Creating a music video with my sixth graders

Music is a key component of ESL teaching – or any teaching for that matter.  Sticking a tune onto information is a terrific memory aid, and I still remember song lyrics I learned in 2nd grade.  About a year and a half ago, I discovered The Beatles are the ultimate pop band for teaching English.  I'm not sure what it says about a band that a vast number of their song lyrics are ESL-friendly, but I've always been a huge Beatles fan, so I like to think of it as beautiful, universal simplicity. 

Check out the following ESL Beatles lyrics:

You say yes,
I say no,
You say stop,
and I say go go go.
Oh no.
I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello.
Hello, hello.

And

Love, love me do.
You know I love you.
I'll always be true.
So please love me do.

These songs are just asking to have a few fake sign language gestures slapped on and explained to low level English speakers.

They come up with some weird poses

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Our sixth grade classes are terrifying, with unnaturally high percentages of ADHD and English haters (different than English apatheticers).  However, SH and I are slowly starting to understand the personality of each class.  6-1 likes busywork and translating.  They aren't big on games.  6-3 likes drawing and singing; they aren't big on writing.  6-2 is...currently a lost cause. 

So on Friday we had 6-3 draw pictures to decorate lyrics to a song about calling someone.  It's in Korean and English, and includes most of the key phrases from Unit 6.  Here's the video (the freeze frames are not glitches, I just didn't take enough time to make them look cool):





  

Posted in: A Day in the Life, ESL teaching, GEPIK, Korea, music project, music video