Songs are a great way to teach English and have fun.
These songs are not only good for learning English, but the pop songs are well‐known in Korea, so many students will at least already be familiar with the melody.
Alphabet Song. The following link is my favorite to show 3rd graders because it's slow enough for them to sing along to the whole thing. I found that most of the versions on the web were way to fast. Of course you can just sing acapella with the students as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XEN4vtH4Ic
Last Christmas - Aha
There are lots of Korean covers of this song. Many students will recognize it, and although the melody isn't the most singable, and some of the words are a little weird, most of your students will probably love it, and be humming it after class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnlzJdX2VoI
Speaking of Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town is good for teaching an alternative to "Don't do that" with "Better not".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWv72L4wgCc&feature=related
My Love - Westlife - Great song, with simple lyrics and an unbelievably catchy melody. I couldn't find a good video with lyrics, so you can play the video and open up the lyric Powerpoint and change slides accordingly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKDG3ng38zw
Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden
Particularly good for learning present continuous tense verbs ("I'm sitting, I'm driving, I'm waiting" etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3x4HvXTyGQ
It's Time For Another Year
For learning the months. Try to explain the extra little words and phrases thrown into the song such as
I will
Beatles song. Helps with future tense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eV1jJa6jJE
You Needed Me
Song for learning past tense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrOdxw5CHX8
What a Wonderful World
Simple lyrics and nice song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIdbroOLvhw
Alligator, Alligator
The best way to describe this is as an 'interactive chant'. I also included it in the "Games/Activities" page as well. This is really active, and a great way to begin the class.
Game goal: Teach numbers, and the sentence "How many are there?" Best for Kindergarten through 3rd or 4th grade.
All the students stand up and walk in place. Then to the beat of the walk, they put their arms all the way out in front of them, one up, one down, and make an alligator chomping motion while saying:
"Alligator, alligator!"
(then put hands on hips and say)
"How many are there?"
(then some extra motion of your choice)
"There...are...3! Ahhh! (terrified scream)"
Whatever number is chosen, the students can alter their scream reaction accordingly. They REALLY enjoy this and so it's a great way to grab attention right at the beginning of class and also it's much more physically taxing than taking a test, so a good way for the gets to get some circulation going.
Tips: The first time I teach the Alligator chant, I have students practice the words of the chant first, while sitting down. If they do the motions right from the beginning, they may pay more attention to the motions and forget about pronouncing words. Have them repeat slowly at first, then build up a little speed. Again, the words are:
"Alligator, Alligator, How many are there? There are(is) (number)"
You could also teach the difference between "is 1" and "are 2. I haven't used it that way with my students, however. I decided to stick with only saying "there are" and avoid saying 1. Not many of my students were really interested in there only being one alligator anyway.
Oh What a Nice Day
http://www.youtube.com/icnelly#p/c/743B5AA7108EDFA4/3/lvDhZ0U9tXM
Let's Go Swimming
http://www.youtube.com/icnelly#p/c/743B5AA7108EDFA4/6/5Qj30aQhp-o
Technologic - Daft Punk - Bad idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtdWHFwmd2o
This song has a cool (weird) music video and also lots of techy verbs. I liked the song for teaching because it was so simple. No prose, just verbs. I made a powerpoint with all the words and we slowly practiced them each class and then practiced quickly with the video, but in the end, it proved too hard for my students. I wouldn't use it unless your students really need a challenge.
Alphabet Song. The following link is my favorite to show 3rd graders because it's slow enough for them to sing along to the whole thing. I found that most of the versions on the web were way to fast. Of course you can just sing acapella with the students as well.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XEN4vtH4Ic
Last Christmas - Aha
There are lots of Korean covers of this song. Many students will recognize it, and although the melody isn't the most singable, and some of the words are a little weird, most of your students will probably love it, and be humming it after class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnlzJdX2VoI
Speaking of Christmas, Santa Claus is Coming to Town is good for teaching an alternative to "Don't do that" with "Better not".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWv72L4wgCc&feature=related
My Love - Westlife - Great song, with simple lyrics and an unbelievably catchy melody. I couldn't find a good video with lyrics, so you can play the video and open up the lyric Powerpoint and change slides accordingly.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKDG3ng38zw
Lemon Tree - Fool's Garden
Particularly good for learning present continuous tense verbs ("I'm sitting, I'm driving, I'm waiting" etc.)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3x4HvXTyGQ
It's Time For Another Year
For learning the months. Try to explain the extra little words and phrases thrown into the song such as
I will
Beatles song. Helps with future tense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eV1jJa6jJE
You Needed Me
Song for learning past tense.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QrOdxw5CHX8
What a Wonderful World
Simple lyrics and nice song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIdbroOLvhw
Alligator, Alligator
The best way to describe this is as an 'interactive chant'. I also included it in the "Games/Activities" page as well. This is really active, and a great way to begin the class.
Game goal: Teach numbers, and the sentence "How many are there?" Best for Kindergarten through 3rd or 4th grade.
All the students stand up and walk in place. Then to the beat of the walk, they put their arms all the way out in front of them, one up, one down, and make an alligator chomping motion while saying:
"Alligator, alligator!"
(then put hands on hips and say)
"How many are there?"
(then some extra motion of your choice)
"There...are...3! Ahhh! (terrified scream)"
Whatever number is chosen, the students can alter their scream reaction accordingly. They REALLY enjoy this and so it's a great way to grab attention right at the beginning of class and also it's much more physically taxing than taking a test, so a good way for the gets to get some circulation going.
Tips: The first time I teach the Alligator chant, I have students practice the words of the chant first, while sitting down. If they do the motions right from the beginning, they may pay more attention to the motions and forget about pronouncing words. Have them repeat slowly at first, then build up a little speed. Again, the words are:
"Alligator, Alligator, How many are there? There are(is) (number)"
You could also teach the difference between "is 1" and "are 2. I haven't used it that way with my students, however. I decided to stick with only saying "there are" and avoid saying 1. Not many of my students were really interested in there only being one alligator anyway.
Oh What a Nice Day
http://www.youtube.com/icnelly#p/c/743B5AA7108EDFA4/3/lvDhZ0U9tXM
Let's Go Swimming
http://www.youtube.com/icnelly#p/c/743B5AA7108EDFA4/6/5Qj30aQhp-o
Technologic - Daft Punk - Bad idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtdWHFwmd2o
This song has a cool (weird) music video and also lots of techy verbs. I liked the song for teaching because it was so simple. No prose, just verbs. I made a powerpoint with all the words and we slowly practiced them each class and then practiced quickly with the video, but in the end, it proved too hard for my students. I wouldn't use it unless your students really need a challenge.