12   SONGS, RHYMES, & CHANTS

 

·        Children love songs, rhymes and chants and their repetitive nature and rhythm make them an ideal vehicle for language learning.

·        This chapter will consider the rich potential of traditional songs, rhymes and chants that have stood the test of time.

·        Carefully selected songs, rhymes and chants can offer a rich source of authentic input.

 

Why use songs, rhymes and chants

·        A linguistic resource

o       They (songs, rhymes and chants) learn the structures and vocabulary (yapıları öğreniyorlar)

o       They present familiar language in new and exciting forms and in a rich, imaginative context (kelimelerin uygun kullanımı)

o       They provide for lots of natural and enjoyable repetition

o       They can be used to develop all skills in an integrated way. (bütün yetenekler iç içe geçmiş)

o       They help improve all aspects of pronunciation

·        A psychological / affective resource

o       They are motivating and fun and help develop positive attitudes towards the target language

o       They are non-threatening and the more inhibited child will feel secure when singing and chanting as a class or in groups. (grup çalışmalarıyla girişkenliği arttırır ve çekimserliği engeller.)

o       They can encourage a feeling of achievement. (öğrencilerin kendilerine olan güvenleri artar)

·        A cognitive resource

o       They help to develop concentration, memory and coordination

o       They sensitize children to rhyming clues as aids to meaning

o       Repetition enables children to predict what comes next and to consolidate language items. (tahmini arttırıyor)

·        A cultural resource

o       They are from authentic sources and can contribute to the cultural component of language program. (kültürleri karşılaştırıyor, farklı kültürlerin şarkılarıyla kendi kültüründekileri kıyaslıyor)

·        A social resource

o       Singing and chanting is a shared social experience (paylaşılan sosyal aktivitelerdir)

o       They can be used as the basis for a performance or show.

·        Finally, they offer a flexible resource to the teacher.

 

Pronunciation benefits of using songs, rhymes and chants

·        Songs, rhymes and chants are particularly useful for practicing pronunciation.

 

Individual sounds & sounds in connected speech

·        Songs and rhymes are useful for showing what happens to sounds in connected speech. Example: First by the weather telafuzunda /st/ /by/ okunurken /s/ /by/ olarak okunur.

 

 

Stress and rhythm

·        More important features of pronunciation, such as stress and rhythm can also be practiced in a very natural way of using songs and rhymes.

·        Encouraging children to clap the beat (tempo) as they go along or say rhymes will help to develop a sense of rhythms in English.

 

Intonation

·        Intonation can also be practised in rhymes.

 

Ear training

·        Pupils need to have some “ear-training” to help them distinguish between different aspects of English pronunciation. (in chapter 6)

 

Types of songs, rhymes and chants

·        There are many types of songs, rhymes and chants which contain different features and used for different purposes.

·        Opie suggest that rhymes can be divided in to two categories;

o       Those which are essential to the regulation of games and children’s relationships which each other and include dips, skipping rhymes

o       Those are ‘mere expressions of exuberance (coşku)’ and include jingles, slogans, nonsense verse, tongue twisters, scary rhymes and jokes.

·        Rhymes that are used for the regulation of games usually include dipping.

·        Skipping rhyme adapted for the classroom where children or groups of children stand in a circle(s). (“halka halindeyken doğum ayları söylenenler öne zıplıyor” gibi)

·        Finger rhymes or plays involve actions just for the hand and children can remain seated. (parmaklarını konuşturuyorlar.)

·        Limericks (5 dizeli mizahi şiir) are also very popular with older children.

·        Tongue twisters have always been favorites and use alliteration which makes correct pronunciation difficult and real a challenge.

·        Chants have always been popular in the playground and at sports events.

·        Carolyn Graham puts everyday conversational to Jazz rhythms.

·        Older children might find some traditional songs, rhymes and chants a little childish or uninteresting; in this case, teacher often use English pop songs, especially some of the classics. (öğrencilerin ilgisine ve yaşlarına göre müzik seçilmeli.)

·        As can be seen, songs, rhymes and chants can contribute to the child’s global development in many different ways. (sadece çocukların pronunciation leri için değil aynı zamanda onların gelişim ve bilgilenmeleri içinde yararlıdır.)

 

When and how to use songs, rhymes and chants

·        Songs, rhymes and chants can be used in many different ways

o       as warmers (motive için),

o       as a transition from one activity to the next (bir aktiviteden diğerine  geçmek için)

o       to introduce new language

o       to practise language, to revise language

o       to chance the mood, to get everyone’s attention

·        Here is a flexible framework for using songs, rhymes and chants.

o       Set the context (explain purpose, background information)

o       Pre-teach any necessary vocabulary. (şarkıdaki kelimelerin verilmesi.)

o       Play on cassette or singing or chant to allow children to listen, show understanding, familiarize themselves with the rhythm, tone, etc.

o       Do further listening activity

o       Work on pronunciation activities

o       Invite children to listen, repeat and practise by joining in and learning to sing or chant. Encourage children to use actions, mime, drama, etc.

o       Give a record of text: children can adapt or write their own version; listen and complete a simple gap fill; listen and sequence

o       Encourage children to compare with a similar type in their own language

o       Present or perform as a whole class, in groups, in rounds, in pairs or if there is a question and answer sequence in the song

·        Finally children might like to make a class book or their own individual book of favorite songs or rhymes.

 

Adapting songs, rhymes and chants

·        Many songs, rhymes and chants can be easily adapted by changing key words to fit in with particular story or theme. The advantage of this is that children may already be familiar with the song, rhyme or chant.

·        Songs from around the world can also be easily adapted to fit in with story-based work.

 

Building up a repertoire of songs, rhymes and chants

·        To develop a wide range of songs, rhymes and chants that are suitable for age groups you teach and the context in which you work, you may like to built up a record in the following way.

·        This will help you analyze the full potential of each song, rhyme and chant and see best how you may integrate it into your syllabus.

 

www.iolpgalerisi.com  by Mustafa Baran

 

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