. Let's explore the recording capabilities of an iPod, (which is ubiquitous these days, at least amongst my pupils) and subsequent downloading of the file to a computer.
2. Yes. We will look at Garageband, and how to compose a rhythmical backing track, adding voiceovers in the foreign language, recording them for subsequent playback on the student's own computer or iPod.

I too have received the leaflet. Could you give an idea please of one of your music-related activities you state in the leaflet?

How to use a song in class, to teach a particular language point. We will work through a gapped text of a song's lyrics, first without music, then with playthroughs. The gaps will consist of particular parts of speech - eg adjectives - and the students will learn visually to spot grammatical patterns, with their understanding reinforced by hearing the individual words and the common expressions over and over again. If they end up humming the tune and hearing the words in their head as they leave the classroom, that's a bonus! Maybe they can go on to re-record the song in the next lesson, using the techniques mentioned above?

I am not sure about this. You seem to be saying that "trainer will then make a final selection of activities". Obviously you cannot cover everything, every practical exercise.

So this course does encourage participation then - will we be given anything to take away in terms of resources?

The selection of activities will be made according to the requests and needs of the delegates on the course - hence the pre-course questionnaire. You are absolutely right that we cannot cover everything in this vast field in one day, so we will have to make a selection - and as ever, your suggestions are very welcome. If we can accommodate them, then we will. Yes, rest assured that you will take away with you resources for immediate use, some of which we will explore during the day itself: others you can use in the same way in subsequent lessons.

I use Music in Language teaching - but i could always do with more information etc. This all sounds very interesting - I hope, though, that the music you use isn't just of the 'Mozart Effect' type but also includes Rap, Indie, House and other genres? I teach in an inner city school and somehow I don't think Bach would go down very well!

Fair point. As a countertenor singer, my professional musical expertise lies with classical, indeed ancient, classical choral and vocal music, but my musical tastes range much more widely. When it comes to using music for aiding the teaching and learning of MFL though, the most essential thing, it seems to me, is to use music which enthuses the students and which can be adapted, without too much effort on the part of the hard-pressed teacher, to language teaching purposes. It matters not what genre the music falls into, provided it fulfils these criteria. So yes, I hope to use and compose music of various types on the day - it's amazing what you can do these days with Garageband...!

Out of interest on the course, are you also willing to discuss strategies for teaching MFL in general with or without Music?

Absolutely, time permitting. I believe that these courses should exist to help us do our jobs better and have more fun doing them, so I'm very happy to explore strategies and the pros and cons of various methodologies we use. It would be helpful to put this discussion into the context of using or not using music to help though, so I'll try to lead it in that direction.

Sorry to interrupt - just a nosey question!

I see there's a teacher of Music vacancy in Abingdon.

Is this your school and is it a good school to apply to?

Thanks!

I'm glad I could save the best question and answer to the end. Yes, Abingdon School is where I work and It is an excellent school, in my opinion - so much so that I have enrolled my 12 year old there from this September, and they have just given him a Music Exhibition! Music is hugely vibrant at Abingdon, with lots of orchestras, bands, jazz groups, choirs (I founded one Close Harmony group and sing in a choir, when I have time) and it is the school where Radiohead began: just before I arrived, unfortunately! So for a keen and enthusiastic Musician, I imagine it would be a fabulous place to apply to. Good luck!

Phew! Another long day. The end of half term, too. I'm writing from my hotel room in Salamanca, where I've been attending an Early Music singing course for the past 4 days. At least I've learnt a couple of Lorca songs to perform at a Hispanic festival in an Oxford school next month. It's been a fabulous way to improve my fluency in Spanish, too. Memorizing the lyrics of a foreign language song for subsequent performance (even if they are in 15th century Spanish) is tremendously rewarding! Time to listen to some soothing music and turn in, I think. What would you recommend I listen to?

 

So who actually uses music to teach languages?

It was heartening to receive an enquiry about my forthcoming Music and Languages course today, from a recipient of one of the newly-printed course leaflets. This enlightened teacher's classes already are infused with music as an aid to learning, so was this course actually relevant to the enquirer or not?  I trust this post will answer that question as well as others which recipients of the leaflets may have.

I suspect that my enquirer is in the minority. I don't think I'm preaching to the choir. Again I ask: who in the UK actually does use music in class to teach languages? If you are one of such heroes, congratulations! If not, then I trust the raft of hands-on activities we explore and practise on the day will encourage you to have a go.

The enquirer helpfully suggested some further ideas - mostly revolving around the musical use of IT - which would prove of benefit to experienced practitioners as well, so let me say straightaway that I am eager to offer such activities - in a very hands-on way. IT in language learning is another of my passions, since it is often as effective as music, I find, in awakening and retaining the enthusiasm of our students. So as a minimum, amongst investigating the various ways we use songs and pre-recorded music, we will explore some of the easiest hardware and software available for creating and recording it, try out some Brain Gym exercises and contemplate the uses of background music at strategic points in the lesson.

Before any of OSL's courses, delegates send in a questionnaire, which enables them to explain how much experience they already have of the course's intended content, and like the helpful enquirer above, make suggestions as to what additional material they would like to explore. The trainer will then make a final selection of activities, much better tailored to the delegates' needs than if the pre-course questionnaire did not exist. Meanwhile, if you have any other suggestions for course content, please send them in. I will reply through this blog.

Interactivity is the key. All my courses (and my better French and Spanish lessons) are specifically designed to involve the participant - to be learner-centred - because that is the best way I have found from experience on both sides of the desk to recall and retain the information discovered during the course or lesson. How many times have you sat through endless PowerPoint presentations, and how much have you recalled and retained? Contrast those endless hours with that Languages lesson you remember from your school or student days, which you can still vividly remember, because you actually had to DO something - to perform, to dance, to sing, to make a video, to walk around the room, whatever it was - it ignited your passion for the subject. Thank goodness you had such an enlightened teacher!

I hope that what we do during the course will train you to become as enlightened in delivering your language lessons, and that you will go back to school brimming with ideas and resources to try out the next day. I hope, in short, that this course will be relevant for everyone, for whatever the extent of your experience, you will all be enabled to use music to teach languages - effectively!