Learning English with music can enhance learning and create a more engaging and dynamic classroom environment. In a previous post, we discussed if music can help you learn a language; this post looks at how music can be incorporated into the classroom.
Using music in your classroom can help improve student motivation, focus, and retention of information. Here are some ways you can use music to enhance your classroom teaching:
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Playing soft, easy to listen to background music in class can help create a calm and comfortable atmosphere for students. Music with English lyrics playing in the background can help students with passive memorization of English. Research suggests[1] that studying with music improves focus, also with the bonus of relieving stress and anxiety.
This can also help students discover new music. If they hear one they enjoy, they might listen to the songs outside of class and during their own study time.
To help and encourage them with this, you can also build a regular playlist that students can access or refer to. You can also ask students if they have any favorite songs with English words to add to the playlist, to get them more involved.
Often it's good to take breaks or short pauses during the school day to help students recharge and refocus their attention. These kinds of breaks are typically 10-15 minutes long and can be utilized in different ways, such as physical activities, games or mindfulness exercises; it can also just be a time to relax and reset.
Adding English songs to these breaks can make them even more effective. Upbeat, high-energy music can get students moving and dancing and calming music can be used for relaxation and mindfulness exercises. Music can also be used to accompany physical activity and help children learn new words, skills or practice routines.
Using music to help students memorize words and phrases can be a fun and effective strategy. For example, you can create a song or rap from scratch or to an existing song or familiar beat, including important words or concepts that you're currently teaching. This can help students remember the information better and make learning more enjoyable.
For younger learners, add actions to your song to make it more interactive and even more memorable.
If you are short on time, use existing relevant songs to supplement your lesson. If it's a widely known song in current popular culture, students are more likely to connect or engage with it due to its familiarity and appeal.
Music can inspire creativity and help students think outside the box. You can get students to create their own song, rap or performance in English to present to the rest of the class.
If you have less time, get students to sing along to songs, perform karaoke style, or create their own song lyrics to a familiar/existing tune. This can help with their English vocabulary, pronunciation and speaking practice. It can also help students practice public speaking, improvisation, and other performance skills.
Music can also be used as a tool for classroom management to help with transitions of different classes throughout the day. Use a song to signal the start or end of class. You can also use it to signal changes throughout the day.
Choose songs that reflect the time of day or an event. For example, if it is lunchtime, play a song related to food, such as "Food Glorious Food".
Students will start making associations with the words of the song and start picking up words and phrases, similar to the previous point of background music.
Integrating music into your classroom can be a great and fun way to engage students and enhance their language learning. Encouraging creativity, focus, learning, and growth. Utilizing music throughout the day adds a dynamic element that benefits the students in many ways.
[1]Antony, M. & Priya V, Vishnu & Gayathri R, Gayathri R et al (2018). Effect of music on academic performance of college students. Drug Invention Today. 10. 2093-2096.
At Pearson Languages, 2024 has been a landmark year full of innovation, connection, and impactful resources for businesses worldwide. We’ve worked on so many things with the aim to empower global workforces and help organizations unlock the potential of language skills to drive business success. Here's how we made a difference this year.
As the new year approaches, it's the perfect time to reflect on our teaching practices and plan engaging, effective lessons for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students. Thoughtfully crafted lesson plans can make a significant difference in the learning outcomes and engagement levels of your students. Whether you're teaching young children, teenagers, or adults, the principles of effective lesson planning remain consistent. Here are some ideas, hints and tips to help you create dynamic and successful ESL lessons for students of all ages.
Begin each lesson with clear, achievable objectives. What do you want your students to learn by the end of the lesson? Objectives provide a roadmap for both you and your students, ensuring that everyone is focused and aware of the goals. For example, an objective might be "Students will be able to use past tense verbs to describe their weekend activities." Clear objectives provide direction and help you measure student progress.
To cater to different learning styles and keep students engaged, incorporate a mix of teaching methods and activities. Here are a few ideas:
Authentic materials—such as newspapers, menus, brochures and videos—expose students to real-world language and contexts. These materials can make lessons more interesting and relevant, helping students see the practical application of their language skills. Even better, they’re everywhere, so easy to find. Here are some more suggestions for how to select and use authentic materials in your English language teaching.
Teachers are already used to leveraging technology to enhance lessons utilizing online resources, language learning apps and interactive platforms to create a dynamic learning environment. Why not take this a step further by using AI to create your own resources. Take a look at our blog on How to make the most of AI in the classroom for some more ideas.
How can teachers use the Global Scale of English (GSE) and AI to help students set and achieve language learning goals for the new year?
As the new year rolls around, it’s the perfect time for students to set fresh language learning goals. But for teachers, it’s not just about inspiring students—it’s about giving them clear, measurable goals that they can actually achieve. That’s where the GSE, a very powerful tool, comes in. It can help teachers create personalized learning paths based on where students are right now and guide them toward their language goals throughout the year. Let’s dive into how the GSE can work to boost student progress.
The GSE is a precise framework that measures English proficiency with remarkable detail. Each score on the GSE aligns with specific speaking, listening, reading and writing competencies. For instance, a student with a GSE score of 50 might handle everyday conversations comfortably (B1 level), while a score of 75 indicates functioning at a more advanced level (C1).
What sets the GSE apart is its granularity—it goes beyond general levels of "intermediate" or "advanced," allowing teachers to identify exactly what their students can do at any stage. This level of detail enables teachers to set targeted, skill-specific goals for every learner, ensuring personalized and purposeful progression.
Before setting goals, it’s important to determine each student’s current standing. The GSE is an excellent tool for this because it provides a detailed breakdown of a student's skills. Teachers can use GSE-aligned assessments to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses, which gives a clearer picture than just knowing if a student is at an “intermediate” or “advanced” level.
Once you know where students are, you can set a baseline. For instance, if a student’s reading score is 52, you’ll know that they are likely in the B1 range, and you can target specific skills (like improving vocabulary or understanding main ideas) to move them forward.
Now that you know where each student stands, it's time to set some goals. These should be realistic, measurable and achievable based on their current level and the time span involved. The key is to pick goals that will push them to improve without overwhelming them. The GSE has detailed descriptions of what students can do at each level. You can pinpoint specific skills that need attention by looking at these descriptors. We know that large goals can feel intimidating, so break them into smaller, manageable chunks. Here, the GSE is an amazing resource, thanks to its granularity.
Using the GSE Learning Objectives (LOs) in conjunction with an LLM (Large Language Model) opens up a world of possibilities for creating focused activities at the right level for each student. Here are some key points on how this combination enhances personalized learning:
By combining the GSE LOs and harnessing the power of an LLM like ChatGPT, teachers can create personalized activities that cater to individual students' language needs, promote active learning, and foster continuous improvement.
Setting goals is just the start—tracking progress and adjusting those goals as needed is just as important. Throughout the year, teachers should regularly check in with students to make sure they’re on track. How can we monitor and adjust? Here are some tips.
Teachers should schedule regular one-on-one sessions with students to review their progress. The GSE can clearly show students their progress.
If students are achieving their goals faster than expected, adjusting their targets is important to keep them challenged. If they’re struggling, the goals might need to be more achievable, with smaller, more gradual steps.
Using the GSE can help students set clear, measurable goals and steadily progress throughout the year. By assessing where students are starting, setting specific GSE-based goals, creating personalized learning paths with AI, and continuously tracking progress, teachers can create a more dynamic and effective learning experience for their students. The new year is the perfect opportunity to help students improve their English and achieve their goals—and with these tools, teachers have everything they need to guide students toward success.
