I want to tell you a bit about my ESL philosophy. Feel free to read this post, or just search for material or themes in the search bar above. I bring a musical element to my teaching, and the fact that music is integrated into Cycle 1 (grade 1-2), has really brought out the best in me, and my students. I don’t have to work to fit music in. It is already the base of the program.

But my philosophy differs though, in the way that I believe that “authentic” music is beneficial to Cycle 1 ESL teaching. The problem with typical programs, is that the music is not authentic. They are nursery rhymes, meant for toddlers. Sure, some of the kids will still enjoy them, but others find it perhaps a bit demeaning. When I say, “authentic” music, I am saying that we should be using songs that stand on their own, and that one would listen to for pleasure, not just out of obligation.

In my 8 years since I started using different programs, I had gradually changed all of the songs that were brought to me. I had created new versions of the standard, public-domain nursery rhymes, that the DVD used, by playing them on my guitar, which I brought to each class. I changed the melody on some, changed the musical style or tempo on others, changed the beat on some.

My hope was that if the kids love English in grade 1-2, that they will give it a chance in grade 3-6, when it becomes much harder, with the elements of compositions and spontaneous conversation, replacing songs and placing stickers in the right place. 

Then I change things up. I realized that updating nursery rhymes was just as much work as writing original children’s songs. I have gradually been adding songs. I have about 50 now. I write about the topics that are important in early ESL grades. The possibilities are endless. Anything can be a song. I create lyric sheets with images that explain the key vocabulary.

I really feel like there is a real need for good children’s music. We use music in ESL all the time, but no one has taken the time to think about whether or not the kids will like the songs. By writing good songs, that the kids enjoy, they will learn so much more than by forcing nursery rhymes on kids that are, in some cases, 8 years old. These students often have older kids already encouraging them to listen to less than appropriate material, and my music can give them something in between nursery rhymes, and the songs they listen to on Youtube or the radio.

In addition to music, I also do a bit of kid-friendly comedy to start the class, telling a story that they can identify with (about babies, or toddlers, or dogs, etc), and eliciting their experiences on the subjects. I turned these stories into an animated series I call  The Adventures of Life. They are themes that complement the songs.

At the end of class, we often do a smartboard game that I host in a “gameshow host” voice, giving away fake fabulous prizes (“You win an airplane!”), and/or we do an appropriate karaoke song on the smartboard together. We do a page or two of the book during the period, to leave traces of the work we did, and in general, the kids are more willing to work, because they are in a positive state of mind. They feel like they owe it to me, as I have given them a lot during the class. I liken one of my Cycle 1 classes to a late night variety show, but for 6-8 year olds.

Hope you can check out my material and use it in class or at home!

Thanks,

Mr Andrew